DIWALI MARKS ONE OF THE BIGGEST AND GRANDEST celebrations in India. Diwali is known as the 'festival of lights.' On this day, Lord Ram (the incarnation of Lord Vishnu in the Treta Yug) returned to his capital Ayodhya after the exile of fourteen years. Thousands of years have passed, and yet so ideal is the kingdom of Ram (Ram Rajya) that it is remembered to this day. 

Diwali comes exactly 20 days after Dussehra on Amavas (new moon), during fortnight of kartik some time in October or November. The exact date is taken from the Hindu calendar and since that calculation is different from the European calendar, we cannot give the exact date to the Western system.

As we have already mentioned (under Dusserha) the evil-doer Ravan had been eliminated-along with most of his rakshasas-by Lord Ram and his brother Lakshman, and their army's of monkeys. Sita had been returned to her husband Ram and they now make their way to Ayodhya in triumph and glory.

 Consequently, to commemorate the return of Ram, Sita and Lakshman to Ayodhya people celebrate Diwali with the bursting of crackers and by lighting up their houses with earthen diyas of Kaikeyi, meanwhile, Ram had done enough penance for the misery caused to the family and the kingdom. Bharat had refused to sit on the throne, and had kept vigil as a regent, and had told Ram that if  he did not return on the last day of the fourteen other lamps in the grandest style, year after year. The thirteenth day of the dark fortnight i.e., two days before Diwali is known as Dhan Teras. 

On this day new utensil are bought for the house. The house has to be cleaned, washed and whitewashed. On this day, the children are taken out to buy crackers, candles, earthen diyas and a hatri (a small house-like structure made of mud, where a small idol of Lakshmiji, the goddess.) Lakshimiji, the goddess of wealth, is supposed to visit everyone during Diwali; therefore she must also be fussed over. Earthen katoris known as kulris and chaugaras, lots of kheer (puffed rice), toys made out of candy (known as khand ke khilone), batashas, etc. are required for the puja. 

The markets are extremely well decorated and full of items which one can buy for the home. Special foods like papri and deevlas are made at home. The day prior to Diwali is known as Chhoti Diwali. On that day Hanuman (Pavanputra or son of the God of Wind), the great bhakt (worshipper) of Lord Ram, had come flying to Ayodhya to inform the family and the kingdom that Ram, Sita amd Lakshman, were coming back the following day so that arrangements to welcome them could be made (of course in a great hurry).

Now lets move onto the ceremony itself. During my grand mother's time, we always used to get the white washing of the house done before Diwali, speacially the place where the place were the the puja was to be performed. Usually more open place then the puja room (a covered veranda is ideal) is used for the puja. 

A madhubani type of painting was made, depicting several episodes of Lord Ram, Sita, Lakshman, Hanuman (and Krishna avatar with his Gopis and Ras leelas), and the other Gods. This depictions were all confined to a square or oblong limited space. A border of flowers was used to frame the painting. The painting was made by attaching cottonwool to small sticks and taking ordinary colors mixed with waters in small katoris. 

The women and the children all got together and fill the colours into the forms already made by the artist of the family. The drawing of this faces of the gods, gopis and the animals where always of the side view. This kept everyone busy for a week or two preceding Diwali. At the center of the painting, Lakshmiji was depicted in the madhubani style, formed by joining a number of dots together in a manner that a face appeared with a chunni on top of it. The dots where all the prearranged. Of course, one can draw Lakshmiji or stick a picture of her. 

Thus, one realise how art was encouraged and taught to the children in this way, when the wall became the canvas and everyone can filling the colors, producing the beautiful picture (such togetherness is rare to find these days). The joining of the dots to form a picture is a basic way of teaching a child to draw.

During the actual Diwali, people still drop in with sweets and crackers and other presents, and some visit elders of the family and the community out of those working for them. The businessmen are very particular about doing Lakshmi puja in their shops or offices.There is no fasting on Diwali. 

Now, in the evening, before dark, the actual pujan is done. First the place of the puja is decorated with candles, diyas and the earthen hatri, which is placed in the centre. The pictures of several gods and goddesses - Lakshmiji, Ganeshji, Ram, Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman - are placed on the patta. the kulris and chaugaras are filled with kheel topped with a toy made out of candy. Papris and deevals are also kept on top. Mithai and fruit are placed on the side of this purpose, is filled with kheel and kept on the side. Of course, everyone is dressed very well, in colourful and shining clothes, so that they shimmer in the diya or candle-light. The married girls (suhagans) can wear their chunri with its gota and kihari, if they so desire. But a chonp (golden bindi) is a must on the forehead for the suhagans. 

Now everyone is ready for the puja, which is done first by putting the teeka on the gods and everyone present, and then worshipping the gods with water, aipun, roli and rice. Everyone takes a little rice in one hand and the story related to Diwali is narrated, which goes as follows.

There was once a king, who loved his queen very very much. One day the king summoned the best jeweller in his kingdom, and asked him to make a magnificent necklace costing rupees nine hundred thousands (nine lakhs) for the queen. When it was made it was so beautiful that the queen wore it all the time and wherever she went. She looked so very beautiful with the naulakha haar (nine lakh necklace) around her neck, that everyone stared at her. Every morning she would go to the river to bathe with her ladies-in-waiting. She used to take off her jewellery and fancy clothes, and put them on the banks of the river. One day, she did the same and was happily playing and splashing in the river when a kite came flying over the place, and seeing a shining object, it swooped down and took the necklace away. (Kids love to take shining objects about, and also to decorate their homes with glitter.) 

The queen came out of the river and found, to her sidmay, that her necklace was missing, and she was distressed beyond measure, and no one could console her. she fretted so much that the king heard of it within a few minutes, and came to find out what had happened. He was also very very upset and announced, there and then, that whosoever found the naulakhas haar would be given anything he or she desired. A Man with a dholak (drum) went around making the announcement all over the kingdom, and everyone came to know of the great loss suffered by the queen and that the discovery of the necklace would make the person who found it rich beyond his or her wildest dreams. So, everyone did nothing but look for the beautiful haar and talk about it at homes and in marketplaces. The queen could not be consoled.