Diwali 2024: Date, puja timings, significance, and traditional foods to ...
The most awaited festival of Diwali, also known as Festival of Lights is around the corner. This year, the festival of Diwali will be celebrated on October 31, 2024. Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated to commemorate Lord Rama's return home after a fourteen-year exile. Diwali, also known as Deepavali. On this day, devotees worship Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi and cleanliness plays a key role in this festival. Hence, before the festival people deep clean their houses, offices, warehouses, and factories. And then on the day of Diwali illuminate homes and offices with the glow of lamps and offer prayers to the deities, and enjoy sweets.Diwali datesOne of the most awaited festivals in the entire year, it's a celebration of 5-days, which starts with Dhanteras, on October 29. However, this year, the festival will be celebrated for 6 days. Following Dhanteras, Choti Diwali will be celebrated on October 30, and then Diwali on October 31. As the amavasya ends on November 1, Govardhan Puja will be celebrated on November 2, and lastly Bhai Dhooj on November 3 that completes the series of festivals.Significance of Diwali
It is a Hindu festival, celebrated in the month of Kartik after Lord Shri Ram returned to Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman after completing a fourteen-year exile. The festival symbolises the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. On this day Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped, who is also known as the goddess of wealth. It is believed that on this day, Goddess Lakshmi descends to Earth to bless her devotees.
Puja Timings and MuhuratDhanteras: Tuesday, October 29, 2024Puja Muhurat: 6:31 PM to 8:13 PMNaraka Chaturdashi: Thursday, October 31, 2024Abhyang Snan Muhurat: 5:20 AM to 6:32 AMChaturdashi Tithi Begins: 1:15 PM on October 30Chaturdashi Tithi Ends: 3:52 PM on October 31Diwali (Lakshmi Puja): Friday, November 1, 2024Lakshmi Puja Muhurat: 5:36 PM to 6:16 PMAmavasya Tithi Begins: 3:52 PM on October 31Amavasya Tithi Ends: 6:16 PM on November 1Lakshmi Puja timingAs per experts, the auspicious timing for performing puja this year is from 6:27 PM to 8:32 PM on October 31, with the Nishita Muhurta occurring from 11:39 PM to 12:31 AM.No Indian festival is complete without a dose of sweet delicacies and Diwali is no exception. On this day, certain foods are offered to the deities, as listed below.Motichoor Laddoo: Made with desi ghee, gram flour, edible colour, sugar syrup, and cucumber seeds, these tender balls are Lord Ganesha's favourite.
Atta Halwa: Made with wheat flour, ghee, sugar, water, cardamom powder, and nuts, it's a sweet pudding offered to Goddess Lakshmi.Kaju Barfi: This is one of the most famous Diwali sweets, made with cashew paste, milk powder, powdered sugar, and silver varq.Gulab Jamun: These melt-in-the-mouth treats are made with refined flour, khoya, paneer, cardamom powder and are dunked in sugar syrup and served to deities.Rice Kheer: Made with rice, milk, sugar, cardamom, and nuts, it's a nutritious dessert that is served to the deities.
Coconut Laddoo: This sweet dessert is made with grated coconut, milk powder, and sugar syrup and is a must-try.Panchamrit: Made with curd, cow milk, ghee, honey, sugar, and makhana, this is a beverage served to the deities as a bhog of Diwali.Puffed Rice: Puffed rice is a light and airy snack made from rice that has been cooked and then puffed, typically using heat. The process involves heating rice grains until they expand and become crunchy. Sugary Treats: These are solid and crunchy colourful delights made by solidifying sugar syrup along with edible colours. They are mostly made in different sizes and are dominated by animals shapes.Thumb and Embed Images Courtesy: istock
