Diwali is a multifaceted festival with different Hindu communities marking this time of year with their own unique narratives and customs. The duration of Diwali differs across regions, with many Hindus starting 6 days of festivities today. Diwali is perhaps the best example of how Hinduism gives space to a level of diversity, often unseen in other religions. Cutting across the different regional and sectarian customs is the ritual of lighting rows of lamps (Deepas/Divas) signifying the cultivation of truth, knowledge and inner divinity.
Several deities are associated with this festival and hence they receive pujas during one of the days of Diwali and include Dhanavantri, Kali, Hanuman, Ardhanarishwara (Shiva + Shakti) and Govardhana (Krishna). Lakshmi, the deity of prosperity, features in several rituals as Diwali marks the autumn harvest and new fiscal year. For some communities from Nepal and Western India, Diwali is also a New Year festival. Diwali also celebrates the triumph of Dharma over Adharma – a theme reflected in two narratives: Sita-Rama-Lakshmana returning home from exile and Satyabhama-Krishna vanquishing Narakasura.
Yama, the deity of death, is another deity who appears in several Diwali traditions hence along with celebrating life, Diwali is also a time when Hindus contemplate the inevitability of death. In a related theme, the festival is also marked by Hindus paying homage to their ancestors.