Diwali is one of the most popular and widely celebrated religious Hindu festivals. Deepawali or Diwali (meaning ?an array of lamps?) is the Festival of Light and is celebrated with fervour and gaiety to ward off the darkness and welcome light into everyone?s lives.

The true meaning of Diwali can be expressed the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, justice over injustice and intelligence over ignorance.

The origin has a plural dimension according to stories in Hindu mythology. The majority of devotees celebrate Diwali to commemorate the coronation of Shri Rama (Lord Rama) on his return to Ayodhya after fourteen years in exile.

All devotees invoke the blessings of Mother Lakshmi or Lakshmi Mata the goddess of light, wealth and beauty and are also associated with prosperity, luck, riches, abundance, financial well being, and generosity.

According to the teachings of Raja Yoga, Diwali is the coronation of Lakshmi and Narayan as the first Empress and Emperor of the Golden Age or Satyuga. This is why to many, Diwali marks the start of the new year. This is more so because Diwali is hosted in the month of Kartic (English or Western Calendar this festival generally occurs over a period that covers the last week of October to the first half of the month of November).

Kartic represents the establishment of the new world order, change from old to new and it signals the end of human bondage. Kartic is also the last festival in the Hindu calendar year.

Diwali is the celebration of the victory of the divine virtues (love, peace, purity) over the vices of anger, greed, ego lust and attachment. The combined form of Lakshmi and Narayan are represented by the four-armed Vishnu and Maha Lakshmi depicting the male and female attributes.

The festival is celebrated over a period of five days, two days on each side of the main Diwali day.

The first day is the thirteenth (13th) day of Kartik called Dhanteras. On this day one big deya is lit and new household items are bought signifying a new consciousness. This is sometimes called ? the Jam Deya?.

The second day is the fourteenth (14th) day of Kartik called Roopchaudas or Chotti Diwali. On this day, there is beautification and floral decoration of homes accompanied by lighting a few deyas.

The third day, the main Diwali day celebration is the fifteenth (15th) day of Kartik. On this day people of all ages participate in the festivities to give expression to their happiness by wearing of new clothes, performance of Maha Lakshmi Poojan, lighting earthen oil lamps (diyas), decorating their houses, bursting firecrackers & inviting relatives & friends to their homes for the partaking of a feast. Sweetmeats are presented to all guests, and are often given out to customers in the shops. The lighting of lamps is a way of paying obeisance to God for the attainment of health, wealth, knowledge and peace.

The fourth day, known as Ankhood day, is when greetings are exchanged and sweets are distributed in many families as well as gathering of friends.

The fifth day is known as Bhai Dooj. Here sisters express special love to brothers doing aarti (wavering of blessed light around the brother), placing tikkas (a dot on the forehead) and offering sweets.

Diwali day is a memorial where each enlightened soul in deity form lives in peace, love, harmony and self-respect for each other.

Locally most Indians celebrated Diwali last Saturday.