Diwali, the "festival of lights", is observed by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains around the world. In many places it is a five-day event, with the third and main day celebrating the triumph of light over darkness.
One Diwali tradition is to place small clay oil lamps, called diyas, and festive lights around the house to dispel darkness and guide good fortune inside. House cleaning is also customary, since the goddess Lakshmi will only enter a clean house.
The dates of Diwali are not the same every year. That is because the holiday is set by the Hindu calendar, which is based on the phases of the moon, rather than on our solar, or sun-based, calendar.
Diwali is an annual five-day holiday, marking the start of the Hindu New Year. The exact dates change each year because they are based on the position of the moon, but it usually falls between October and November.
One popular Diwali tradition is "rangoli", which is the art of creating patterns on the floor with colorful powders, rice flour, sand, chalk, grains and petals. These designs welcome Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth and prosperity.
Many people celebrate Diwali by lighting small lamps called "diya" or candles, cleaning house, creating colorful floor designs called "rangoli" at the doorstep, exchanging traditional sweets and gifts, offering prayers, and enjoying fireworks displays.
In India, Diwali is the biggest holiday of the year. It marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of a new year. Diwali usually falls between the middle of October and the middle of November.
Diwali Reading Comprehension Stories with Questions
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