As Diwali Date Nears Many Exchange Greetings

The exact day of the festival is decided by the position of the moon. In the Hindu calendar, Amavasya or "new moon" is considered as the "perfect" day to celebrate Diwali.

Diwali commemorates the victory of good over evil. It is marked by the exchange of gifts and sweets. Additionally, it's important to send Diwali greetings to friends and family as well.

Besides Diwali greetings, fireworks are an important component of the festival. The popular belief is that the fireworks actually reduce evil to ashes.

There are five days to Diwali because there are five principles involved in the celebration. The first day is Dhanteras, the celebration of the birth of the goddess Lakshmi.

The second day is Narak Chaturdhashi. This day commemorates the destruction of the demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna.

The third day of Diwali is the Festival of Lights. This is a day when worship for Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and Ganesh, the God of auspicious beginnings, is performed. Later, lamps all across the streets and homes are lit to welcome prosperity and well-being.

The fourth day of Diwali is devoted to Govardhan Pooja which celebrates Krishna's feat of lifting the Govardhan hill on his little finger, and his defeat of the god Indra.

The final day of the festival is Bhai Duj. That day is the time to honor the brother-sister relationship in families.

In this technologically-centric time, it's important to note that electronic Diwali greetings, including SMS or text message, email, and electronic greeting cards are just fine. That's in addition, of course, to the old face-to-face and that really old technology: the telephone.

A few sample Diwali greetings are:

1) May the festival of lights be the harbinger of joy and prosperity. Best wishes for a Happy Diwali.
2) The holy occasion of Diwali is here and the atmosphere is filled with the spirit of love. Hope your life sparkles like the million stars in the sky. Happy Diwali.
3) Here's hoping this festival of lights brings your way, bright sparkles of contentment, that stay with you through the days ahead. Best wishes on Diwali.

It is a significant day for many, and one not lost on the President of the United States, Barack Obama, who sent his own Diwali greetings to the world (watch here). Thus continues the US President's outreach to the world, which won him to Nobel Peace Prize, though it also won him criticism over an award he did not "stump for."

Written by Michael Santo
Exclusively for HULIQ.com