Diwali 2020

Known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali is an Indian holiday that traditionally takes place in late October or early November. The five-day festival originated in India; the religious holiday is celebrated all over the world. If you’re in Denver, Colorado, during the festival, visit Little India of Denver to sample a variety of delicious foods that are associated with the holiday.

The Importance of Diwali

Diwali originated as a religious festival for Sikhs, Hindus, and Jains. It is also a harvest festival that marks the beginning of the lunar year in India. Unlike many religious holidays that involve fasting, Diwali is a time to celebrate abundant blessings and is typically characterized by shopping, eating, and spending time with loved ones. People who celebrate Diwali light lamps both inside and outside their homes to mark the occasion as a representation of light triumphing over darkness.

The festival lasts for five days, with each day used for a specific purpose. The first day is traditionally spent shopping for new clothes to wear throughout the festival. The second day is spent cleaning the home and decorating to welcome the Indian goddess of abundance, Lakshmi, who is said to enter and bless clean homes during the festival. Day three, the festival’s height, is celebrated with fireworks and a bountiful feast, while the fourth day celebrates the bond between husbands and wives. The fifth day is dedicated to the bond between brothers and sisters.

Delicious Foods Offered by Little India of Denver To Celebrate Diwali

Although each day of the festival is dedicated to a specific purpose, one common theme that ties the days together is an abundance of sweet and savory treats. These treats are eaten as snacks and even sometimes served alongside meals. Whether you live in Denver or are just passing through during Diwali, you can visit one of Little India’s two locations to sample some of the delicious treats that are typically made for Diwali. We offer the following dishes to celebrate the holiday.

  • Puri: This savory dish features traditional wheat bread deep fried in ghee for a delicious side to our channa masala.
  • Samosas: We offer two types of samosa, which are tiny pastries stuffed with vegetables and spices. Our Punjabi samosa is filled with peas and potatoes and then deep-fried for a crisp, golden finish. Our Jaipuri samosa is filled with mixed vegetables and topped with a tangy yogurt chutney.
  • Pakora: Also known as bhaji, pakora features a dough made of spices and chickpeas and then stuffed with various vegetables. In addition to a traditional vegetarian pakora, Little India offers chicken pakora and calamari pakora, stuffed with poultry and squid, respectively.
  • Kheer: This rice pudding is traditionally infused with cardamom and topped with saffron and nuts. Our version of this delicious dish is topped with pistachios and almonds.
  • Paneer Masala: Because many people choose to be vegetarian during Diwali, most main dishes combine vegetables, herbs, and butter. Our paneer butter masala features homemade cheese cubes cooked in a butter masala sauce and seasoned with fresh herbs and spices.

https://www.littleindiaofdenver.com/diwali-dishes/

LOCAL VIRTUAL EVENTS

Hindu Temple and Cultural Center of the Rockies

Diwali New York Times Square Virtual Event

Books to Read About Diwali

by Michelle Lee, Young Adult Librarian, Riverside Library https://www.nypl.org/blog/2020/11/06/celebrate-diwali-books-resources November 6, 2020

Diwali, which is also known as Deepavali, is the annual festival of lights celebrated by many people of Indian and South Asian descent throughout the world every October or November. The holiday name दीपावली comes from the combination of two Sanskrit words : “deepa,” which is a lamp or diya, and “vali,” a row, hence a row of lights. 

Diwali is one of the most important Hindu holidays and it lasts for five days. The origins and focus for each day of celebration varies depending on region and local customs, but all of the holiday stories generally revolve around the idea of light defeating darkness, or good overcoming evil. Prayers are often said to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and good fortune who is reborn in the milky ocean and helps the gods defeat demons in an epic war. For some people, the holiday also marks Lord Rama’s homecoming after he saved his kidnapped wife, Sita, by defeating the demon king Ravana. For others, the holiday marks the defeat of the power-hungry demon king Narakasura by Lord Krishna and his wife, Satyabhama.

Diwali is also celebrated by Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists. For Sikhs, the holiday marks the prison release of the sixth guru, Hargobind, and 52 other rajas/princes, and the holiday celebrates the guru’s return to Amritsar. For Jains, the holiday is when Mahavira, the last Jain dharma teacher, attained enlightenment. Some Buddhists celebrate the holiday to honor Emperor Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism. In Nepal, the holiday is also known as Tihar.

Popular holiday traditions include cleaning and decorating homes, saying special prayers/pujas, lighting diyas (clay oil lamps), wearing special new clothes and gathering together with family and friends to share special meals, sweets and gifts. Festivities will be different this year, however, and will turn into smaller gatherings, stay-at-home events or go virtual as a health and safety precaution due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Check out this list of books from baby to adult to help your family privately celebrate or learn more about Diwali, which begins on Thursday, November 12, with the main festivities happening on Saturday, November 14.

Bollywood Movies to Watch to Celebrate Diwali

Source cimplied by JP WebDesk

Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)

There must be hardly any person who doesnt know this Diwali scene between Shah Rukh khan and Jaya Bachchan from movie ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’. Rahul Raichand (SRK) arrives home on Diwali, and his mother(Jaya B.) senses his arrival even without being aware of it.

Vaastav (1999)

Sanjay Dutt plays a gangster in this Mahesh Manjrekar film. He comes out of his hide-out on Diwali to meet his family.In the scene with Reema Lagu, Sanjay Dutt as Raghu explains to his mother the value of the gold he is wearing and also he delivers the most iconic dialogue “Ye dekh pacchass tola!”

Chachi 420

Kamal Hassan‘s Chachi 420 was the desi rip off Robbie William‘s Mrs. Doubtfire. When Chachi goes to Durgaprasad Bhardwaj’s house for a job as Bharti’s governess, she rescues Bharti from an unfortunate firecracker incident by throwing her in the pool and bags the job.

Mohabbatein (2000)

SRK’s another hit film from 2000, ‘Mohabbatein’ was also had diwali song ‘Pairon Mein bandhan Hai’. This Diwali song with a huge mob and cast was the song to remember on this festival.

Guide(1965)

Vijay Anand’s film belongs as much to Rosie (Waheeda Rehman) as it does to Raju (Dev Anand). Both have secrets to keep and a false persona to maintain. However, Rosie decides to drop all the pretence when she dances in ‘Piya tose naina lage re’.

Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!

The one legendry family drama of the bollywood is Salman khan and Madhuri Dixit starrer Hum Appke hai Kaun. In one the song Renuka Shahne as Pooja Bhabhi gives birth to little boy and on the ocassion of his arrival whole family celebrates the light of festival and joy in a joyful song.

Swades

SRK’s another one drama Swades has Diwali scene but not as jouful as ‘Kabhi Khushi kabhie Gham’. When dadaji passed away on Diwali’s auspicious day, it becomes the most difficult thing to see the heart wrenching moment on joyful day.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *