Diwali 2017 date is 19 October. Diwali, this year would be celebrated the feasts of lamps, is a festival on the new moon of Kartik, celebrated in honour of the goddess Kali, or Bhawani, who was formerly propitiated by human sacrifices, and of Lord Krishna’s victory over the demon Narakasura. The festival, however, seems to be more peculiarly consecrated to Goddess Lakshmi, or the goddess of prosperity.
Celebration
The feast begins on the 13th day of Kartik month, termed Dhantrayodashi and money-lenders now count their stores and perform puja to their wealth. Diwali is celebrated for a period of five days, during which houses are cleaned, whitewashed, and illuminated; a quadrangular floor, called Rangoli, is made in front of the house and painted with different coloured powders. Gambling is vigorously carried on, and is the chief recreation of the feast. All the treasure in the house is collected and worshipped under the name of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth; a light is made and dedicated to Yama, the god of the infernal regions: and every preparation made for the succeeding morning. Fireworks, crackers, shouters are displayed.
The 14th is Narak Chaturdashi (Narak Chaturdashi, 14th), on which Lord Krishna is fabled to have killed Narakasura, a giant, and entered his city early in the morning, when the people illuminated the city and received him with great joy and acclamation; and the women, haying adorned themselves, went before him with lighted lamps. The Hindus keep this day to commemorate this great conquest. They get up early in the morning, fill the house with lights, rub their bodies with perfumed ointment, and bathe themselves with hot water. New clothes and ornaments are put on, and the children are decorated. This done, the lady of the house performs a ceremony called Aarti placing wicks either in silver or brass dishes, symbolical of the removal of all their difficulties, arid of a happy year, when each male member makes her a present of money. Sweetmeats are distributed and friends are invited to dinner. The 30th Amavasya, or the last day of the moon, is the day of Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, the same as Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. It is known by the name of Vipulan, or the worship of the shop records. This day the Vikramaditya Samvat year ends. All the merchants close their accounts this evening. New journals, ledgers, and daybooks are brought and worshipped through a Brahmin priest; new entries are made in the account-books; writers are sent to different shops with money to credit in their names on this auspicious evening; Sarasvati is invoked to render the following year prosperous, and to be with them throughout it; then the Brahmins are sufficiently paid for their labours, and the servants receive a present of money according to their rank.
Almost all the people in India are very dedicated toward the festival Diwali. Diwali is not a festival that is to be celebrated alone but people in large group get together and celebrate in enthusiastically.