Diwali or Deepawali is the festival of lights celebrated across the country. The festival of lights which is celebrated in the month of Kartik usually lasts five days, starting from Dhanteras, followed by Narak Chaturdashi (Chhoti Diwali), Lakshmi Pujan (Badi Diwali), Govardhan Puja and Bhai Dooj
Rama's return to Ayodhya after Ravana's defeat
According to the Hindu epic Ramayana, Lord Rama, his brother Laxmana and wife Sita returned to Ayodhya after a period of 14 years in exile after defeating demon king Ravana.
In Dwapara yuga, Lord Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, killed demon Narakasura, the evil king of Pragjyotishapura, near present-day Assam, who had held 16,000 girls in captivity. In Braj region in northern India, parts of Assam, as well as southern Tamil and Telugu communities, Narak Chaturdashi is viewed as the day on which Krishna killed Narakasura.
Pandava's return to Hastinapur
The five Pandava brothers had been tricked into losing a bet in gambling after which their Kaurava cousins banished them for 12 years. The Pandavas returned to Hastinapur on Kartik Amavasya, as per the Hindu epic Mahabharata.
Goddess Lakshmi's birth
As per another popular tradition, Diwali is celebrated as the day Goddess Lakshmi was born from Samudra Amntham, the churning of the cosmic ocean of milk by the gods and demons. On the night of Diwali, Lakshmi chose Vishnu as her husband and married him.
Vishnu rescued Lakshmi
It is believed that Lord Vishnu, in his fifth Vaman-avatar, rescued Goddess Lakshmi from the prison of King Bali. On this day, King Bali was banished to rule the netherworld on the order of Lord Vishnu.
Bandi Chhor Diwas
In Sikhism, Diwali is related to a historic event. Guru Hargobind, the sixth Sikh Guru, along with 52 other Hindu kings, was released from captivity by Mughal emperor Jahangir on the day of Diwali.
Mahavira Nirvana Diwas
In Jainism, the festival of Diwali is celebrated to observe the anniversary of Nirvana of Mahavira's soul, the twenty-fourth and last Jain Tirthankara of present cosmic age. Mahavira attained moksha (liberation) on Chaturdashi of Kartik month.
Maharshi Dayananda attained Nirvana
On the new moon day of Kartik, Maharshi Dayananda, founder of Arya Samaj, attained Nirvana.
Maharaja Vikramaditya's coronation
Legendary Hindu king Vikramaditya was crowned on Diwali. He is characterised as an ideal king known for his generosity, courage and patronage of scholars.
Kali Puja
As per the Kalikula sect of Shaktism, the day of incarnation of Kamalatmika, the last manifestation of goddess Mahakali, is celebrated as Kamalatmika Jayanti. It falls on the day of Deepawali. Kali Puja is celebrated in regions of Bengal, Mithila, Odisha, Assam, Sylhet, Chittagong and the town of Titwala in Maharashtra.
End of harvest season
According to another popular belief, Diwali may have originated as a harvest festival, marking the last harvest of the year before winter.
Diwali as New Year
