Millions of people worldwide celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights
Diwali is a five-day celebration of good over evil. Many Hindus, Jains and Sikhs celebrate around the world.
PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- Many Hindus, Jains and Sikhs celebrate Diwali, also known as the festival of lights, around the world. It celebrates good over evil.
Diwali's date changes every year and is determined by the Indian calendar. Diwali is typically anywhere from October to November.
For the Patel family in Pasadena, Diwali is more than just a celebration.
Parents Hetal and Yogin Patel say it is a way to show culture and tradition to their little girls, Nila and Zaya.
"We just kind of hype it up as the days countdown to Diwali, and also the mandir has been really important and helpful because it also builds the community for them, and we all celebrate Diwali together," said Hetal Patel.
The mandir, or temple, they go to is the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills. Yogin Patel says they often volunteer around Diwali.
"Packaging sweets that people can take home with them to you know, making sure that we have nice diyas and decorations all over the mandir. I think everyone just comes together as a community to make it look beautiful so that everyone can partake in it whether you're Indian or not," said Yogin Patel.
Lighting diyas, or candles, is tradition during Diwali. It represents opening your heart to God and others.
"There are five days of Diwali. So the first day is called Dhanteras. Dhanteras is the day we sanctify our homes with our family and invite the goddess Lakshmi Ji, the goddess of wealth, into our homes. The second day, Kali Chaudas, which is really a celebration about the different ways we protect ourselves from evil. The third day is Diwali which we celebrate by lighting diyas, which are those little candles that we all know, and celebrate with our family with traditional foods and rituals and just collectively celebrate what it means to be a family. The fourth day is Nutan Varsh, which we know as New Year's. Nutan Varsh is a day where we offer up our devotee to god with a traditional display of food. Our fifth day is Bhai Bij. Bhai Bij is a celebration between siblings about how we love and protect each other," said Aashi Patel, a volunteer at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir.
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