Wall Street Journal: 5 Things to know about Diwali

Today marks the start of the Diwali Festival which marks the new year in the Indian American community.

Diwali this year actually falls on Thursday, but today is Little Diwali or Choti.

The Wall Street Journal listed the 5 things we all need to know about Diwali.

1. Diwali means “row of lamps” in Sanskrit and marks the triumph of light

   

   over darkness. Celebrants light diyas which are placed around entrances to Hindu homes. Diyas guide Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of good fortune. The diyas also welcome back Rama after he rescued his wife Sita.

 

2. As mentioned earlier, today is Choti.

Legend has it that on this day Lord Krishna killed Narakasura and freed the 16,000 Hindu daughters he held captive.

 
You can read about the three remaining days of the 5-day festival in the Wall Street Journal.