With the presence of Diwali round the corner, let’s dive into the essence of Diwali. Yes, we know that everyone by now knows the tale of Diwali but then do we ever get tired of hearing it out? Every generation is given the tales of Ramayanana and Mahabharata as if these epic tales can do more than any other stories told. 

Let’s start with some fun facts of Diwali! (Source: National Geographic Kids)

1. The word Diwali (or Deepavali as it’s sometimes called) means “row of lights” in an Ancient language of India, called Sanskrit. During this festival, people decorate their homes with lights and oil lamps, called diyas
2. Diwali is an important religious festival originating in India. People often think of Diwali as a Hindu festival, but it is also celebrated by Sikhs and Jains.
3. Diwali takes place annually and lasts for five days, marking the start of the Hindu New Year. The exact dates change each year and are determined by the position of the moon – but it usually falls between October and November
4. For many people, Diwali honours the Hindu goddess of wealth, Lakshmi. The lights and lamps are said to help Lakshmi find her way into peoples’ homes, bringing prosperity in the year to come!
5. It’s also a celebration of good triumphing over evil, and different legends based on this theme are associated with Diwali. In northern India, Hindus celebrate the return of the deities (gods) Rama and Sita to the city of Ayodhya, after defeating the King Ravana. In the region of Bengal people worship the goddess Kali, the destroyer of evil forces, during Diwali. And in Nepal (a country bordering north-east India), people celebrate Lord Krishna’s victory over the wicked king Narakaasura.
6. Diwali is a time to have fun with friends and family! People exchange gifts and sweets, enjoy delicious feasts, watch firework displays and wear new clothes. It’s time to clean and decorate your home, too.
7. Rangoli is a popular Diwali tradition –– beautiful patterns made using colourful powders and flowers. People draw rangoli on the floor by the entrance of their homes to welcome the gods and bring good luck!

If you had fun knowing these Diwali facts, we would like you to indulge in a bit of Diwali stories right? However we cannot put all the different stories here so we shall give you the best selection of books which share these magical stories with you. What’s more? They have such beautiful illustrations that you will fall in love with the books!

1. 1. Diwali Stories by Scholastic

• Archie Celebrates Diwali by Mitali Banerjee Ruths, illustrated by Parwinder Singh 

• Let’s Celebrate 5 Days of Diwali!  by Ajanta Chakraborty and Vivek Kumar 

• Binny’s Diwali by Thrity Umrigar, illustrated by Nidhi Chanani

• My Little Book of Lakshmi By Ashwitha Jayakumar, illustrated by Rachna Raghuram

• Amma, Tell Me About Diwali! By Bhakti Mathur, illustrated by Maulshree Somani

•  Diwali: Celebrate the World By Hannah Eliot, illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan 

• Lots of Lights By Kavita G. Sahai, illustrated by Vladividal

• The Festival Storybook by Juhi Sinha

Got the best of the Diwali fun with books? Wishing you a crackerful of joys this Diwali!