Why is Deepawali (Diwali) celebrated?

Deepawali, the festival of lights is celebrated by Hindus not only in India but all over the world. It marks the celebration of victory of the good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. Even Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs also celebrate this festival for various reasons. There are various legends and history behind the celebration of Diwali. 

1. As per one of the legends the occasion of Diwali is actually the birth anniversary of Goddess Lakshmi. It says the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi was re-incarnated on the new moon night of the Karthik month. To mark the importance of this day people perform Lakshimi puja and seek the blessings of Goddess of wealth and prosperity. 

It is also believed that on this day Lord Vishnu in his fifth incarnation as Vamana-avatar rescued Lakshmi from the prison of King Bali.

2. The most popular legend goes like this. In Hinduism Diwali is celebrated to mark the homecoming of Lord Rama with Sita and Lakshmana to the kingdom after 14 years of exile and defeating the demon king Raavana. 

It is believed that the people of Ayodhya lit oil lamps along the way to light their path in the darkness.

3. In Jainism, Diwali marks the attainment of nirvana by Mahavira on 15 October, 527 BC

4. In Sikhism it celebrates the return of Guru Har Gobind Ji (1595-1644), the sixth Guru of Sikhism, to Amritsar who was imprisoned along with 53 other Hindu kings at Fort Gwalior by Jahangir.

5. Krishna Killed Narakaasur: On the day preceding Diwali, Lord Krishna killed the demon king Narakaasur and rescued 16,000 women from his captivity. The celebration of this freedom went on for two days including the Diwali day as a victory festival

6. The Return of the Pandavas: According to the great epic ‘Mahabharata’, it was ‘Kartik Amavashya’ when the Pandavas appeared from their 12 years of banishment as a result of their defeat in the hands of the Kauravas at the game of dice (gambling). The subjects who loved the Pandavas celebrated the day by lighting the earthen lamps.