General Knowledge
Diwali is known as the "Festival of _______".
Festival of Lights
Many houses are decorated with beautiful and colourful designs called ________ near the main entrance.
Rangoli
Which incarnation of Vishnu, along with their wife and brother, returned to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile, inspiring one of the reasons for celebrating Diwali?
Lord Rama with Sita Ma and Lakshman
What is the Sanskrit word for "row of lights"?
Deepavali
Many Hindus begin the festival with a deep cleaning of their homes and surroundings. It is believed that cleanliness invokes the presence of which Goddess, who is the Goddess of Prosperity and Wealth?
Goddess Lakshmi
What does the lighting of diyas during Diwali symbolize?
The triumph of light over darkness and good over evil.
On which phase of the moon does the main Diwali celebration usually happen?
*Extra points for the Sanskrit word of the moon phase*
The new moon / Amavasya
Which traditional Indian sweet made of milk solids and sugar is especially popular during Diwali celebrations?
Barfi or Kaju Katli
In many parts of Bharat, Diwali marks the beginning of what?
The Hindu Lunar Calendar / The Hindu New Year
Which day did Diwali fall on last year?
October 31, 2024
Historically, why were firecrackers lit during Diwali according to old beliefs?
Because the loud sounds were believed to scare away evil spirits and, in some regions, to celebrate the joyous return of Lord Rama.
The story of Lord Krishna defeating the evil Prince __________ is celebrated in parts of Bharat, especially in many southern statesm as one of the key origins of Diwali.
Prince Narakasura
Name one country, other than Bharath, where Diwali is a celebrated as a public holiday.
Singapore, Fiji, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Mauritius, Trinidad, Guyana and Suriname
Generally, Diwali is celebrated over five days with each day holding a special significance. On the final day of Diwali, known as Bhai Dooj, what special relationship is celebrated?
The Fifth day—Bhai Dooj—is a festival that celebrates the bond between siblings, specifically between brother and sister.
While Diwali is widely celebrated by Hindus, other religions also commemorate significant events on the same day. For Jains, what spiritual milestone, also known as nirvana, did Lord Mahavira achieve on Diwali?
Moksha (enlightenment)