Diwali Series Part 4: Diwali in Goa, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Singapore and Chhattisgarh

Diwali is a major festival in India. In Goa, a former Portuguese colony, humongous effigies of the demon Narakasura are made and taken around in vehicles. These effigies are made of papers, straws, and other materials. Several Narakasura effigy competitions are held in Goa wherein winners are rewarded with cash for the best effigies. There have been effigies which reach the height of three-storey houses.

A video of a Narakasura effigy burning in Goa: https://www.deccanherald.com/india/diwali-effigy-of-narakasura-burnt-in-goa-1156334.html

In Odisha, on the occasion of Diwali, Kauriya Kathi is performed. Kauriya Kathi is a ritual in which Odia Hindus worship their ancestors in Heaven. They burn incense to call their ancestors and seek their blessings.

In Uttar Pradesh, candles are lit alongside oil lamps. In the city of Delhi, candles are used instead of oil lamps.

In Singapore, Tamil Hindus take an oil bath on the morning of the first Deepavali ( Tamil version of Diwali ), to cleanse their souls.

In Chhattisgarh, a five - day village festival called Devari is celebrated. It is very different from the mainstream Diwali.

To read more about Devari, click on the following link: https://www.sahapedia.org/devari-other-diwali-chhattisgarh-0

Overall, Diwali, Deepavali, Swanti, Tihar or Devari, whatever you call it, is a festival celebrating the victory of good over evil.

Diwali traditions vary from family to family, and there is no fixed set of traditions for those celebrating this wonderful festival of lights, so let yourself loose, put on some new clothes and get celebrating!

Happy Deepavali!