“Aaj Diwali kaal Diwali Gaam naa chhokraa khaay shuvaadi Khaay ne chhokraa raaji thaay Junu varash vidaay thaay…”
“Today is Diwali, tomorrow is Diwali Kids in the town eat sweets, Kids are happy eating sweets, The old year says goodbye”
A simple Gujarati song I grew up singing during Diwali. It say Diwali is today and Diwali is tomorrow because the festival of Diwali is five days long. Most New Year’s celebrations are a day or two long but not in the Hindu calendar. Three things associated with Diwali are:
Diya (lamps)
Rangoli (colorful patterns by your front door made of flowers or colored powder)
Fire crackers known as Fataakadaa in Gujarati.
For all five days there will be lights everywhere and firecrackers going off to school night.
The five days of Diwali are:
Dhanteras: Day for Goddess Lakshmi
Kalichaudas: Day for Goddess Kali
Diwali: Day for Goddess Saraswati
Bestuvars: New year’s day
Bhaibeej: Celebration for sibling bond.