On the black velvety, moonless night of Amavasya, the Pink City transforms into a spangle of glitter and gold on the festive occasion of Diwali, pan-India's most celebrated religious festival. Rich or poor, citizen or tourist, no one—but no one can resist the allure of this grand fiesta of lights, hope and joyful celebration of the victory of light over dark, good over evil, and intelligence over ignorance.
Diwali, which marks the Hindu New Year, centres around the worship of Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, to bring prosperity and happiness to all in the coming year.
The erstwhile royal city of Jaipur, ruled for over a thousand years by the Kachhawa clan, pulls out all the stops to imbibe of this spirited celebration which spills over five days, beginning with Dhanteras, then Roop Chaudas on Day 2, peaking on Day 3 with Diwali and slowly slipping away into the embrace of Govardhan Puja day 4 and finally Bhai Dooj on Day 5.
The celebration of Dhanteras finds its origins from ancient Hindu belief in the epic occasion of the mythical churning of the ocean of milk (Samudra Manthan). In this eternal battle between the devas (gods) and the asuras (demons) over the amrita (the nectar of immortality), one of the divine treasures which emerged from the ocean depths was Goddess Lakshmi, signifying wealth and fortune.
The worship of Lord Kubera, the God of wealth is also part of the devotions on Dhanteras. Navigate your way through the crowded market on Dhanteras or (Dhantrayodashi), two days ahead of Diwali, on the 13th day of the Hindu month of Kartik, which marks the 13th (Teras) Day of Wealth (Dhan). Witness the unleashing of the festive spirit as citizens enjoy this auspicious day to buy new jewellery, utensils, household appliances, even cars and property—purchases that signify the Goddess will bestow wealth and prosperity on the devotee.
One of the most enthralling experiences of a Jaipur Diwali is being invited by a local family to participate in all the activities that make it such a wonderful festival of spiritual and cultural richness.
The festival of lights is celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Kartik in the Hindu Calendar. It is a joyful event that marks the return of Lord Rama to his home in Ayodhya after 14 long years of exile. Those long dark years are banished with the illumination of his joyful return
Jaipur’s royals hail from the Kachhawa clan, which claims its ancestry from Kush, Lord Rama's son, and the sun god Surya. It’s also one of the primary reasons why Diwali celebrations are so dear to them.
Diwali also signifies the Hindu New Year, which means all kinds of exciting new beginnings, which are considered highly auspicious. Workers get a holiday from offices, kids are on vacation and family gatherings, as part of the general spirit of giving and sharing even welcome guests who are not part of the extended families; this is, culturally a far cry from Western traditions, unlike in the west where the annual Christmas and Thanksgiving celebrations are largely a family affair. It's one of the most thrilling experiences of a foreign visitor to be gathered in the embrace of a local family to share the bonhomie and generous spirit that marks the festival.
Businessmen welcome Diwali with a puja for the Goddess Laksmi and open new ledgers for the new year. Workers are given sweets and gifts and often, a Diwali bonus, for them to enjoy the festivities with their families.
You can join the family on a massive shopping spree for new clothes and gifts to share on Diwali Day. Learn from family members how to paint a rangoli at the entrance of the home, to be lit up later with diyas (earthen lamps), candles and fairy lights to light the way for the Goddess.
Diwali is also all about yummy eats and indulging your sweet tooth with traditional home-made delicacies such as such as mawa kachori, til ke laddo, gonth ke ladoo, piste ke launj, moti pak, pheni, sohan papdi, besan barfi, jalebi, shakkarpare and lots of other palate tempting delights
During the run-up to Diwali, it's common practice to indulge in some form of gambling, as it is believed that one had the blessings of Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva, to do so, because if you gambled on Diwali night prosperity would be your companion in the coming year. No wonder the pre-Diwali and Diwali night card parties are such a riot of fun and good cheer!
Once the illuminations around the house are all ablaze as darkness falls and the family is adorned in their new clothes, everyone joins in the worship of Goddess Lakshmi, even guests. She is welcomed with traditional devotionals at an altar festooned with garlanded earthen images of the goddess herself and Lord Ganesh. Later gifts and mithai, are distributed to by the elders in the family.
It's time now to set the night ablaze with the drama of the sound and light of the fireworks. Though in recent years these have been brought down several notches because of the pollution, families still hold true to tradition by lighting at least some fireworks. From terraces and lanes comes a fury of ear- resounding knockout non-stop firecrackers (laris) and a glorious shower of sparkling stars from anaars and phooljharies and rockets. Then it’s back to the card table to win some hands to recover past losses through Diwali night!
An unmissable treat on Diwali is the drive through the city to marvel over the fabulous illuminations, which turn Jaipur into a virtual fairyland. It's not just the homes and offices that are lit up. Across the city, iconic spots beckon the crowds with their brightly lighted premises.
MI Road the beating heart of the city every year adorns its Diwali getup, earning the local moniker of “The Strip” a la America’s glittering Las Vegas. Try and get here early before the crowds descend. In the Walled City Johri Bazaar, Bapu Bazaar and Nehru Bazaar too are indisputable for their fairytale illuminations. In the Chaura Rasta even the shadows of some of the dark spots are chased away this night with the bright lights aglow down the entire road. On Tonk Road jewellers Motisons building is the talk of the town for its lavish glittering façade.
Crowds gather in hordes to gaze upon the beautifully lighted-up Statue Circle around which several stalls spring up serving snacks and hot beverages
The City Palace Museum, another iconic spot, is next on your tour of the illuminated city. Partially a royal residence still the 18th century palace offers a fantastic window to the regal Diwali celebrations of Jaipur city. An unmissable event is the royal procession headed by H.H. Maharaja Sawai Padmanabh Singh of Jaipur and other royal members. Dressed in traditional clothing the Maharaja, takes the ceremonial parade through Jaipur’s main thoroughfares accompanied by music, and dance performances.
A unique aspect of Diwali of the Jaipur royals is that, unlike the colourful Diwali clothes of the citizenry, their dress code is black (now even dark blue) which symbolises loss and bereavement. This stems from an ancient ritual which goes back to the times when the Kachhava clan suffered huge fatalities in a fierce battle fought on the night of Diwali. As shared by Jaipur Royal Diya Kumari, later, the family deity Jamwai Mata in Ramgarh, raised these ancestors from the dead. Wearing black is a symbol of respect and faith in Jamwai Mata during that fateful event.
Performances by local Rajasthani artists delight the gathering of family members and guests. A beautiful puja is followed by a lavish feast, Diwali Bhoj, of traditional Diwali dishes and later, fireworks are arranged at the palace grounds.
Further out of town, Jal Mahal, the fairytale water palace is a vision of Diwali splendour in its ornamental lighting. From the lofty heights of Nahargarh Fort’s unpolluted environs look down and savour the splendour of Diwali illuminations and fireworks lighting up the night in Jaipur’s cityscape and surrounds.
The mesmerising vignettes of Diwali in Jaipur will always remain one of your most treasured memories of this regal destination in India. Whenever you return around Diwali, if you can’t get enough of this wonderful city, you are sure to find something new to discover and cherish for a lifetime.