Deepavali is the Hindu festival of lights celebrated every year with pomp and gaiety. Being one of the major Hindu festivals, Deepavali signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and hope over despair. The festival which is celebrated during the Hindu month of Karthika witnesses traditional earthen lamps being lit on the housetops, outside doors and windows, around the temples. Before the day of Deepavali, the women clean their houses and this being the biggest festival for the business community; the offices are cleansed before they offer Lakshmi Puja on the second day of the Deepavali which falls on day of Amavasya (No Moon Day). The name of festive days as well as the rituals of Deepavali varies significantly among Hindus, based on the region of India. In many parts of India, the festivities start with Dhanteras (in Northern and Western part of India), followed by Naraka Chaturdasi on second day, Deepavali on the third day, Deepavali Padva dedicated to wife–husband relationship on the fourth day and festivities end with Bhai Dooj dedicated to sister–brother bond on the fifth day. Dhanteras usually falls eighteen days after Dasara.
