Diwali is a festival celebrated in India, and is known as “The Festival of Lights”. The celebration is based around lighting the lamp of knowledge within each person, and understanding and taking time to think about the purpose behind each day of the festival. There are five days in the Diwali festival, each with its own significance. The first day is called Dhanvantari  Triodasi, the second day is Narak Chaturdasi, and falls on the fourteenth lunar day of the month of Kartik. It was on this second day, that the Lord Krishna destroyed a demon named Narakasur and caused the world to be free from fear.  The third day is actually Diwali, and this is the day set aside to worship Mother Lakshmi. On the fourth day, the people practice Goverdhan Pooja, which involves building small hills out of cow dung, and worshipping them. The fifth day of the Diwali is called Bhratri Dooj, and it is a day set aside to celebrate sisters.
 In celebrating the Diwali, there are traditions and customs that are observed on each of the five days.  On the first day, homes and businesses alike are cleaned out and decorated. Pictures of the Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, are put over all the entrances. In the evening, special songs are sung to the goddess, and cows are adorned and worshipped, as they are believed to be the incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi. The second day is set aside for the worship of Lord Rama, and the people are encouraged to rise early and bathe with oil and fragrant powders. During the third and fourth days of Diwali, the god ganesha is worshipped along with Lakshmi on the same altar. Also on the fourth day, newly married women are celebrated by being invited to special meals, and being given special gifts.  The fifth day is set aside for sisters to honor each other, and their brothers by offering them the gift of the Tilak, or in the case of a brother, the Teeka, for their forehead. Anyone who receives the Tilak is considered to be specially blessed.
There are quite a few legends surrounding the festival of Diwali, all centering around great acts performed by various gods and goddesses. The legend names are as follows; importance of Dussehra, Rama Return to Ayodhya,  Diwali as Harvest Festival, Killing of Narakasura, and Emergence of Lakshmi.
Diwali is one of the most popular and anticipated festivals in India.  The festival embraces unity in diversity, as each state has their own way of celebrating.  Diwali means many different things to many different people, but they are united in their excitement and reverence to this special festival. It is a time of giving and receiving new items such as clothing and utensils, and an excuse to visit friends and family for a time of eating and socializing. Children enjoy Diwali as a time to shoot off many fireworks, and escape punishment for mischievousness. Adults enjoy the festival as a time to honor their gods and goddesses, and remember the legends and tales of their ancestors.