ANTH1120: Cultural Anthropology - Ethnographic Report on Diwali

This ethnographic report delves into the vibrant celebration of Diwali, the festival of lights, within the context of Indian culture. Through detailed observations and analysis, the report captures the essence of Diwali, from the pre-festival preparations involving house cleaning and decoration to the five days of continuous festivities. The report highlights the significance of Dhanteras, Choti Diwali, Lakshmi Puja, Govardhan Puja, and Bhai Duj, emphasizing the cultural traditions, rituals, and social interactions that define the festival. It explores how families come together, exchange gifts, worship deities, and express joy through fireworks, sweets, and acts of generosity. The report also touches on the global presence of Diwali, celebrating the triumph of good over evil and the importance of new beginnings, and the symbolic meaning of Diwali as a representation of Indian culture, celebrated by communities worldwide.

Cultural Anthropology
Diwali- Festival of lights
Student name

Cultural Anthropology 1
Observation
In India, one of the interesting ceremonies is celebrated every year during the starting
of the winter month, which is considered as the happiest and joyful season for Indians. This
entire Indian festival is so unique, which is full of ethnic culture and traditions and is
celebrated for five days continuously. The countdown for the preparation for this festival
starts a month before (The Indians Abroad, 2009). While observing, every individual whether
they are old, young, male, female or kids, all remain happy and excited with smiles on their
faces. Before the celebration begins, all women gets engaged in cleaning their entire houses,
men’s gets engaged in placing the lights for decoration outside of the roofs and even kids are
involved in making some of the designs on the floor by using the different artificial colours
and using the flower petals to design it beautifully (Independent, 2018).
On the very first day, which is known as dhanteras, people welcome the goddess
Laxmi by purchasing gold and women’s involves themselves in buying new utensils and
decorating materials for their home décor and jewellery for themselves. People in evening
gather at their relatives’ homes to play cards, enjoy snacks and perform fun activities. Small
little girls decorate their homes with Diyas, the mud lamps, which highlights the beautiful
decoration and the homes get, enlighten with the lights. This entire scenario shows that how
much happy the people are, and enjoying this festive mode (Modgil, 2017).
Another day when the observation was done, there was a slight difference with the
previous day, this day was named as choti diwali in which people were purchasing festive
foods, particularly sweets. Confectioner men were busy in making sweets and savory items,
which were prepared by using flour, dry fruits, power, paste, milk solids, and clarified butter.
Confectioners’ shops, sweet shops were full of people who were buying unlimitedly as these
items were eaten as full meals such as mini samosa and puri’s. All these eatables were kept to
welcome guest to treat them. Moreover, they were also purchased to serve them gifts as well.
Even these shops were decorated and were displayed according to the festive theme, selling
their eatable items in larger quantities. Majorly, on this day, people go and meet their
relatives, family, and friends, exchange gifts, with each other and enjoy every moment of it
(Brahma, 2015).
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Cultural Anthropology 2
Analysis
During the celebration day as evening arrives, temples, homes, shops, and office
building were brightly illuminated. Other than this, people decorated their home interior and
exterior with (Diya’s) the mud lamps, which made homes, look so beautiful. All these were
kept burning for day and nights regularly for five days. Everyone uses to gather and wear
colorful, bright clothes and compliments each other. Teenage girls and women particularly
wore saree and jewelry. During the celebration, all family members gather for the puja,
preparation for rituals and offering worship to goddess Lakshmi, in which the doors were
decorated with bay leaves, Puja plates were full of flowers, red color, silver coins, fruits,
sweets, and crackers. Moreover, more of (Diya’s) which are placed in rows along the
parapets of temples and houses, in order to receive blessings while worshipping. In addition,
some diyas were set adrift on rivers and streams to increase more beauty of this festival (Way
to India, 2016).
When all this was done, small kids ran out of their houses and start screaming while
seeing up in the sky in joy. As the sky was full of fireworks (partake) which made them over-
excited and cheerful. By seeing this, they also started burning crackers with their parents’
fireworks in the sky, which made the environment, look even more joyful. The elderly people
were also participating while watching them and suggesting them to do it carefully. The
young and old alike compete with each other in every street at night with the objective of
most impressive and loudest firework in the neighborhood (Brahma, 2015). Moreover, they
were enjoying eating different varieties of sweets for which they wait for whole year. Other
than this, while observing, people from their homes walked out with lots of gifts for their
relatives and wishing there elderly likewise, grandparents, or other senior members of the
community, by touching their feet and greeting them with respect. Carrying a tray full of
sweets and dry fruits, and greeting the other people with happiness and laughter, singing,
dancing, and feast was there in the environment, which made it even more glorious. Not only
this, while enjoying, people also serve to the needy people and their children with a lot of
toys, crackers, clothing’s, shawls for protecting themselves from the winters (Way to India,
2016).
The day after Diwali, while observing, puja of some hill was done by the couples,
which was known as Govardhan puja. This day celebrates the bond of husband and wives in
which men’s will bestow anything to their wives. Moreover, parents also invite their daughter
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Cultural Anthropology 3
and her spouse for the festive meal and give them gifts too. Lastly, the fifth day highlights the
sibling's relationship, which is also known as Bhai Duj. In this, the ritual states that sisters
perform puja for the wellbeing for their brothers, feed them with their hands and receive gifts.
Explanation
I would consider it as Diwali, it a ceremony in which a sense of enjoyment, happiness,
and joyfulness can be felt in the environment. Nevertheless, the symbolic meaning of the
Diwali is captured according to the Indian culture (Ward, 2018). Diwali nowadays has
become a global festival as people who are not living in India celebrates this festive season in
their hometowns in their own community likewise, in Canada, New Zealand. The millions of
Hindus celebrate this five-day festival of lights with the motive of a new beginning and the
triumph of good over evil and light over darkness (Bureau, 2018).
This festival is marked by large fireworks in order to remember the celebration and
the light traditional earthen diyas to decorate the house with the colorful artworks. Moreover,
family and friends share sweets, gifts, also giving foods, and gifts to those who are in need of
it. Every individual leaves their windows and doors open with the motive to allow Lakshmi to
find her way into their homes. Every home is lit with diyas, leaving no room for darkness to
enter and even doorsteps are decorated to welcome guest. In addition, all these activities are
done to thank goddess laxmi for providing prosperity and good fortune. Moreover, as evening
comes, again the firecrackers are set off (MacMillan, 2008).
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Cultural Anthropology 4
References
Brahma, S. (2015) Diwali, and the Indian fireworks industry. Retrieved from:
http://ideasmakemarket.com/2014/10/diwali-indian-fireworks-industry.html
Bureau, B.(2018) Diwali one of India’s biggest festival, isn’t just one day of celebration- it's
five. Retrieved from: https://www.businessinsider.in/diwali-one-of-indias-biggest-
festivals-isnt-just-one-day-of-celebration-its-five/articleshow/66525597.cms
Independent. (2018) Diwali: what is the festival of lights- and how it is celebrated around the
world? Retrieved from: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/diwali-
2014-what-is-the-festival-of-lights-and-how-is-it-celebrated-9810212.html
MacMillan, D. M. (2008). Diwali: Hindu festival of lights. Enslow Publishers, Inc.
Modgil, S.(2017) Light of the Indian startup's ecosystem? Retrieved from:
https://inc42.com/features/diwali-indian-startup-ecosystem/
The Indians Abroad.(2009) Diwali in India- a foreign concept abroad! Retrieved from:
http://www.theindiansabroad.com/2009/10/diwali-in-india-a-foreign-concept-abroad/
Ward, M. (2018) top 5 festivals of India for foreign visitors. Retrieved from:
https://breathedreamgo.com/top-5-festivals-of-india-for-foreign-visitors/
Way to India. (2016) top festivals of India that allure foreign tourist. Retrieved from:
https://travel-blog.waytoindia.com/top-festivals-of-india-that-allure-foreign-tourists/
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