My Favourite Festival – Diwali – Essay in Marathi (माझा आवडता सण – दिवाळी निबंध)

This is the English version of our Marathi essay on My Favourite Festival – Diwali.

Points / Outline

• Diwali – the festival of lamps and joy
• Preparations: cleaning, painting, sky lanterns
• Festive snacks (faral) and rangoli
• The days of Diwali: Vasubaras, Dhanatrayodashi, Narak Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Puja, Padwa, Bhaubeej
• New clothes, visits and happiness
• An eco-friendly Diwali
• The message of Diwali

Essay

Diwali is the festival that celebrates the victory of light over darkness. Of all the festivals in the year, I like Diwali the most. It is a festival of lamps, rangoli and sweet festive snacks.

Preparations begin in every home even before Diwali arrives. We clean the house, paint the walls and sort out old things. My brother and I make a sky lantern out of coloured paper. My mother and grandmother prepare tasty snacks such as laddoos, chakli, karanji, shankarpali and chivda. The smell of the snacks fills the whole house.

The days of Diwali begin with Vasubaras. Then come Dhanatrayodashi, Narak Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Puja, Padwa and Bhaubeej. On Narak Chaturdashi we get up at dawn, apply ubtan (a fragrant paste) and take a special bath. On the evening of Lakshmi Puja, clay lamps are lit in every home and the whole village glows. On Bhaubeej, a sister performs aarti for her brother and the brother gives her a gift.

During Diwali we wear new clothes. We draw beautiful rangoli in front of the door. Relatives and friends visit each other's homes, share snacks and give good wishes. There is joy everywhere.

However, bursting loud crackers causes noise pollution and air pollution. Birds, animals, small babies and sick people suffer because of it. So this year we have decided to celebrate Diwali with clay lamps, sky lanterns and rangoli instead of crackers.

Diwali gives us the message to remove darkness and spread the light of knowledge and love. If we share our happiness with those in need, Diwali will truly shine.

10 Lines

1. Diwali is my favourite festival.
2. Diwali is the festival of lamps.
3. We clean our house before Diwali.
4. My mother makes snacks such as laddoos, chakli and karanji.
5. We draw beautiful rangoli in front of the door.
6. We hang a colourful sky lantern on the house.
7. On Lakshmi Puja, clay lamps are lit in every home.
8. On Bhaubeej, a sister performs aarti for her brother.
9. We avoid crackers that cause pollution.
10. Diwali brings joy and light to everyone.

Writing tips

• Write the names of all the Diwali days in the correct order: Vasubaras, Dhanatrayodashi, Narak Chaturdashi, Lakshmi Puja, Padwa, Bhaubeej.
• Describe the colours and smells of the snacks, rangoli and lanterns; it makes the essay vivid.
• Always add a paragraph on an eco-friendly Diwali; examiners like that idea.
• Use a line of your own, e.g. "If one small lamp can defeat darkness, why can't we defeat sadness?"