Geetha
As the festival is approaching, I wanted to tell the Diwali story for kids. But then it is not just a story, but stories! Yes, being celebrated all over India, Diwali is celebrated in different parts of the country for different reasons, and there are so many Diwali stories for kids! Though the festival of Lights has many reasons to celebrate, the common idea is to acknowledge the Victory of Good upon Evil, as the Light removes Darkness.
When we were kids, our grandparents taught us these things in the form of engaging stories and mythology. In a world of nuclear families, Diwali story for kids is very rare. Hence we at The Keen kid , come up with Diwali stories for your kids to learn about our tradition and culture in a joyous manner!
The Diwali story for Kids
Stories on the celebration of the festival ‘Diwali’ are both numerous and curious! With our rich culture and diversity, we have got so many stories for all the festivals celebrated in India. Let’s get to know about some stories that you could use as a Diwali story for kids. Besides narrating stories, you could even read story books to your kids to improve their vocabulary and attention. Here are the 6 reasons why it is important to read to your child!
1. Victory of virtuous (Ram) against the evil (Ravana)
2. Lord Krishna’s incarnation to ward off evil
3. Evil is Gone and the Light returns!
4. The Light signifies knowledge
5. Worship and Thanksgiving to Mother nature.
Diwali story for kids
1. Return of the Beloved King – Ram
Ram, the firstborn and the successor of King Dasaratha of Ayodhya, was sent to exile to live in forests for 14 years, as per the ploy of his stepmother Kaikeyi. Thus Ram, his wife Sita, and brother Lakshman go on living in the woods as per his father’s wish. There, when Ram and Lakshman went for a hunt, the evil king of Sri Lanka – Ravana – abducted Sita and took her to his city.
After a series of distress, Ram along with his brother and with the help of so many others such as Jatayu, Hanuman, and Jambavan, Ram resolves to bring his wife back! By building a bridge from India to Sri Lanka with rocks, Ram and his army march past the ocean. After a series of battles against Ravana’s subordinates Ram finally confronts Ravana and defeats him in the war eventually!
On the day Ram, Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman returned back to Ayodhya after the end of a 14-year exile, people gathered in millions with Diya and lights to welcome their beloved king, Lord Ram. Thus, marking the return of Ram to Ayodhya the day is being celebrated as Diwali in almost all of north India, signifying the victory of goodness (Ram) against evil (Ravana)
2. Vanquishing the evil – Krishna
With all his mischievous activities, Krishna was our favorite during our childhood. With cartoons these days, even our kids have come to love Krishna as we did. So why not a Diwali story for kids with Krishna’s heroism!?
This is a Diwali story for kids from the Northeastern part of India – An Assamese story for Diwali. Narakasura, one of the trickiest of the Asuras, sought a boon from Lord Brahma. Being born to Bhooma Devi (Goddess mother Earth), Narakasura asked Brahma to bless him with immortality. Having been blessed with immortality, the asura waged war against Indra, the king of Devloka. He defeated the devas, took 16,000 women as prisoners, and tore off goddess Aditi’s ears for her uncommon earrings.
Upon Aditi’s request, Krishna along with his wife Sathyabhama waged war against Narakasura. With the asura’s boon, Krishna was unable to defeat him so he devised a plan! Pretending to be knocked out, which kindled the rage of Sathyabhama (who is an incarnation of Bhooma Devi – the mother of Narakasura) and she killed the Asura with Krishna’s weapon and released the 16,000 women who were taken as prisoners.
Celebrating the death of Narakasura and Krishna’s incarnation to ward off evil, Diwali is being celebrated! Alongside festivals, you could show your kids the beautiful landscapes and the hidden treasures of India. There are more reasons to buy Ruskin Bond’s story books for children. Know why here!
3. Subverting arrogance – Narasimha
Another interesting Diwali story for kids is the story of Hiranyakashipu. Known for his ego and arrogance, Hiranyakashipu got a boon from Lord Brahma that he should not be killed either by a man or an animal, neither in day nor at night, neither in an abode nor in an open space, and not by any weapons! Basically, he wanted to be invincible and Brahma blessed him as such.
Post that, Hiranyakashipu unleashed his cruelty on everyone proclaiming that he was the god now, and forced the people to worship him. Anyhow, his son Prahalad was a staunch devotee of Lord Vishnu and refused to accept his father’s demand to be worshipped. When Prahalad was tortured by Hiranyakashipu, upon his call, Lord Vishnu took the form of Narasimha.
To Hiranyakashipu’s surprise, standing out of his boon, Narasimha was neither a man nor an animal. He was both! He had a Lion’s head and a man’s body. At daybreak, which is neither day nor night, Narasimha took him to the threshold which is neither an abode nor a space, and killed him with his claws and saved Prahalad! Thus, evil was vanquished again by light and so is Diwali!
4. Light as knowledge – Jainism
Jainism is another significant religion that celebrates Diwali in India. Mahavira renounced his material wealth and left home when he was twenty-eight. He lived an ascetic life for twelve years meditating, trying to realize the meaning of Life! Mahavira preached that one should follow ahimsa (non-violence), satya (truth), asteya (non-stealing), brahmacharya (chastity), and aparigraha (non-attachment) to attain moksha, to be liberated from his/her Karma.
Mahavira attained his nirvana at the dawn of the amavasya (new moon). People have started celebrating Diwali every year since then to commemorate Mahavira’s attainment of moksha. Thus making Diwali one of the most important Jain festivals. The lights are symbolic of knowledge or the removal of ignorance.
5. Nature and Diwali – Northeast India
Though Diwali is celebrated for 5 days all over North India, the state of West Bengal celebrates it quite uniquely by worshipping Birds, Animals, and their ancient beliefs. Here, Crows are associated with sadness and sorrow as they might bring bad news to the family. Hence, Crows are fed with sweetmeats and other treats to make them happy.
On the second day, Dogs, both pets and stray are treated well with meat and fish for their Loyalty and faith in humans. Day three is to worship Cows and they are decorated and fed well, also Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped on the day. Day four is to worship Nature and day five signifies family bonding and unity.
Importance of Diwali celebrations
While narrating Diwali stories for kids, do tell them the importance of celebrating the festival. Diwali is celebrated with different stories and different practices in different cultures. For instance, Diwali is celebrated for just two days in Southern India, whereas in Northern India it is celebrated for five days, each day signifying a part of their culture.
- The first day – Dhanvantari Triyodashi or Dhanteras. Lord Dhanwantari, known to be the god of medicine, came out of the ocean with the incredible science of Ayurveda to save mankind.
- The second day – Naraka Chaturdashi. Signifies the death of Narakasura in the battle against Krishna and Sathyabhama.
- On the third day – Lakshmi Puja. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped for being bestowed with generous wealth and good fortune.
- The fourth day – Govardhan Puja. The day to worship cattle for their contribution to agriculture, dairy, and wealth to the family.
- The fifth day – Bhai Dooj (dedicated to brothers and sisters) A day celebrating family bondings that signifies unity, empathy, and compassion!
Though the practices and celebrations are different, the idea remains the same all over the nation and among all religions. Spreading light through the darkness as good prevails over evil! Don’t just tell the Diwali stories to kids. Let them read to cherish their holidays! Here is a book suggestion for them.
Rama and Sita: The story of Diwali Kid's favourite
Conclusion
Stories are one way to pass on our history, tradition, and culture to our kids. By narrating the Diwali story for kids, you not only tell them stories but also teach them morals and values in an engaging way through these timeless stories! Also, If not for a completely eco-friendly one, celebrate Diwali with less noisy crackers and less pollution. That’s another thing you should teach your kids to keep their world as it should be! Stay safe, stay happy and celebrate a colorful Diwali along with this Diwali story for kids!
open-ended play is important as it focuses on unleashing creativity and decision-making skills among kids. It includes activities and stories followed by simple questions that make them think! Don’t stop with Diwali story for kids – Read more about an open-ended play here to enhance your kids’ cognitive abilities!
