Diwali (Lakshmi Puja) 2042: date and significance

Diwali, the festival of lights, is the most widely celebrated Hindu festival, observed on the New Moon (Amavasya) of the lunar month Kartika at dusk (Pradosh), the hour Lakshmi Puja, worship of the goddess of wealth and prosperity, is performed. Homes are lit with rows of oil lamps (diyas) and rangoli patterns, and the festival is generally understood to mark the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya after his exile and victory over Ravana, celebrated a full five-day span that also includes Dhanteras, Naraka Chaturdashi, and Bhai Dooj. Because the timing is tied to dusk on a specific tithi, the exact calendar date sometimes differs by a day between cities with different sunset times.