Diwali 2022 New Zealand

Diwali Festivals in New Zealand

Diwali Festivals are very popular across New Zealand. Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch Diwali Festivals are few of 1-2 day long festivals attended by people from all communities and religions.

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Diwali  Celebrations New Zealand 2022

न्यूजीलैन्ड मे दिवाली उत्सव 2022

Diwali or Deepavli Festival is celebrated in all parts of New Zealand and the events are held on different dates. The dates for Diwali celebrations New Zealand are decided as per convenience of majority of people and are usually on nearest Saturday or Sunday. The events in Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch, Tauranga, Palmerston North, Ashburton, Rotorua, Queenstown and Waikato Hamilton are famous ones.

Diwali Celebration New Zealand 2022: Programs

• Queenstown Diwali Night 2022, 29 Oct at Queenstown Event Center. Enjoy an array of cultural performances
• Christchurch Diwali, 22 Oct, 1pm to 10pm, Hagley Park North, Rolleston Ave, Christchurch organised by Indian Social and Cultural Club
• Christchurch BAPS Swami Narayan Temple Diwali and New Year festivities: 24 Oct 6.30 onwards: Chopda pujan and Diwali Aarti, 26 Oct New Year Aarti, 30 Oct 2.30pm to 6pm : Annkut darshan & aarti at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir 19 Frank Street, Papanui, Christchurch 8053
• Kirtan Diwan for Bandi Chhod Diwas / Diwali 24 Oct 6pm to 9pm at Gurudwara Sahib Wellington, 4/10 Vogel Street, Wellington
• Diwali and Annkut utsav, 25 and 26 Oct, Bhartiya Mandir Temple 252-254 Balmoral Road Mt Albert, Auckland
• Bandi Shore Diwas / Diwali fireworks 24 Oct 10.15pm at Gurudwara Shri Kalgidhar Sahib, 70 Takanini School Road, Takanini, Auckland
• Tauranga Diwali Festival, 15 Oct 2022, 4pm to 9pm, Historic Village, Tauranga
• Waitakere Indian Association Diwali Mela, 9 Oct, 11am to 11pm at Trusts Arena, Henderson, Auckland
• Wellington Diwali Festival, 16 Oct, 3.30pm to 8.30pm at Michael Fowler Center (MFC), Wakefield Street, Wellington
• Manukau Diwali, Celebrate Festival of lights, 16 Oct at Due Drop Event Center, 770 Great South Road, Manukau
• Hare Krishna Diwali, 16 Oct, 11am to 4pm at Hare Krishna Temple, 1229 Coatesville-Riverhead Highway, Kumeu, Auckland
• Deepawali Puja Kurinchi Kumaran Temple Wellington,
• Diwali Celebration 2022 organised by Sanatan Mahila Mandan Christchurch, 15 Oct, 7-10.30pm at 6 Balcairn Street, Halswell, Christchurch
• Diwali at Nathan Homestead, 15 Oct 10-6pm at Nathan Homestead, Pukepuke, Indian performances, exhibition, activities, artwork display, and Sounds of India performances (4-6pm)
• Grand Annual Diwali Celebration Blockhouse Bay Library, 15 Oct 10.30am to 12 moon. Enjoy instrumental music, popular bollywood songs and dance. Free lantern making classes for the children. 578. Blockhouse Bay Road, Auckland
• Avondale Diwali organised by Aaja Nachle (आजा नचले) and Avondale Library. 22 Oct 11am at Avondale Library, Auckland. Dance performances, workshops, henna and rangoli artists, activities for kids, food stalls and more.
• Diwali in Upperhutt, 9 Oct, at Whirinaki Whare Taonga, 836 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt Central, Upper Hutt 5018. (Ticket $15 per person, $20 per family)
• Auckland Diwali Festival, Sat 8th Oct to Sun 9th Oct, Aotea Square and Queens Street, Auckland City. Stage & Street Performances, Food, Stalls, Henna, Family event and more. Live stream also available
• Sky Tower Auckland shining in bright yellow and vibrant fuchsia to celebrate city’s most colorful cultural festival, Diwali and fireworks
• Hamilton Diwali Mela 2022, Sun 9 Oct, 11am-7pm at Phoenix Hall 22, Richmond Street Whitiora, Jamilton
• Diwali with Abhijeet Bhattacharya, 21 Oct, 7pm to 10pm at Sir Woolf Fisher Arena Due Drop Events Center, Auckland Buy tickets
• Diwali and Chhath Puja celebrations organised by Bihar Jharkhand Sabha of Australia and New Zealand

About Diwali

Diwali, also known as Deepavali or Deepawali, is celebrated on Kartik Amavasya (कार्तिक अमावस्या). Kartik is name of Hindu month and Amavasya means no-moon day. The celebrations usually start two days prior to Diwali and goes for two days after Diwali day. The festival is of significant importance for all communities and religions in Indian subcontinent; specially Hindu, Sikh, Jainism, Buddhism

The occasion two days before is Dhan Teras (धन तेरस) or Dhanvantari Trayodashi which is considered auspicious to buy precious metal like Gold or Silver. This is a practice followed by  Indian community introduced by the ancestors which was a way of saving for the future.

On Diwali, people meet and greet their extended family, neighbors and friends. They clean and  decorate their house with Rangoli (रंगोली) colorful Diyas (दिया / दिपक), lanterns and lights, to Welcome Mahalaxmi, the Goddess of Wealth and offer prayers. Main prayer is held in the evening and known as Laxmi Puja (लक्ष्मी पूजा) offering prayers to the Goddess of Wealth. Another is Chopda Puja (चोपडा पूजा) where business community pray for better Business for the coming year and worship the Account Books. ‘ Chopda’ means books of accounts. Bandi Chhor Divas (ਬੰਦੀ ਛੋੜ ਦਿਵਸ / बंदी छोड दिवस / Day of liberation) is celebrated with Diwali. It is day to mark return of Guru Hargobind Ji (श्री गुरू हरगोबिन्द जी)

Next day of Diwali is celebrated as Goverdhan Puja (गोवर्धन पूजा) and Annakut (अन्नकूट) and also as the new year in Gujarat. This day community prays to Lord Krishna and prepare variety of feast at home.

Third day of Diwali is celebrated as Bhai Dooj (भाई दूज) which is celebrated by brothers and sisters. The sisters pray for long life and happiness of their brothers and in return brothers gift their sisters. The Marathi language translation of this festival is Bhau Beej (भाऊ बीज).

Diwali in Indian subcontinent is also time when activities related to sowing of new crop starts.

Have a blessed and prosperous Diwali and new year. शुभ दिपावली

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