• Why Jains celebrate Diwali

- For most Jains, Diwali marks the day Lord Mahavira attained moksha (liberation) and went to nirvana. It is a culmination of the year’s spiritual practice and a reminder to seek ahimsa, truth, and self-discipline. - In some Jain communities, Diwali is also seen as the end of the rainy-season retreat (varshāntar) for monks and nuns, when they resume public preaching and activity.

• How Jains celebrate it

- Lighting lamps (diyas) and candles to symbolize removing spiritual darkness and ignorance. - Offering prayers and reading passages from Jain scriptures, especially verses honoring Mahavira and the path of liberated souls. - Visiting temples or gathering in prayer halls for collective worship, listening to discourses, and singing bhajans or stotras. - Performing charitable acts, helping the needy, and engaging in self-reflection, fasting, or days of restraint (vrat) as a spiritual cleanse. - Observing a quiet, respectful atmosphere in homes and temples, with emphasis on peace, non-violence, and gratitude.

• Important note on timing and traditions

- Diwali in Jain practice is commonly associated with the anniversary of Mahavira’s nirvana and is celebrated on the night of the new moon in the Kartik month (often referred to as Kartik Shukla Paksha Amavasya or the Diwali night in many communities). However, exact dates and customs can vary by region and by Digambar vs. Shwetambar traditions. Some communities emphasize Mahavira’s nirvana specifically, while others also observe related events from the Jain calendar around the same period.

If you’d like, I can share more about how a local Jain temple near you observes Diwali, or describe specific stotras or prayers commonly recited during the festival.