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Quizzes > Society & Culture > Culture & Traditions

Think You Know Diwali? Take Our Trivia Quiz and Find Out!

Ready for a challenge? Try our Diwali trivia quiz with answers!

Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art illustration for Diwali trivia quiz on a sky blue background

Use this Diwali trivia quiz to see what you know about the Festival of Lights - symbols, sweets, stories, and rituals. Play quick questions, get answers as you go, and learn a fun fact or two. After this, try another festival quiz or jump to today's quiz .

Which festival is known as the "Festival of Lights" in India?
Holi
Pongal
Navratri
Diwali
Diwali is popularly referred to as the 'Festival of Lights' because of the numerous oil lamps (diyas) and electric lights that people illuminate to celebrate. The illumination symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. Diwali is celebrated across India and by Hindu communities worldwide with lighting lamps, fireworks, and decorations.
Diwali celebrates the return of which Hindu deity to Ayodhya?
Shiva
Krishna
Rama
Vishnu
Diwali commemorates the triumphant return of Lord Rama, along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana, to the city of Ayodhya after defeating the demon king Ravana. The people of Ayodhya welcomed them by lighting rows of oil lamps, which is why Diwali is celebrated with lights. This story is recounted in the Hindu epic Ramayana.
How many days does the Diwali festival traditionally last?
3 days
5 days
7 days
10 days
Diwali is traditionally a five-day festival, beginning with Dhanteras and ending with Bhai Dooj. Each day has its own significance and set of rituals, such as Lakshmi Puja on the third day and Govardhan Puja on the fourth. Different regions may celebrate with slight variations, but the five-day structure is widely observed.
Which goddess is worshipped for wealth and prosperity during Diwali?
Lakshmi
Durga
Parvati
Saraswati
Goddess Lakshmi, the Hindu deity of wealth and prosperity, is worshipped on the main night of Diwali, known as Lakshmi Puja. Devotees clean and decorate their homes to welcome her blessings. This practice underscores the importance of material and spiritual prosperity in Hindu tradition.
Traditional Diwali lamps made from clay are called what?
Lanterns
Diyas
Torches
Candles
Diyas are small oil lamps made of clay, filled with oil or ghee, and lit with a cotton wick. They are central to Diwali decorations and symbolize the triumph of light over darkness. People place them around homes and temples during the festival.
Which sweet is commonly prepared and exchanged during Diwali celebrations?
Brownie
Jalebi
Ladoo
Tiramisu
Ladoo, or laddoo, is a round sweet made from flour, sugar, and ghee, often with added nuts or coconut. It is a staple in Indian festivities, including Diwali. Families prepare and exchange them as a symbol of good will and celebration.
Fireworks are lit during Diwali primarily to symbolize what?
Harvest celebration
Victory of light over darkness
Welcoming rain
Scaring away animals
Lighting fireworks during Diwali represents the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. The loud sounds and bright displays are also believed to ward off evil spirits and elevate the festive spirit. This tradition enhances the celebratory atmosphere of the festival.
Diwali marks the victory of Lord Rama over which demon king?
Hiranyakashipu
Kansa
Ravana
Bhasmasura
The central legend of Diwali is Lord Rama's victory over the ten-headed demon king Ravana, as told in the Ramayana. This victory signifies the triumph of dharma (righteousness) over adharma (evil). The return of Rama to Ayodhya is celebrated by lighting rows of lamps across the city.
In Sikhism, Diwali coincides with Bandi Chhor Divas, celebrating the release of which Guru from imprisonment?
Guru Nanak
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Hargobind
Guru Teg Bahadur
Bandi Chhor Divas commemorates the release of the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind, from the Gwalior Fort by the Mughal emperor. He insisted that 52 other princes be freed with him, symbolizing liberation and justice. Sikhs celebrate this with lights and lamps, paralleling Diwali festivities.
Diwali is celebrated in which month of the Hindu lunar calendar?
Ashwin
Kartik
Chaitra
Magha
Diwali falls on the Amavasya (new moon) of the Kartik month in the Hindu lunisolar calendar. This period typically corresponds to October or November in the Gregorian calendar. Kartik is considered a very auspicious month for many Hindu rituals.
On which day of Diwali is Lakshmi Puja traditionally performed?
First day
Third day
Second day
Fourth day
Lakshmi Puja is observed on the third day of Diwali, the main night of the festival. Celebrants light lamps and candles to invite the goddess of wealth and prosperity into their homes. Prayers and offerings are made to seek her blessings for the coming year.
What is Rangoli?
Decorative floor art
An oil lamp
A type of firecracker
A ceremonial rice offering
Rangoli is a folk art in which patterns are created on the floor using colored powders, rice, or flower petals. It is made at the entrance of homes during Diwali to welcome guests and deities like Lakshmi. The designs vary by region and often feature geometric shapes and floral motifs.
The last day of Diwali, known as Bhai Dooj, celebrates what relationship?
Sibling bond
Grandparent-grandchild bond
Parent-child bond
Husband-wife bond
Bhai Dooj is the final day of Diwali festivities, dedicated to celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters. Sisters perform aarti and apply a ceremonial tilak on their brothers' foreheads, praying for their long life. Brothers, in turn, give gifts and promise to protect their sisters.
Which country outside India recognizes Diwali as a national holiday?
Nepal
Bangladesh
Sri Lanka
Pakistan
Nepal celebrates a festival called Tihar, which coincides with Diwali, and it is a national holiday there. Tihar includes similar rituals such as lighting lamps, worshipping animals, and performing Lakshmi Puja. The festival underscores cultural ties between the two countries.
Which Hindu epic narrates the story of Lord Rama whose homecoming is celebrated as Diwali?
Mahabharata
Ramayana
Vedas
Upanishads
The Ramayana is the ancient Sanskrit epic that tells the story of Prince Rama's quest to rescue his wife Sita and his eventual triumph over Ravana. Diwali marks Rama's return to Ayodhya after 14 years in exile. The epic's narrative provides the primary foundation for contemporary Diwali celebrations.
In the Hindu lunar calendar, Diwali begins on which lunar phase?
Waxing moon
New moon
Full moon
Waning moon
Diwali falls on the Amavasya (new moon) of the Kartik month in the Hindu lunisolar calendar. The new moon night is considered auspicious for worshipping deities like Lakshmi and for lighting lamps to dispel darkness. Its timing is significant in Vedic astrology and agricultural cycles.
Govardhan Puja is celebrated on the fourth day of Diwali under what local name in North India?
Annakut
Dhanteras
Naraka Chaturdashi
Chhoti Diwali
In North India, the fourth day of Diwali, dedicated to Lord Krishna's lifting of Govardhan Hill, is called Annakut or Govardhan Puja. Devotees prepare a large offering of vegetarian food arranged like a mountain (Annakut) to honor Krishna's protection of villagers. The ritual underscores gratitude for nature's bounty.
In Jain tradition, Diwali marks the nirvana of which Tirthankara?
Neminatha
Rishabha
Parshvanatha
Mahavira
For Jains, Diwali commemorates the attainment of moksha (liberation) by Lord Mahavira, the 24th Tirthankara, in 527 BCE. The festival is celebrated with lamps, prayers, and readings of Mahavira's teachings. It emphasizes spiritual illumination and the release from the cycle of birth and death.
The practice of 'Choti Diwali' or small Diwali is observed on which day of the Diwali festival cycle?
First day
Second day
Third day
Fourth day
Choti Diwali, also called Naraka Chaturdashi, is observed on the second day of the Diwali festival cycle. It commemorates Krishna's triumph over the demon Narakasura and involves early morning rituals like oil baths and lighting lamps. The day is considered auspicious for purifying body and mind.
What is the primary significance of placing Rangoli at the entrance of homes during Diwali?
To absorb spilled oil
To welcome Goddess Lakshmi
To mark property boundaries
To ward off insects
Rangoli designs are traditionally placed at the entrance to welcome Goddess Lakshmi and to bring good fortune into the household. The colorful patterns also serve to greet guests and symbolize prosperity. Making rangoli is considered an auspicious act that invites positive energy.
In many North Indian households, a sweet dumpling with dry fruits prepared during Diwali is called what?
Idli
Samosa
Pakora
Gujiya
Gujiya is a half-moon shaped sweet dumpling filled with khoya (milk solids), nuts, and dried fruits. It is deep-fried and often dipped in sugar syrup or coated with powdered sugar. This delicacy is especially popular in North India during Holi and Diwali.
Which plant is traditionally worshipped and decorated in some parts of India during Diwali to symbolize purity and devotion?
Mango
Neem
Tulsi
Banyan
The Tulsi plant (holy basil) is considered sacred in Hinduism and is worshipped in many households year-round. During Diwali, some regions decorate the Tulsi plant with lights and garlands to honor its purity and spiritual significance. Tulsi represents devotion and moral purity.
Which demon's defeat by Lord Krishna is celebrated specifically on Naraka Chaturdashi, also known as Choti Diwali?
Narakasura
Ravana
Kamsa
Hiranyaksha
Naraka Chaturdashi commemorates Lord Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura, who had terrorized the gods and humans. The day before Diwali, devotees rise early, take ritual oil baths, and light lamps to celebrate his defeat. This victory symbolizes the destruction of evil and purification of the mind.
In West Bengal, the Diwali period is primarily associated with the worship of which form of the Goddess?
Durga
Kali
Lakshmi
Saraswati
In West Bengal, Diwali coincides with Kali Puja, dedicated to Goddess Kali. Devotees perform rituals at night, offering flowers, sweets, and incense to invoke her protection and power. Kali Puja has deep cultural roots distinct from the Lakshmi Puja observed in other regions.
Which community traditionally performs Chopda Pujan - worship of accounting books - on Diwali to mark the beginning of a new financial year?
Students
Business community
Priests
Farmers
Chopda Pujan is a ritual where traders and business owners worship their ledger books to inaugurate the new financial year on Diwali. They offer lamps, flowers, and sweets to seek blessings for prosperity and good fortune in business. This practice is especially prevalent in Gujarat and Maharashtra.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Recall Diwali Origins -

    Recall the historical background and mythical stories behind Diwali, including its roots in ancient Indian traditions and legends.

  2. Understand Cultural Significance -

    Understand the symbolic meanings of lights, lamps, and decorations, and how they reflect Diwali's themes of good over evil and light over darkness.

  3. Identify Key Traditions -

    Identify common Diwali practices such as lighting diyas, creating rangoli, exchanging sweets, and offering prayers to Goddess Lakshmi.

  4. Differentiate Regional Variations -

    Differentiate how Diwali celebrations vary across regions in India and in other countries, highlighting unique customs and local interpretations.

  5. Apply Knowledge in the Quiz -

    Apply your understanding of Diwali facts and trivia to answer engaging quiz questions and test your festival IQ.

  6. Appreciate Festival Insights -

    Appreciate new insights about Diwali traditions and practices, enhancing your overall knowledge of the festival of lights.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Mythological Origins -

    Diwali marks Lord Rama's victorious return to Ayodhya after 14 years in exile and celebrates Krishna's defeat of the demon Narakasura, underscoring the triumph of good over evil (source: Oxford University Press). Recall "Rama's Return, Krishna's Conquest" as a paired mnemonic to remember both epic narratives.

  2. Five-Day Festival Structure -

    Diwali unfolds over five days - Dhanteras (wealth), Choti Diwali (preparations), Lakshmi Puja (goddess of wealth), Govardhan Puja (nature worship) and Bhai Dooj (sibling bonds) - as detailed by India's Ministry of Culture. Use the acronym "D-CLGB" (Dhanteras-Choti-Lakshmi-Govardhan-Bhai) to memorize the sequence and focus of each day.

  3. Symbolism of Light and Diyas -

    Lighting oil lamps (diyas) and candles signifies driving away darkness and ignorance, reflecting a core principle in Vastu Shastra and Hindu philosophy (source: UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage). By remembering light as "jnana" (knowledge), you can connect the ritual to its deeper spiritual meaning.

  4. Rangoli Art and Geometric Patterns -

    Creating rangoli designs at thresholds involves radial symmetry and geometric tiling, a folk art form preserved by the National Museum of India. Practice a simple grid-based dot pattern (muggu) to grasp the symmetry before moving to complex kolam or alpana motifs.

  5. Regional Variations and Customs -

    Across India, Diwali customs shift: North celebrates Rama's homecoming, West Bengal observes Kali Puja, South India often marks Naraka Chaturdashi earlier, and Gujarat highlights business ledgers (Chopda Pujan). Memorize "North - Rama, West - Kali, South - Naraka, West - Ledger" as a quick regional checklist.

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