Merchants perform religious ceremonies and open new account books. The fourth day, known as Goverdhan Puja, Balipratipada, or Annakut, commemorating Krishna’s defeat of Indra, the king of the gods, is also the first day of Karttika and the start of the new year in the Vikrama (Hindu) calendar. It is the main day of the Diwali festival.

Lakshmi is the focus of worship on that day. The second day, called Naraka Chaturdashi or Choti Diwali, commemorates Krishna’s destruction of Narakasura prayers are also offered for the souls of ancestors. On the third day, Lakshmi Puja, families seek blessings from Lakshmi to ensure their prosperity light diyas, candles, and fireworks and visit temples. The first day, known as Dhanteras, is dedicated to cleaning homes and purchasing small items of gold. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.

Temple of the dark moon