The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (674 page)

The most important Hindu festival which, unlike other festivals (such as the New Year, Makar Sankr
nta, or
Hol
), lasts for four or five days (the variation depending on the lunar calculation). It falls in Oct.–Nov. each year. D
v
l
is a short form of D
p
val
—a line of lamps. D
v
l
is celebrated by all Hindus, but it is the most important festival for merchants, bankers, and businessmen, because the main religious event is the worship of Lak
m
, the Goddess of wealth in Hindu mythology.
The festival of D