Today is "Kali Chaudas", ie Black 14th day -- sounds serious, but really it means that the moon has almost waned and this day is the dark day before tomorrow's Deepavali, Festival of Lights sets in. These few days are some of the most important ones in Hinduism. Briefly, they are:

• a) Dhan Teras: Money's day of 13th: On this day one worships money -- literally!! A few coins, representative of family capital, are bathed in milk and yogurt and cleaned with water. Business folks close their books of the previous year (I think)...and seek blessings of Goddess Lakshmi to help them in the material world, so they may carry out the spiritual tasks for the soul...or so is my wishful interpretation. It could just mean that we are a bunch of materialistic people, though, other aspects of this festival do not bear this thought out completely.
  
• b) Kali Chaudas: Supposedly (as my dad informs me), tonight Bhagawan Shiv will stay in a Smashan, ie graveyard, and scare away all the ghosts and goublins. I think today is a day of caution. Lord Ram was to return from his 14 year exile today, along with his consort, Mata Sita, and brother Laksman. Bharata, brother of Lord Ram, who was taking care of the Kingdom in his older brother's absence had vowed that if, Lord Ram does not return right when his 14 years are up, he would commit suicide. The residents of Ayodhya were waiting with utmost anxiousness the arrival of their favorite (then) Prince Rama, hence the reference to darkness.
  
• c) Deepavali: Joys!!! Every house is lit with candle and there is celebration all around! Deepavali is also celebrated in other parts of India for other reasons, such as Bali maharaj (a strong but unwise King) being vanquished by Vaman avatar (God Vishnu incarnating in the form ofa little Brahmin boy who seeks three steps of land from Bali maharaj, who condescendingly approves. In one step, the now gargantum Vaman, covers all of Earth, in the second, all of the heavens, and for the third step, with no other possessions, Bali maharaj offers himself to keep his word. Lord Vaman steps on him and sends him to the sub-surface (pataal), however, because Bali was a good king, just a bit skewed in his thinking, Vaman promises him that he will be remembered on the day of Deepavali)
  
• d) Bestu varas: New year. Hindu calendar moves is a few decades ahead of the Gregorian calendar. Deepavali in nov. 2002 will be the onset of Vikram Samvat (V.S. for short, representing the name of the very erudite King Vikramaditya of a bygone era) 2060.
  
• e) Bhai beej/Bhai duj: Brother-sister day two -- On this day, married sisters call their brother to their house and feed him. Per chance, the brother is out of reach, she offers it to Chanda (moon), asking him to convey her best wishes to her brother. Chanda is often known as chanda-mama (uncle moon) because he is the alternate, ever present, brother of mom. So, kids in India generally grow up calling the moon, Chanda mama, or Uncle moon :)
  

That's it on the five days of Hindu festivity!