Deepavali

[Guest guest]

Dear Bhagavathas,

 

Several of you have written about these festivals. I like to add to that.

 

DEEPAWALI

Diwali

The festival of Lights

 

Deepawali or Diwali means a row of lights. It is celebrated on the New Moon

day of the month of Kartik. For the year 1999, Deepawali is on November 7.

Deepawali is actually a five day festival!

It is connected with many episodes from the Hindu holy books.

 

Dhan Teras

The Shopping day

 

Two days prior to Deepawali is known as Dhan Teras. On this day a new utensil

is bought for the house. House is spotlessly cleaned, washed, white washed.

and decorated. The children are taken out to buy fire works (crackers),

earthen diyas (lamps) and new clothes. A pair of earthen Lakshmi and Ganesha,

for puja on Deepawali day is also bought.

 

Naraka Chaturdashi

 

Lord Krishna killed a wicked demon by name Narakasura on the eve of

Deepawali. This day prior to Deepawali is called Naraka chaturdashi and

celebrated by lighting Fire crackers. This is the part children enjoy the

most!

 

Choti Diwali

 

In some parts of India, the day prior to Diwali is celebrated as Choti

Diwali. This is to commemorate Hanuman JI coming to Ayodhya with the news

of the arrival of Lord Rama & his party from Lanka.

 

The Deepawali Day

 

Deepawali day is believed to be the day on which Lord Rama, and his party

returned to Ayodhya from Lanka. They are greeted by lighting hundreds of

clay lamps. This gives the festival the name of Deepawali. Special puja to

Ganesh and Lakshmi are performed.

 

On the main Diwali day, a morning bath is very essential. In South India to

bathe before Sunrise, after a good oil massage, is considered very

auspicious. Children finish this and start firing crackers in the early dark

minutes before the Sunrise.

 

 

Goverdhan Puja

Anna Koot

 

The day after Deepawali is celebrated as Goverdhana Puja. The sacred hill of

Goverdhan, near Mathura and Kamadhenu (the cosmic cow) which are connected

with Lord Krishna are worshipped. Krishna lifted up the Goverdhan mountain

and held it like an umbrella, under which people and animals took shelter

from the relentless rain. Once the rain subdued, the people gathered around

the hill and had a great feast (Anna Koot). This festival is especially

popular among the devotees of SrinathJi (Bala Krishna), as popularized by

the 15th century CE philosopher, Sri Vallabacharya (composer of

Madhurashtakam). He founded Pushti Marga(Pantha). There are about 30 million

Hindus (mostly from Gujarat and Central India) belonging to this tradition.

 

 

In some other parts, this day is celebrated as Bali Padyami. On this day

king Bali, who was humbled by Lord Vishnu as Vamana, pays a visit to his

lost empire.

 

Deepawali also is the New year day for the followers of Vikrama calendar,

founded after the great king Vikramaditya.

 

For Jains, Deepawali marks the day on which their founder Mahavira attained

Nirvana.

 

Arya Samajis spend this day in memory of their founder guru Swami Dayananda,

who was killed on this day.

 

 

Deepawali is a great national festival in India. It is celebrated by Hindus

with extraordinary festivity. Houses are cleaned and painted. People wear new

clothes. Shops and offices are decorated with colored lights. Businessmen

close their old account books and open new ones. People exchange gifts,

cards and visit friends and relatives. Another custom practiced on Deepawali

day is the early Morning (5 am) oil bath.

 

In short, you might as well call Deepawali as the Christmas of India, because

all communities participate at least in the secular aspects of the festival.

It is also the July 4th, because of the fire works.

 

Daasan,

 

K. Sreekrishna Tatachar