Fourth Day of Diwali - Bali Pratipada

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Bali Pratipada Day<br><br>The first day

(pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the month of

Kartik.<br><br>This is the half among the three and a half auspicious

moments (sade teen muhurtas). It is called

Balipratipadaa, as king Bali was stripped of his kingdom and sent

to the netherworld, as a punishment for making

offerings unto the undeserving. Hence, a picture of king

Bali and his queen is drawn with rangoli on the floor,

decorated with five colors and worshipped and offered meat

and liquor. Then for the sake of Bali’s generosity,

lamps and clothes are donated.<br><br>On this day after

an early morning bath with an oil massage

(auspicious bath), women move lit lamps in front of their

husbands’ faces. In the afternoon one feasts on a meal with

delicacies. People don new attire and celebrate the whole day

through. There is also a practice of worshipping the

mountain Govardhan (Govardhanpuja) on this day by making a

heap of cow dung and tucking durva (a sacred grass)

and flowers into it. Pictures of Lord Krushna, the

cowherds, Lord Indra, cows and calves are arranged

alongside and also worshipped and taken out in a

procession, to commemorate Lord Krushna saving the cowherds

and their herd from torrential rains by holding up

the mountain Govardhan with His finger.

<br><br>General nature of the celebration<br><br>Decoration with

lit lamps: Lamps should be lit both inside and

outside the house on all the evenings of Divali. This

gives the house a decorative look and generates

enthusiasm and joy. Earthen lamps lit with oil are more

decorative and soothing than a string of electric bulbs.

This is in alignment the Vedas’ command that one

should go from darkness (ignorance) to light (spiritual

knowledge).<br><br>Decoration with lanterns (akashkandil): <br><br>The lantern

should be hung outside the house on a tall pole buried

in the ground with the help of a string from the

eleventh day (ekadashi) of the bright fortnight of the

month of Ashvin till the eleventh day of the bright

fortnight of the month of Kartik. To gain prosperity, it

should be ritualistically installed repeating the

mantra, “I am offering this lantern along with the lamp

to The Supreme Almighty Damodar. May He endow me

with prosperity.”<br><br>Decoration with rangoli:

<br><br>During Divali, various rangoli designs, such as a conch

(for Lord Vishnu), a svastik (for Lakshmi), etc., are

drawn at the doorstep and decorated with different

colors. <br><br>[Reference taken from Vol 10, Holy

Festivals, Religious Festivals and Vowed Religious

Observances, compiled by Dr. Jayant B. Athavale and Dr. Mrs.

Kunda Athavale, published by the Sanatan.]