Pujas & Rites at Deepavali

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Pujas and rites at Deepavali

 

Though in major parts of India Diwali is associated with the worship of Laksmi

and Ganesh the practice differs from region to region. For instance in the

North Ram is worshipped with great fanfare at this time. Also many in the North

worship Gobardhana, the hillock in Braj, on this occasion. In Bengal Goddess

Kali, a form of Durga and a consort of Shiva, is worshipped with pomp and

grandeur. A glimpse of all these rites performed across the nation:

 

Dhanteras and Lakshmi Puja :Though the celebration of Diwali spans over four

days but in some parts of the country, as in the western India, the curtain for

the period of the celebration is raised with Dhanteras or Dhantrayodashi which

falls on the thirteenth day of the month of Kartik. The word "Dhan" means

wealth. As such this day of the Diwali festival has a great importance for the

rich mercantile community of Western India. Houses and Business premises are

renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colorful with lovely traditional

motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. To

indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour

and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through

the nights. Believing this day to be auspicious women purchase some gold or

silver or at least one or two new utensils. "Lakshmi-Puja" is performed in the

evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil

spirits. "Bhajans"-devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Lakshmi are sung and

"Naivedya" of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess. There is a peculiar

custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and

offer as Naivedya.In villages cattles are adorned and worshipped by farmers as

they form the main source of their income. In south cows are offered special

veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and

therefore they are adorned and worshipped on this day.The pre-diwali day is of

great importance to the rich community of western India Houses and Business

premises are renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colorful with lovely

traditional motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth

and prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn

with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning

all through the nights. Believing this day to be auspicious women purchase some

gold or silver or at least one or two new utensils.Lakshmi-Puja is performed in

the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of

evil spirits, devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung and

Naivedya of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess. Diwali or Deepavali :

The day of Amavasya or the new moon which usually falls on the 15th day of the

month of Kartik as per Indian lunar calendar sees the hub of the week long

festive period. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped as it is believed that on this

day Goddess Lakshmi would be in her benevolant mood and would fulfill all the

wishes of her devotees. One version says that it was on this day Goddess

Lakshmi emerged from Kshira Sagara when the Gods and demons were churning the

ocean world for raising of Amrita, the mythical elixir of life. On this day

there is a traditional practice specially in Maharashtra of taking bath before

sunrise with oil and "Uptan" (paste) of gram flour and fragrant powders.There

is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with

jaggery and offer as Naivedya In villages cattle's are adorned and worshipped

by farmers as they form the main source of their income. In south cows are

offered special veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation of

Goddess Lakshmi and therefore they are adorned and worshipped on this day.In

South India that victory of the divine over the mundane is celebrated in a very

peculiar way. People wake up before sunrise prepare blood by mixing Kumkum in

oil and after breaking a bitter fruit that represents the head of the demon

King that was smashed by Krishna, apply that mixture on their foreheads. Then

they have an oil bath using sandalwood paste.Govardhan-Puja :is also performed

in the North on the next day that follows the day of Diwali. It is the first

day of the following fortnight of full moon. This day is also observed as

Annakoot meaning mountain of food. In temples especially in Mathura and

Nathadwara, the deities are given milkbath, dressed in shining attires with

ornaments of dazzling diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious stones. After

the prayers and traditional worship innumerable varieties of delicious sweets

are offered to the deities as "Bhog" and then the devotees approach and take

Prasad.In many Hindu homes it is a custom for the wife to put the red mark of

tilak( made up of vermillion powder pasted with oil) on the forehead of her

husband, garland him and do his "Aarathi" with a prayer for his long life. In

appreciation of all the tender care that the wife showers on him, the husband

gives her a costly gift. This Gudi Padwa is symbolic of love and devotion

between the wife and husband. On this day newly married daughters with their

husbands are invited for special meals and given presents. Bhayya Duj :The

festival of Diwali is not complete without yet another festival, known by the

name of "Bhayya-Duj" in the Hindi-speaking belt, "Bhav--Bij" in the

Marathi-speaking communities, "Bhai Phota" to the Bengalees and in Nepal by the

name of "Bhai-Tika". It is observed on the second day following Diwali or the

new moon. As the legend goes Yamraj, the God of Death visited his sister Yami

on this particular day. She put the auspicious tilak on his forehead, garlanded

him and led him with special dishes and both of them together ate the sweets,

talked and enjoyed themselves to their heart's content, while parting Yamraj

gave her a special gift as a token of his love and in return Yami also gave him

a lovely gift which she had made with her own hands. That day Yamraj announced

that anyone who receives tilak from his sister will never be thrown. That is

why this day of Bhayyaduj is also known by the name of "Yama-Dwitiya" Since

then this day is being observed as a symbol of love between sisters and

brothers. It became also imperative for the brother to go to his sister's house

to celebrate Bhayya-duj. Kali Puja :Also falls at this time, widely celebrated

in Bengal. Click here to learn about Kali Puja

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