Guest guest Posted November 1, 2007 Report Share Posted November 1, 2007 Deepavali Is In The Air The Mangalorean MANGALORE-BANGALORE October 31, 2007 With Deepavali is just around the corner the preparations have begun in Karnataka on a large scale. This Deepavali which is also called Diwali has attained an international significance this year. The US lower house has passed a legislation to accept Deepavali as a festival in the US also. This brings additional joy to the people of India. It is the first Hindu festival which has been recognized in the other side of the globe. Deepavali (also called Diwali in the northern parts of the country) is a significant festival Otherwise known as the Festival of Lights, It symbolizes the victory of good over evil. According to a upakhanda story in the legend of Ramayana the Diwali has relation to the return of Lord Rama from the forest when he was ordained to undergo a 14 year term to live as an ascetic in the forest. His return to Ayodhya after the term and registering victory over the demon ruler of Lanka Ravana the entire city of Ayodhya was lit up by the people of Ayodhya. The occasion signified that the evil was vanquished and the rule of the good had begun. In-fact in Bhagavatha also light has been related to good and darkness to the evil. Diwali is celebrated for three days. The first day is the 'Narakachaturdashi' of Hindu Maasa (month)Karthika or Aswhayuja. According to Hindu almanac the festival comes up for celebrations in October/November and is one of the most popular and eagerly awaited festivals of the country. According to the almanac the festival of Diwali comes exactly twenty days after Dasara. The Diwali also signifies the strengthening of familial and communal bondages. On this occasion even the sworn enemies exchange greetings sweets and flowers and even pay personal visits to each others houses and bury their differences and begin a new life. Light also signifies end of enmity and misunderstanding. According to another legend in Mahabharatha lord Krishna is believed to have defeated a demonic ruler Narakasura which is celebrated as Narakachaturdashi. The third day of the festival is the Bali Padyami which is celebrated in the honour of Bali Chakravarthi who was given heavenly abode by Vishnu who came to save the world from one man rule which is also a kind of evil. Here lord Vishnu in his avatar as Vamana delivered salvation to Bali Chakravarthi. According to legends in Jainism it was on this day that Lord Mahaveera attained Nirvana which is believed to have occurred in 527 BC. In the modern context, the festival of light is stated to dispel the darkness of ignorance and poverty. On this day businessmen perform Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) pooja and this is the only time in a year that people worship her for grant of knowledge of creating wealth. Mumbai which is the commercial capital of India where businessmen from all parts of the country and the world have settled down offer poojas to Mahalakshmi temple at a place called Mahalakshmi in central Mumbai. The functionaries of BSE send tonnes of sweets to their clients all over the world as a mark of bonhomie. On the occasion of Deepavali people light up their premises with small diyas (earthen lamps), have an elaborate bath with fragrant water and children will burst fire crackers before the sunrise. It is said that the festivities should begin when the morning stars are still twinkling. The early morning bath will have the same effect as it to bathe in the waters of the holy Ganga. While the entire country is getting ready for the festivities, Mangalore has also caught on with the preparation for festivities. The little earthen diyas are getting ready in many parts of the district and at one centre prominently in Mangalore city. A family of 5 persons from Andhra Pradesh have moved into Boloor in Mangalore. The Sambasivan family which usually camps in Mangalore atleast one month before Deepavali and prepares earthen diyas. They bring along with them good quality clay from Khammam and Rangareddy districts of Andhra Pradesh. They say the clay brought from there had special characteristics and the products get better finishing. Mr. Sivan says clay was available in the Dakshina Kannada district in small quantities till last year but this year it has become all the more difficult. On the other side the city the preparation for Deepavali has become more pronounced as every shop appears to be stocking up things that sell faster. The goodu deepas, decoration material, sweets and many other things that Deepavali celebrations will be incomplete without. The Market road in Hampankatta area is already wearing a festive look and in many places in the city householders are giving a fresh coat of paint to their houses. The dress shops are also making brisk business as wearing new dresses is mandatory for Deepavali. http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast & broadcastid=57018# [see the above link for photos to accompany the story] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 3, 2007 Report Share Posted November 3, 2007 Namaste, I'm having trouble with this quote: " The US lower house has passed a legislation to accept Deepavali as a festival in the US also. " I think that congress is actually forbidden by our constitution to annoint religious festivals. Also, because of the same freedom of religion clause, it doesn't take recognition by a government body for a religious body within the U.S. to practice or " accept " a religious celebration. Just what could this mean? Blessings, pr , " msbauju " <msbauju wrote: > > Deepavali Is In The Air > The Mangalorean > > MANGALORE-BANGALORE > October 31, 2007 > > With Deepavali is just around the corner the preparations > have begun in Karnataka on a large scale. This Deepavali > which is also called Diwali has attained an international > significance this year. The US lower house has passed a > legislation to accept Deepavali as a festival in the US also. > This brings additional joy to the people of India. It is the > first Hindu festival which has been recognized in the other > side of the globe. > > Deepavali (also called Diwali in the northern parts of the > country) is a significant festival Otherwise known as the > Festival of Lights, It symbolizes the victory of good over > evil. According to a upakhanda story in the legend of > Ramayana the Diwali has relation to the return of Lord > Rama from the forest when he was ordained to undergo a 14 > year term to live as an ascetic in the forest. His return to > Ayodhya after the term and registering victory over the > demon ruler of Lanka Ravana the entire city of Ayodhya > was lit up by the people of Ayodhya. The occasion signified > that the evil was vanquished and the rule of the good had > begun. In-fact in Bhagavatha also light has been related to > good and darkness to the evil. > > > > Diwali is celebrated for three days. The first day is the > 'Narakachaturdashi' of Hindu Maasa (month)Karthika or > Aswhayuja. According to Hindu almanac the festival comes > up for celebrations in October/November and is one of the > most popular and eagerly awaited festivals of the country. > According to the almanac the festival of Diwali comes > exactly twenty days after Dasara. The Diwali also signifies > the strengthening of familial and communal bondages. On > this occasion even the sworn enemies exchange greetings > sweets and flowers and even pay personal visits to each > others houses and bury their differences and begin a new > life. > > Light also signifies end of enmity and misunderstanding. > According to another legend in Mahabharatha lord Krishna > is believed to have defeated a demonic ruler Narakasura > which is celebrated as Narakachaturdashi. The third day of > the festival is the Bali Padyami which is celebrated in the > honour of Bali Chakravarthi who was given heavenly abode > by Vishnu who came to save the world from one man rule > which is also a kind of evil. Here lord Vishnu in his avatar > as Vamana delivered salvation to Bali Chakravarthi. > > > > According to legends in Jainism it was on this day that Lord > Mahaveera attained Nirvana which is believed to have > occurred in 527 BC. > > In the modern context, the festival of light is stated to > dispel the darkness of ignorance and poverty. On this day > businessmen perform Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) pooja > and this is the only time in a year that people worship her > for grant of knowledge of creating wealth. Mumbai which is > the commercial capital of India where businessmen from all > parts of the country and the world have settled down offer > poojas to Mahalakshmi temple at a place called > Mahalakshmi in central Mumbai. The functionaries of BSE > send tonnes of sweets to their clients all over the world as a > mark of bonhomie. > On the occasion of Deepavali people light up their premises > with small diyas (earthen lamps), have an elaborate bath > with fragrant water and children will burst fire crackers > before the sunrise. It is said that the festivities should begin > when the morning stars are still twinkling. The early > morning bath will have the same effect as it to bathe in the > waters of the holy Ganga. > > While the entire country is getting ready for the festivities, > Mangalore has also caught on with the preparation for > festivities. The little earthen diyas are getting ready in many > parts of the district and at one centre prominently in > Mangalore city. A family of 5 persons from Andhra Pradesh > have moved into Boloor in Mangalore. The Sambasivan > family which usually camps in Mangalore atleast one month > before Deepavali and prepares earthen diyas. They bring > along with them good quality clay from Khammam and > Rangareddy districts of Andhra Pradesh. They say the clay > brought from there had special characteristics and the > products get better finishing. Mr. Sivan says clay was > available in the Dakshina Kannada district in small > quantities till last year but this year it has become all the > more difficult. > > On the other side the city the preparation for Deepavali has > become more pronounced as every shop appears to be > stocking up things that sell faster. The goodu deepas, > decoration material, sweets and many other things that > Deepavali celebrations will be incomplete without. The > Market road in Hampankatta area is already wearing a > festive look and in many places in the city householders are > giving a fresh coat of paint to their houses. > > The dress shops are also making brisk business as wearing > new dresses is mandatory for Deepavali. > > http://mangalorean.com/news.php?newstype=broadcast & broadcastid=57018# > [see the above link for photos to accompany the story] > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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