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Bawarchi: Indian Festivals: Diwali
Thursday, Dec 20 2007
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By Malini Bisen
This Diwali which leads us into Truth and Light is celebrated on
a nation-wide scale on Amavasya - the 15th day of the dark fortnight
of the Hindu month of Ashwin (Aasho) (October / November) every
year. It symbolises that age-old culture of our country which teaches
us to vanquish ignorance that subdues humanity and to drive away
darkness that engulfs the light of knowledge. Diwali, the festival
of lights even to-day in this modern world projects the rich and
glorious past of our country and teaches us to uphold the true values
of life.
The word "Diwali" is the corruption of the Sanskrit word "Deepavali" -
Deepa meaning light and Avali, meaning a row. It means a row of lights
and indeed illumination forms its main attraction. Every home - lowly
or mightly - the hut of the poor or the mansion of the rich - is alit
with the orange glow of twinkling diyas-small earthen lamps - to
welcome Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth and prosperity. Multi-coloured
Rangoli designs, floral decorations and fireworks lend picturesness
and grandeur to this festival which heralds joy, mirth and happiness
in the ensuring year.
This festival is celebrated on a grand scale in almost all the regions
of India and is looked upon mainly as the beginning of New Year. As
such the blessings of Lakshmi, the celestial consort of Lord Vishnu
are invoked with prayers. Even countries like Gkyena, Thailand,
Trinidad, Siam and Malaya celebrate this festival but in their own
ways.
This Diwali festival, it is surmised dates back to that period when
perhaps history was not written, and in its progress through centuries
it lighted path of thousands to attain the ultimate good and complete
ecstasy.
Diwali or more aptly Deepavali is very enthusiastically celebrated for
five continuous days and each day has its significance with a number
of myths, legends and beliefs.
The First day is called DHANTERAS or DHANTRAYODASHI
which falls on the thirteenth day of the month of Ashwin. The word
"Dhan" means wealth. As such this day of the five-day 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 colourful 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 Laxmi 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.
A very interesting story about this day is of the sixteen year old son
of King Hima. As per his horoscope he was doomed to die by a
snake-bite on the fourth day of his marriage. On that particular
fourth day of his marriage his young wife did not allow him to
sleep. She laid all the ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in
a big heap at the entrance of her husband's boudoir and lighted
innumerable lamps all over the place. And she went on telling stories
and singing songs. When Yam, the god of Death arrived there in the
guise of a Serpent his eyes got blinded by that dazzle of those
brilliant lights and he could not enter the Prince's chamber. So he
climbed on top of the heap of the ornaments and coins and sat there
whole night listening to the melodious songs. In the morning he
quietly went away. Thus the young wife saved her husband from the
clutches of death. Since then this day of Dhanteras came to be known
as the day of "YAMADEEPDAAN" and lamps are kept burning throughout the
night in reverential adoration to Yam, the god of Death.
The SECOND day is called NARKA-CHATURDASHI or CHOTI
DIWAL which falls on the fourteenth day of the month of
Ashwin. The story goes that the demon king Narakasur ruler of
Pragjyotishpur ( a province to the South of Nepal) after defeating
Lord Indra had snatched away the magnificent earrings of Aditi, the
Mother Goddess and imprisoned sixteen thousand daughters of the gods
and saints in his harem. On the day previous to Narakachaturdashi,
Lord Krishna killed the demon and liberated the imprisoned damsels and
also recovered those precious earrings of Aditi. As a symbol of that
victory Lord Krishna smeared his forehead with the demon king's
blood. Krishna returned home in the very early morning of the
Narakachaturdashi day. The womenfolk massaged scented oil to his body
and gave him a good bath to wash away the filth from his body. Since
then the custom of taking bath before sunrise on this day has become a
traditional practice specially in Maharashtra.
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.
In Maharashtra also, traditional early baths with oil and "Uptan" (paste) of
gram flour and fragrant powders are a `must'. All through the ritual
of baths, deafening sounds of crackers and fireworks are there in
order that the children enjoy bathing. Afterwards steamed vermiceli
with milk and sugar or puffed rice with curd is served.
Another legend is about King Bali of the nether world mighty power had
become a threat to the gods. In order to curb his powers Lord Vishnu
in the guise of a Batu Waman- a small boy- visited him and begged him
to give him only that much land which he could cover with his three
steps. Known for his philanthropy King Bali proudly granted him his
wish. That very moment that small boy transformed himself into the
all-powerful Lord Vishnu. With his first step Lord Vishnu covered the
entire heaven and with the second step the earth and asked Bali where
to keep his third step. Bali offered his head. Putting his foot on his
head Vishnu pushed him down to the underworld. At the same time for
his generosity Lord Vishnu gave him the lamp of knowledge and allowed
him to return to earth once a year to light millions of lamps to
dispel the darkness and ignorance and spread the radiance of love and
wisdom.
This Narakachaturdashi day therefore is dedicated to lights and
prayers heralding a future full of joy and laughter.
Continued...
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