Diwali-Festival
of light and Prosperity
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Diwali
is a five day Hindu festival which occurs
on the fifteenth day of Kartika. Diwali
means "rows of lighted lamps" and the
celebration is often referred to as the
Festival of Lights. Diwali is the Hindu
festival welcoming Ram and Sita out of the
forest and celebrating the Hindu New Year.
Deepvali is the Sanskrit word meaning rows
of lights. Some people light decorated
candles, some decorated clay diva lamps,
and other decorative lights and put them
in their windows for the festival.
Deepvali is now shortened to the better
known diwali. During this time, homes are
thoroughly cleaned and windows are opened
to welcome Laksmi, goddess of wealth.
Candles and lamps are lit as a greeting to
Laksmi. Gifts are exchanged and festive
meals are prepared during Diwali. |
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The
festival begins with Dhanteras, a day set
aside to worship Laksmi. In the Indian
culture, wealth is not viewed as a corruptive
power. Instead, a wealthy person is considered
to have been rewarded for good deeds of a past
life, i.e karma.
On the second day of the festival, Kali, the
goddess of Strength, is worshipped.
On the 3rd day ( the last day of the year in
the lunar calendar), lamps are lighted and
shine brightly in homes. The lamp symbolizes
knowledge.
The fourth day of Diwali falls on the first
day of the lunar New Year. At this time, old
business accounts are settled and new books
are opened. The books are worshipped in a
special ceremony by Indian priests and
participants are encouraged to remove anger,
hate, and jealousy from their lives.
On the last day (Balipratipada) of the
festival, Bali, an ancient Indian king, is
recalled and remembered. Bali destroyed the
centuries old philosophies of the society.
However, in addition to this, he is remembered
for being a generous and kind person. Hence,
the significance of this day is to see the
good in others, including enemies.
The Jain communities of India celebrate Diwali
as a New Year's Day. Lord Mahavira, the
founder of Jainism, attained his Nirvana on
the day of Diwali.
Sikhs celebrate Diwali to express joy at the
return of the sixth Guru to Amritsar in 1620;
Emperor Jahangir had imprisoned him along with
52 Hindu kings. The Guru was granted freedom
but refused to leave until the kings were also
released.
Diwali is by far the most enthusiastically
enjoyed festival in India. People of different
nationalities, races, religions and
backgrounds come together to share their joys
generating a feeling of universal brotherhood
and inter-religious harmony.
Religious
Meaning
Worship of the Goddess of Wealth (Laxmi),
observance of the New Year and performance
of Aarti (a ritual that combines worship
and adoration) are a part of the festival
On the second day of Deepavaali (Kali
Choudas) a ritual that is strongly
suggestive of the origin of Deepavaali as
an harvest festival is performed. On this
day delicacies are prepared from pounded
semi-cooked rice (called Poha or Pova).
This rice is taken from the fresh harvest
available at that time. This custom is
prevalent both in rural and urban areas
especially in Western India. In rural
areas, Diwali signifies only this aspect.
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First
day-Dhantheras (10 November 2004)
In colloquial parlance, Dhanatrayodashi is called
Dhanteras and its twinkling lights set the mood of
India's greatest and most popular festival --
Diwali, the festival of lights. Dhanteras is
essentially Diwali eve. The day is usually spent
by most families in finishing their shopping for
the festival. By the time the satiated shoppers
come home, it is time to light the first lamps of
Diwali and to hang up paper lanterns with festoons
which send out messages of love and goodwill to
all.
Dhanteras, being a festival of wealth, also means
inaugurations and new purchases of expensive
possessions. Many Indians set up their businesses,
launch new projects, hold housewarming, set
wedding dates, buy cars or jewellery on this
auspicious day.
Dhanteras evening is most exciting. While the
lamps flicker in the darkness and the radiance of
the flames removes the darkness of sorrow and past
misdeeds, Lakshmi, the goddess of luster, beauty
and wealth visits every home. Outside the
threshold of every home, a rangoli, alpana or
floor pattern is drawn with coloured powders or a
nice paste and the stylised, tiny footprints of
Lakshmi are drawn in vermilion to symbolise her
arrival.
Doorways are hung with torans of mango leaves
and marigolds. Rangolis are
drawn with different coloured powders to welcome
guests. The traditional motifs are often linked
with auspicious symbols of good luck. Oil diyas
are arranged in and around the house. Because of
these flickering lamps, the festival has acquired
its name : Dipawali or Diwali
meaning `a rows of lamps'. On this day,
people buy something for the house or some
jewellery for the women of the house. It is
auspicious to be buy something metallic,
especially silver.
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Second Day-
Kali Chaudas
On second day there is a traditional practice
especially in Maharashtra of taking bath
before sunrise with oil and "Uptan" (paste) of
gram flour and fragrant powder. In northern
India, especially in places like the Punjab,
Diwali is dedicated to the worship of Lord
Rama. While in Bengal, Kali/Durga, the goddess
of strength, is worshipped? This reverence is
called "Kali Chaudas or Kal Chaturdasi". It is
believed that on this day kali killed the
wicked Raktavija. Lord Ganesha, the
elephant-headed god, the symbol of
auspiciousness and wisdom, is also worshipped
in most Hindu homes on this day. Diwali is one
of the few Hindu festivals which is celebrated
in every part of the country, even in states
like Kerala, that has Onam as its main
festival. To the Jain's, Deepavali has an
added significance to the great event of
Mahaveera attaining the Eternal Bliss of
Nirvaana. The passing into Eternity on the
same Amavasya of Swami Dayananda Saraswati,
that leonine sanyasin who was one of the first
to light the torch of Hindu Renaissance during
the last century, and of Swami Ramatirtha who
carried the fragrance of the spiritual message
of Hindu Dharma to the western world, have
brought the national-cum-spiritual tradition
of Deepaavali right up to modern times. |
Third
Day--Diwali
Laxmi Pujan, The day of Amavasya or the new moon
which usually falls on the 14th 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.)
Fourth day- Govardhan-Puja
Govardhan-Puja is also performed in the North on
the fourth day. This day is also observed as
Annakoot meaning mountain of food. In temples
especially in Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities
are given milk bath, 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. Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped in
every Hindu household. In many Hindu homes it is a
custom for the wife to put the red tilak 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. Diwali
celebration is a very happy occasion for all.
Fifth Day- 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. |
