Deepavali Pandigai - दीपावली पंदिगाई
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Place: All over India
Time: October
Significance: Festival of Lights
Deepavali or Diwali (Festival Of Lights) is a beautiful festival of Hindus. Celebrated 21 days after Dussehra, it marks the return of Lord Rama (Hero of the epic Ramayana) to Ayodhya after his 14 years exile. Thousands of traditional clay lamps are lit in houses all over the country. Lakshmi -the goddess of wealth and prosperity is worshipped. The houses are cleaned and decorated with designs drawn on the floor (kolams). It is believed that Lakshmi only enters homes that are clean and spotless. People wear new apparel, consume a rich and sumptuous feast and burst crackers.
Deepavali Pandigai goes by another name Naraka Chaturdasi Snanam, perhaps from a bath taken before daybreak on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Arpisi, corresponding to the English months of September- October. An asura named Narakasura is said to have been destroyed by Sri Krishna on this day and the festival is intended to commemorate the incident.
The word 'Deepavali' means a row of lamps and it originated perhaps form the custom of illuminating villages on this festive occasion. In course of time this was replaced, either wholly or partly, by fireworks. Children and even adults light firecrackers during the short hours before daybreak and enjoy it immensely. New clothes, and firework display are considered signs of auspiciousness and hence people wear new clothes after the auspicious bath and enjoy the occasion as set forth above.
It is celebrated for five days. Each day dedicated to a special thought. First day - Dhanteras or Dhantrayadashi is celebrated in favour of goddess Lakshmi. Poojas are performed and devotional songs are sung in praise of the goddess. Small foot steps are made with rice flour and vermilion powder on the floors of the houses depicting the arrival of the goddess. Earthen lamps filled with oil having cotton wicks are arranged in neat rows along the walls and parapets in the verandahs. These lamps are lit in the evening and kept throughout the night. Glittering lights are a splendid spectacle.
Second day the Narka - Chaturdashi or Choti Diwal, the celebrations are based on a legend of the killing of the Naraka Asura by Lord Krishna. Traditional early baths with oil are made and kumkums are applied on their foreheads. The following days Goddess Kali is worshipped, books are worshipped in a special ceremony, old accounts are settled and new ones are opened and the legend of the Asura king Bali is remembered. On Diwali day, delicious sweets are prepared and exchanged among friends and relatives.
The new moon day which immediately follows the Deepavali day goes by the name of Deepavali Amavasya day. The occasion is considered to be specially favourable to propitiate the manes (Pitris) of the departed and hence libations of water with sesame or gingelly seeds are offered to them with the necessary Mantras or chantings. This offering, performed by the fatherless on all new moon days, goes by the name Pitri Tarpanam which means an 'action to satisfy the manes of the forefather.' The Hindus are enjoined to offer oblations of water everyday to satisfy the devas, the rishis (sages) and the Pitris (manes of the departed), and the new moon days are special occasions for the offerings to the manes of the departed. Certain new moon days are considered more suitable and more favourable for the offerings than other new moon days, and this new moon day is considered one such occasion. So people perform the Tarpanam with special care and attention on this day.
There is a belief among the Hindus that there is a great reservoir of spiritual force in the universe in the custody of the Adhikarika purushas of highly evolved souls who are responsible for the spiritual progress of human beings. These liberate portions of this force from the reservoir and pour them among the masses when they gather in particular places on particular occasions. Further, when the magnetic conditions are favourable, certain substances absorb the forces liberated and retain the property for a limited period. Gingelly seed (Sesamum Indicum) is a favourite seed of the plant Saturn or Sani. Perhaps on the occasion of the Deepavali morning, owing to the peculiar position of the several planets, the Saturn is capable of charging the essence of his favourite seed, the gingelly, with special properties. So anointing the head with this oil on the occasion is considered to bestow on men and women, health, wealth and prosperity, in addition to spiritual progress. Further, water everywhere is believed to be saturated with holy magnetism on this occasion. Hence people think that water used for bathing in the early hours of the morning before sunrise is equal in merit to that of the Gangas which is always surcharged with the properties of very valuable herbs and with the magnetism of the great sages believed to live near the source of the sacred river and bathe in her sacred waters everyday before sunrise. When people meet one another after the holy bath, they ask one another whether they had the 'Ganga Snanam' or the bath in the waters of the Ganges. A special noteworthy feature on this occasion is that fruit, pan- supari, sandal paste, and even money are freely made to people going to visit friends, relations and even utter strangers. This custom is observed by people when bathing in the waters of the sacred rivers, without which a bath is not considered to be efficacious at all. Hence we find that the comparison of ordinary water with that of the Gangas is sustained.
The myth deriving the epithet 'Naraka Chaturdasi' is interesting. Once there was an asura king named Narakasura, ruling over the universe at a part of the present Bengal Presidency. Though a great devotee of Vishnu, his rule was considered undesirable and consequently Sri Krishan was approached by the people. The lord proceeded to the place and overcame him on this day which, as the day of joy, was commemorated. King Bali, the weighty king of the asuras, began to usurp the kingdom of India. On being appealed to by Indra, god Vishnu, one of the Hindu Trinity, in the guise of a Brahmin dwarf, begged of the asura three feet of ground from his vast empire. When that was granted, Vishnu assumed a huge form going by the name 'Trivikrama avatara' and measured the earth and the heavens as two feet, and for the third, placed his foot on the asura's head and pushed him down into the nether world. As he was a deep devotee and a being of great merit, Vishnu had to bless him with certain boons. To commemorate the advent of Vishnu as the dwarf (Vamana) avatara and the giant (Trivikrama) avatara (incarnation), this occasion came to be considered as auspicious. Because of the boons conferred on the asura by Vishnu, the merits resulting from actions such as charity to the under serving, sacrifices of clarified butter not poured in flames, Sraddhas (ceremonies) performed to satisfy the manes of the departed without observing the prescribed rites, and yajnas or sacrifices performed unaccompanied by the necessary gifts, go to king Bali.
As king Bali is supposed to rule over the nether world, people do not like the idea of the merits of their action, not properly performed, going over to him and strengthening his power. So they are very careful to observe the rites and ceremonies, paying due attention to the formalities to be gone through in each case.
There is a strong belief current among the Hindus, that a beginning made on the auspicious Deepavali day will be conductive to prosperity and success. Hence theVaisyas or the Hindu trading castes of northern and western India open fresh accounts every year on this day, after having performed Puja to the goddess Lakshmi and distributed presents and gifts to those invited. They keep awake the whole night trying their luck in the game of dice. Even visitors are free to bet with, or play against one or the other of the persons engaged in the game with a view to try their lick. People walk miles with bags of money to be utilised in betting, and thus trying their luck when rich Marwaris and other are engaged in the game of dice. Large sums are lost or won, on the day in question, both by men and women of the Vaisya community, especially of the Bombay Presidency and of northern India. Even onlookers are given gifts every now and then by the winners from their winnings and there are also gift boxes for some charity or the other into which small sums are dropped every now and then by one or the other winner.
Speculative purchases and sales, which are nothing but forms of gambling on a gigantic scale, are resorted to by the wealthy merchants in certain parts of India, during the Deepavali week and especially on the Deepavali day and night.
Time: October
Significance: Festival of Lights
Deepavali or Diwali (Festival Of Lights) is a beautiful festival of Hindus. Celebrated 21 days after Dussehra, it marks the return of Lord Rama (Hero of the epic Ramayana) to Ayodhya after his 14 years exile. Thousands of traditional clay lamps are lit in houses all over the country. Lakshmi -the goddess of wealth and prosperity is worshipped. The houses are cleaned and decorated with designs drawn on the floor (kolams). It is believed that Lakshmi only enters homes that are clean and spotless. People wear new apparel, consume a rich and sumptuous feast and burst crackers.
Deepavali Pandigai goes by another name Naraka Chaturdasi Snanam, perhaps from a bath taken before daybreak on the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Arpisi, corresponding to the English months of September- October. An asura named Narakasura is said to have been destroyed by Sri Krishna on this day and the festival is intended to commemorate the incident.
The word 'Deepavali' means a row of lamps and it originated perhaps form the custom of illuminating villages on this festive occasion. In course of time this was replaced, either wholly or partly, by fireworks. Children and even adults light firecrackers during the short hours before daybreak and enjoy it immensely. New clothes, and firework display are considered signs of auspiciousness and hence people wear new clothes after the auspicious bath and enjoy the occasion as set forth above.
It is celebrated for five days. Each day dedicated to a special thought. First day - Dhanteras or Dhantrayadashi is celebrated in favour of goddess Lakshmi. Poojas are performed and devotional songs are sung in praise of the goddess. Small foot steps are made with rice flour and vermilion powder on the floors of the houses depicting the arrival of the goddess. Earthen lamps filled with oil having cotton wicks are arranged in neat rows along the walls and parapets in the verandahs. These lamps are lit in the evening and kept throughout the night. Glittering lights are a splendid spectacle.
Second day the Narka - Chaturdashi or Choti Diwal, the celebrations are based on a legend of the killing of the Naraka Asura by Lord Krishna. Traditional early baths with oil are made and kumkums are applied on their foreheads. The following days Goddess Kali is worshipped, books are worshipped in a special ceremony, old accounts are settled and new ones are opened and the legend of the Asura king Bali is remembered. On Diwali day, delicious sweets are prepared and exchanged among friends and relatives.
The new moon day which immediately follows the Deepavali day goes by the name of Deepavali Amavasya day. The occasion is considered to be specially favourable to propitiate the manes (Pitris) of the departed and hence libations of water with sesame or gingelly seeds are offered to them with the necessary Mantras or chantings. This offering, performed by the fatherless on all new moon days, goes by the name Pitri Tarpanam which means an 'action to satisfy the manes of the forefather.' The Hindus are enjoined to offer oblations of water everyday to satisfy the devas, the rishis (sages) and the Pitris (manes of the departed), and the new moon days are special occasions for the offerings to the manes of the departed. Certain new moon days are considered more suitable and more favourable for the offerings than other new moon days, and this new moon day is considered one such occasion. So people perform the Tarpanam with special care and attention on this day.
There is a belief among the Hindus that there is a great reservoir of spiritual force in the universe in the custody of the Adhikarika purushas of highly evolved souls who are responsible for the spiritual progress of human beings. These liberate portions of this force from the reservoir and pour them among the masses when they gather in particular places on particular occasions. Further, when the magnetic conditions are favourable, certain substances absorb the forces liberated and retain the property for a limited period. Gingelly seed (Sesamum Indicum) is a favourite seed of the plant Saturn or Sani. Perhaps on the occasion of the Deepavali morning, owing to the peculiar position of the several planets, the Saturn is capable of charging the essence of his favourite seed, the gingelly, with special properties. So anointing the head with this oil on the occasion is considered to bestow on men and women, health, wealth and prosperity, in addition to spiritual progress. Further, water everywhere is believed to be saturated with holy magnetism on this occasion. Hence people think that water used for bathing in the early hours of the morning before sunrise is equal in merit to that of the Gangas which is always surcharged with the properties of very valuable herbs and with the magnetism of the great sages believed to live near the source of the sacred river and bathe in her sacred waters everyday before sunrise. When people meet one another after the holy bath, they ask one another whether they had the 'Ganga Snanam' or the bath in the waters of the Ganges. A special noteworthy feature on this occasion is that fruit, pan- supari, sandal paste, and even money are freely made to people going to visit friends, relations and even utter strangers. This custom is observed by people when bathing in the waters of the sacred rivers, without which a bath is not considered to be efficacious at all. Hence we find that the comparison of ordinary water with that of the Gangas is sustained.
The myth deriving the epithet 'Naraka Chaturdasi' is interesting. Once there was an asura king named Narakasura, ruling over the universe at a part of the present Bengal Presidency. Though a great devotee of Vishnu, his rule was considered undesirable and consequently Sri Krishan was approached by the people. The lord proceeded to the place and overcame him on this day which, as the day of joy, was commemorated. King Bali, the weighty king of the asuras, began to usurp the kingdom of India. On being appealed to by Indra, god Vishnu, one of the Hindu Trinity, in the guise of a Brahmin dwarf, begged of the asura three feet of ground from his vast empire. When that was granted, Vishnu assumed a huge form going by the name 'Trivikrama avatara' and measured the earth and the heavens as two feet, and for the third, placed his foot on the asura's head and pushed him down into the nether world. As he was a deep devotee and a being of great merit, Vishnu had to bless him with certain boons. To commemorate the advent of Vishnu as the dwarf (Vamana) avatara and the giant (Trivikrama) avatara (incarnation), this occasion came to be considered as auspicious. Because of the boons conferred on the asura by Vishnu, the merits resulting from actions such as charity to the under serving, sacrifices of clarified butter not poured in flames, Sraddhas (ceremonies) performed to satisfy the manes of the departed without observing the prescribed rites, and yajnas or sacrifices performed unaccompanied by the necessary gifts, go to king Bali.
As king Bali is supposed to rule over the nether world, people do not like the idea of the merits of their action, not properly performed, going over to him and strengthening his power. So they are very careful to observe the rites and ceremonies, paying due attention to the formalities to be gone through in each case.
There is a strong belief current among the Hindus, that a beginning made on the auspicious Deepavali day will be conductive to prosperity and success. Hence theVaisyas or the Hindu trading castes of northern and western India open fresh accounts every year on this day, after having performed Puja to the goddess Lakshmi and distributed presents and gifts to those invited. They keep awake the whole night trying their luck in the game of dice. Even visitors are free to bet with, or play against one or the other of the persons engaged in the game with a view to try their lick. People walk miles with bags of money to be utilised in betting, and thus trying their luck when rich Marwaris and other are engaged in the game of dice. Large sums are lost or won, on the day in question, both by men and women of the Vaisya community, especially of the Bombay Presidency and of northern India. Even onlookers are given gifts every now and then by the winners from their winnings and there are also gift boxes for some charity or the other into which small sums are dropped every now and then by one or the other winner.
Speculative purchases and sales, which are nothing but forms of gambling on a gigantic scale, are resorted to by the wealthy merchants in certain parts of India, during the Deepavali week and especially on the Deepavali day and night.
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