| |
First
Day – Dhanteras
Because there are many regions in India,
there are many manifestations of the Diwali
festival. The festival begins with Dhanteras,
a day set aside to worship the goddess
of prosperity, Shri Lakshmi. Lustrous
Lakshmi is the consort of Vishnu, and
her statue is found in every home. On
this day, homes are thoroughly cleaned
and windows are opened to welcome her
blessing for the new year.
In rural villages cattles are adorned
and worshipped by farmers, and in the
South of India, cows are offered special
veneration as the incarnation of the goddess.
Candles and lamps are lit to serve as
as a greeting to Lakshmi. In Indian culture,
wealth is not viewed as a corruptive power.
Instead, a wealthy person is considered
to have been rewarded for the good deeds
of a past life. On this day, people exchange
gifts and purchase new items for the house,
as this is considered auspicious and ensures
happiness and prosperity for the whole
of the coming year. Business men (marwaldi)
pray for prosperity on this day to Lakshmi,
because it is believed to give the best
results for the year ahead.
Second
Day – Kali Chaudas
 On
the second day Kali, the goddess of Strength,
is worshipped. Delicacies are prepared
from pounded partly-cooked rice (called
Poha or Pauva) from the recent harvest.
This custom is held in rural and in urban
areas, especially in Western India. Diwali
celebrates the end of the harvest season,
known as the Kharif season when the fresh
crop of rice is in, but also marks the
beginning of the new season. This day
(Kali Choudas) also focuses on abolishing
laziness and evil. North Indians call
it Narak Chaudas and will pray for the
souls of departed loved ones.
Third Day –
Diwali
On the third and most important day (the
last day of the year in the lunar calendar),
lamps are lighted and shine brightly in
every home. The lamp shining at the dark
of the New Moon symbolizes knowledge and
encourages reflection upon the purpose
of each day in the festival. The goal
is to remember the purpose throughout
the coming year. Lakshmi Puja is performed
on this day, awakening an appreciation
of prosperity and a sense of responsibility
towards it. Lakshmi, always depicted as
a very beautiful woman, stands on a lotus.
She has lotuses in various stages of bloom
in her two hands and wears a lotus garland.
Cascades of gold coins are usually shown
flowing from her hands, suggesting that
those who worship her gain wealth. She
always wears gold-embroidered red clothes.
Red symbolizes activity and the golden
lining indicates prosperity. Lakshmi is
the active energy of Vishnu, and also
appears as Lakshmi-Narayan – Lakshmi
accompanying Vishnu.
 Lakshmi
is the goddess of wealth and Ganesha is
the Lord of Happiness. Lakshmi and Ganesha
Puja is performed for prosperity, material
abundance, and spiritual prosperity. The
faithful believe that the worship of Lakshmi
should not be neglected, lest poverty
and suffering fall upon those who fail
to remember her. This Puja is performed
in the evening, as the Taurus ascendant
and the Leo ascendant are considered the
best for keeping the material benefits
for the year. At this time, old business
accounts are settled and new books are
opened. The books are worshipped in a
special ceremony and participants are
encouraged to remove anger, hate, and
jealousy from their lives.
Fourth Day —
Vishkarma
The fourth day of Diwali falls on the
first day of the lunar New Year and is
called Vishkarma Day. Also known as Padwa
or VarshaPratipada it marks the coronation
of King Vikramaditya. Families celebrate
the new year by dressing in new clothes,
wearing jewellery and visiting family
members and business colleagues bearing
sweets, dried fruits and other gifts.
This day is often used by manufacturers
to pray for their equipment so that it
works well and makes profit during the
year ahead.
In ancient times, the people of Gokul
would celebrate a festival in honour of
Lord Indra, worshipping him at the end
of each monsoon season. However, in one
particular year, the young Krishna halted
the custom of offering prayers to Indra,
who in a fit of anger poured down a deluge
in order to destroy Gokul. Krishna saved
Gokul by lifting up a mountain called
Govardhan and holding it over the people
as an umbrella. So, on this day, Goverdhan
Puja is performed to commemorate this
act of Sri Krishna.
This day is also observed as Annakoot
and prayers are offered in the temples.
In Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities
are bathed in milk, then dressed in shining
attire, featuring ornaments of diamonds,
pearls, rubies and other precious stones.
Fifth Day
On the final day (Balipratipada) of the
festival, Bali, a powerful titanic figure
in Indian Mythology, is recalled. Bali
was the powerful demon-king of Paataala
(the netherworld), who had boldly extended
his kingdom over the earth as well. On
the day, Sri Vishnnu, taking the form
of Vaamana, a dwarfish Brahmin, approached
Bali requesting a boon, comprising the
amount of space equal to three of his
steps. Bali, famed for his generosity,
granted the boon. However, the "dwarf"
then grew into a gigantic form and with
one step covered the entire earth; with
the second, he covered the sky, and then
asked Bali where he should place his third
step. Bali, left with no other choice,
presented his own head. Sri Vishnu placed
his foot on Bali's head, pushing him back
down to the netherworld, the rightful
territory of Bali's reign. However, Bali
prayed that he might be permitted to visit
the earth once a year. Then it was the
turn of Vishnu to grant the boon. Thus,
the focus of this day is to see the good
in others, including enemies. It is particularly
reverenced in Kerala.
The second day of the bright fortnight
(Shukla Paksh) of Kartika is also called
Bhaiya-Duj. In the Vedic era, Lord Yama
(Yamraj, the Lord of Death) visited his
sister Yamuna (Yami), who marked the auspicious
Tilak on his forehead. They ate and talked
together, enjoying each other's company,
exchanging special gifts as a token of
their love for each other. Yamraj pronounced
that anyone who receives the Tilak from
his sister on this day is truly blessed.
Since that time the custom has been for
brothers to visit their sisters to celebrate
Bhaiyaduj. The 'Teeka' is applied on the
brother's forehead, but it is a day dedicated
to sisters. Raksha Bandhan may be "brothers'
day", but this is "sisters'
day".
Many Myths Surround
Diwali
Another myth traces the origins of the
festival to the annual "inspection
tours" of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess
of wealth and prosperity. The faithful
believe that on this day Lakshmi goes
around visiting her devotees and sets
up residence in the house she finds best
spruced up and most hospitable. Diwali
is an occasion for spring cleaning, painting
the walls, decorating the floor with attractive
designs wrought in coloured powder, or
paste made with rice.
The slaying by Krishna of the demon lord
Narakasura after a long march from Dvaraka
(Gujarat) in the West to Pragjyotishapura
(Assam) in the East and the overcoming
by Rama of the demon king Ravana in Lanka
in the South and his triumphant march
back to Ayodhya in the North is held to
represent the unification of the four
corners of the land of Bharata Varsha
(North, South, East and West) through
the triumph of good over evil. This is
said to be the source of the underlying
joy that surfaces at this festival.
The chief ritual traditionally associated
with Diwali is gambling. Friends get together
to indulge in games of chance, dice or
cards. The "addicts" seek legitimacy
for their pastime by referring to the
celestial game of dice played by the great
lord Shiva with his companion Parvati
- a scene superbly sculpted at Kailash
temple, Ellora. Others rationalise that
this is just to remind oneself of the
fickleness of lady luck and to inculcate
a sense of balance in our pursuit of material
success.
At Diwali, the children
can be seen bursting firecrackers and
lighting candles or earthen lamps. This
is a time of exchanging sweets with neighbours
and friends. Puffed rice and sugar candy
are the favourites.
|
