Diwali - A festival of lights
Dewali is a wonderful festival of hindus. Every one loves this festival a lot. On this day, every one will have an official holiday. In North India it is known as Dewali and in South India it is known as deepavali. The word dewali and deepavali mean the same that is row of lamps. This festival is famous for cracking crackers. Children are much interest in this festival as they love to play with crackers. Not only Hindus, other religions people also love to celebrate this festival but they are only interested in cracking crackers only. Dewali festival is celebrated on Naraka chathurthi. The festival is signifies us that all the evil and negative thoughts will left in dark (removed) and your life will be bright like a lighting lamp. Dewali festival is celebrated all over India. But the process of celebration varies from place to place. On this day everywhere is decorated with lights. So whole world look pleasant and beautiful. Dewali festival is also famous for Lakshmi pooja, people believe that if they perform Lakshmi pooja on that day then Goddess Lakshmi will stay with them and all problems will get solved. Actually the day of Dewali festival is Amavasia (No moon day). But due to the lamps, it does not look amavasia. Dewali is also known as festival of lights. This festival mostly comes in October or November. This festival is a brightest and biggest festival among other Hindu festivals. Spiritually dewali is known as festival of inner lighting. The aim of Dewali is to remove ignorance among the world by lighting lamps. Every one celebrates dewali with lot of excitement and joy.
History of Dewali Festival:
There are many stories behind the Dewali festival.
It is believed that the celebration of Dewali festival is the marriage occasion of Lord Sri Maha Vishnu and Goddess Maha Lakshmi.
When Rama and Sita are back to their kingdom Ayodhya after 14 years of vanvas by killing the demon Ravana. On this happy occasion, the people in the kingdom have lighted lamps everywhere and they burst the crackers.
On this day, satyaBhama the wife of Lord Krishna has kills the demon Narakasura. Who are harassing people over there. As narakasura was killed on that day, all the people were very happy, in that happiest occasion people started celebrating by lighting lamps and cracking crackers. This day is known as Narakachathurthi. As the celebrations are performed with lamps so it is known as Dewali.
Years ago, In village name Gokula, people prayed Lord Indra for rain and as the crops grown well. Then Krishna made people to worship Govardana mountain. The place around the mountain and the mountain itself has become fertile. This Indra didn’t like this. He sent thunders and more rain so that the village is full of water. Then the people cried and requested Lord Krishna to save them, Lord Krishna lifted the mountain Govardana with his single finger. Therefore, this day has become a remainder for Hindus showing the importance of offering food to god. Therefore, all the villagers are very thankful to Lord Krishna for saving their lives.
On this day, celebration on the return of pandavas from vanvas of 12 years.
Celebration of Dewali festival:
Dewali festival is celebrated for 5 days. Dewali festival day is no moon day. We celebrate this festival as the identification of good has defeated evil. The dewali festival is celebrated by lighting lamps which are made of clay. On this day we clean our houses and decorate them with flowers. At night we decorate our houses with Lighting lamps (Diya). Then we burst firecrackers to make the evil spirits run away.
On First day we celebrate Dhanteras, on that day People purchase gold at least a small piece. The second day signifies the Narakachaturthi which is formed by satyabhama samharana of narakasura, so by lighting lamps in clay filled with oil and by bursting crackers. The third day is Lakshimi pooja, by doing this Lakshmi pooja we get blessing of Goddess Lakshmi and all our desires get full filled.The lamps outside of our house will welcome Goddess Lakshmi into our house. On the fourthday of Dewali, that is Karthik shudda padyami ,the king Bali chakravarthi went into patala which is his new kingdom. The fifth day of Dewali is known as Bhai Dooj. On this day Yama darma raja went to his sister Yamuna house as she invited him. His sister prepared different tasty dishes for him. He ate all the dishes. So from then it is said that on this day, sisters should invite their brothers to their house and serve them with tasty dishes.
According to Hindu calendar, in Maharastra the dewali festival is celebrated for 6 days. The festival Dewali starts from Vasu Baras or Govatsa dwadasi. The Govatsa dwadasi is combination of words. Go means Cow and vatsa means calf, dwadasi means 12th day. The story if this Govatsa dwadasi is a king name prithu, he is a son of king vena. The ruling of king vena is not at all good. So the king prithu has taken the responsibility of the earth and helped the earth, made welfare land. And the remaining days are same as others celebrate.
In most of the states, people make the statue of ravana, narakasura with fire crackers and they burst them on the dewali.
About Lakshmi Pooja
Stories behind the origin of Lakshmi pooja.
When the Devas and demons were churning in the milk ocean for amruth with the help of a snake and mountain. Then many things came out, in those things Goddess Lakshmi is also one. She came out on the dewali day.
On this day, 5 people enter into universe. They are Lord Indra, Lord Kubera, Goddess Lakshmi, Lord Gajendra, and Lord Vishnu. These 5 people are known as Lakshmi Panchayatan. Goddess Lakshmi signifies for energy, Lord Indra for wealth satisfaction, Lord Kubera – wealth, Lord Gajendra – carry wealth, Lord Sri MahaVishnu – happiness.
Lakshmi pooja is mostly performed by marvadi people. They do pooja to Goddess Lakshmi by offering all money have. But now a days, every one are doing Lakshmi pooja as people got lot of awareness towards God and Pooja.
Things to takecare
1. Dewali is a very wonderful festival. But if we are careful then it will be happy, if we are careless then it causes problems. I mean the main excitement of this festival is lighting clay lamps with oil and bursting fire crackers. So while performing lighting and playing crackers you should be more careful.
2. While bursting fire crackers it is suggested to wear cotton clothes. So if any unexpected accident takes place, there will be less injury.
Food items prepared on this day
According to south Indian customs, we have tiffen on the dewali night. The tiffen contains many varies, that is sweet gari, hot gari, buri, punukulu, curd gari, chanagapappu gari, janthikalu, sunundalu, karam pooja, and some other sweets.
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