On Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 11:18 AM, Varrun Ramani <[email protected]> wrote: > Wish you all a very happy deepavali(not :) diwali )! I just was enlightened > by my professor with some info i had no idea about. I think every Indian > ought to know this! > > *Significance of Diwali* > > India is a land of festivals where you will see at least one major festival > each month.* Deepavali* (or Diwali) which literally means "rows of lamps" is > one of the four main festivals of India. Throughout the world all Hindus > celebrate Deepavali or Diwali with great pomp and enthusiasm. > > The celebration of Diwali lasts six days, beginning on the 12th day of the > month of Kartik (as per the North Indian lunar calendar). The day before > Diwali, in order to evoke the grace of God, women fast. It is not that God > wants you to go hungry or takes pleasure in your suffering - the principle > is that you gain only by giving up. That evening, devotees worship Gomata > (the cow) and her calf and feed them special food. Women pray for the > welfare of the entire family. This holy day is called *Vasubaras*. > > The first official day of Diwali falls on the 13th of Kartik. People set > about cleaning houses and shops, and decorating doorsteps and courtyards > with rangoli or multi-coloured designs. They purchase gold ornaments, new > vessels, clothes, and other such items. Devotees arise early in the morning > before sunrise and take oil baths. If possible, they wear new clothes. In > the evening, people worship coins representing wealth. Families decorate > houses and courtyards with lanterns giving a warm glow to the night. This > day of celebration is called* Dhantrayodashi* or* Dhanteras.* > > The second day is called* Naraka Chaturdashi*. People take an oil bath in > the early morning and then in the night they light lamps and burn > firecrackers. People visit their relatives and friends, exchanging love and > sweets. > > On the third day, people worship Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth. People > decorate their houses with lit lamps and lanterns to welcome Lakshmi to > their home and hearts. On this day businessmen close old accounts and open > new accounts. The earth is lit up by lamps and the skies are coloured by the > multi-hued lights of fireworks. > > In North India, the *Govardhana Puja* occurs on the fourth day of Diwali. > Devotees in the North build large mounds made of cow dung, symbolising > Govardhana - the mountain that Krishna lifted up with his finger to save the > villagers of Vrindavan from rain - and decorate and worship them. North > Indians observe this day as *Annakoot*, or the mountain of food. > > The fifth day of the festival called *Bhaiyya Dooj* celebrates unique and > fun customs. Every man dines in his sister's house, and, in return, presents > her with gifts. North India calls it Yama Dwitiya. Thousands of brothers and > sisters join hands and have a sacred bath in the river Yamuna. > The Legends > > *Dhanteras * > The scriptures mention the divinity called Dhanvantari emerging from the > churning of the ocean holding a kalash (pot) filled with Amrit (ambrosia). > Due to the fact that Dhanvantari, who revealed the science of Ayurveda to > the world, first manifested on this day, all over India, doctors following > the Ayurvedic system of medicine organise joyful celebrations during the > annual Dhanvantari festival. > > *Naraka Chaturdashi* > There is a legend about a king of Prag-Jyotishpur, named Narakasura. He was > a powerful king who misused power to harass his subjects. Sri Krishna > destroyed this oppressive asura king on this day. Unjustly imprisoned people > celebrated their freedom with friends and family. The citizens celebrated > their deliverance from Narkasura's reign by lighting lamps. > > *Sri Rama* > Deepavali falls on a no-moon day - in fact the darkest day of the year. The > illuminations and fireworks, joy and festivities, are to signify the victory > of divine forces over the powers of darkness. On Deepavali day, triumphant > Sri Rama is said to have returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the > asura king of Lanka. > > *Goddess Lakshmi Devi* > The Puranas say that it was on this day that Goddess Lakshmi, who emerged > from the churning of the ocean of milk (Ksheera Sagara), married Lord > Vishnu, the repository of all divine qualities. > > *Govardhana Puja* > In order to shelter the gopis and gopas and their cows from the torrential > rains sent by Indra, Krishna lifted a hill near Mathura called Govardhana > with his finger and sheltered all the people for a period of seven days > under it. By then Indra saw Krishna's greatness and asked him for > forgiveness. > > *Bhaiyya Dooj > *The river Yamuna and Yama, the God of Death, were brother and sister. As > they grew up they went their different ways. On this day Yama supposedly > visited his sister Yamuna, who in her joy at seeing her brother after such a > long interlude set up a feast for him. Pleased, Yama granted her a boon. He > declared that every man that receives a tilak or vermilion mark on the > forehead from his sister and presents her with lovely gifts on this day > would attain higher worlds. > > *The message of Deepavali > *The traditional name of India is* Bharata* and Indians are *Bharatias* - or > 'those who revel in light'. During the night of Deepavali the myriad little > clay lamps (diyas) seem to silently send forth message of Deepavali: "Come, > let us remove darkness from the face of the earth." > > The dharma of fire is the same wherever it is: in a poor man's house, in a > rich man's house, in America, in Antarctica, or in the Himalayas. It gives > light and heat. The flame always points upwards. Even if we keep the lamp > upside down, the flame will burn upwards. The message is that our mind > should be focused on the * Atman*, the Self wherever we are. The lamps > remind us of our dharma to realise our divine nature. > > "The Self is pure consicousness which is self-luminous. The cognition of all > objects arises from the light of pure Consciousness." -*says Bhrihadaranyaka > Upanishad* > > One lamp can light several others. You can even light another 1000 lamps, > and still the flame and the light of the first lamp will remain as it is. By > becoming manifold, the light looses nothing. The lights of Deepavali > represent Brahman and creation. It conveys the message of the mantra: > > *"Purnamada Purnamidam Purnaat Purnamudachyate > Purnasya Purnamadaya Purnamevasishyate" > * > > The rows of lamps teach yet another important lesson of unity. The light > that shines forth from the Sun, the moon, the stars, and fire is all the > same. To see and recognise that* one light*, the light of consciousness, > which is manifesting and pulsating in and through all of creation is the > goal of life. Thus, recognising all of creation to be an expression of your > true Self, spread the light of love and compassion. > > The lights of Deepavali are displayed at the entrance doors, by the walls of > houses, in the streets and lanes. This means that the inner spiritual light > of the individual must be reflected outside. It should benefit society. > Passers-by may thereby be prevented from stumbling on their way to reach > their destination. > Feeding empty stomachs, lighting blown-out diyas and bringing light to those > whose lives are in darkness is the true spirit of Deepavali. This is true > prayer. > > > -- > "Take up one idea.Make that one idea your life- think of it,dream of it, > live on that idea" - Swami Vivekananda > > Thanks & Regards > Varrun Ramani > Amrita University '10
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