On Saturday 17 Oct 2009 1:01:34 pm narendra sisodiya wrote: > 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 > > I just want to say "Please do not SPAM mailing list"
please do not bottom post - it is as bad as top post. This is a bottom post to show how irritating it is to scrool miles down to read one line. -- regards kg http://lawgon.livejournal.com _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe, email [email protected] with "unsubscribe <password> <address>" in the subject or body of the message. http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/mailman/listinfo/ilugc
