The
Third day of the festival of Diwali is the most
important day of Lakshmi-Puja, which is
entirely devoted to the Goddess Lakshmi.
The mythical belief is that on this day Lakshmi
emerged from the ocean. Lakshmi-Puja commemorates
her birth and therefore forms a major part of Diwali
celebrations. It is believed that on this day Lakshmi
walks the earth in every bye-lane and showers her blessings
on each household for prosperity. This day is also known
by the name of "Chopada-Puja". The day
of Lakshmi-Puja falls on the dark night of Amavasya
(new moon). It is believed that on this auspicious day
Lord Krishna discarded his body. "Lakshmi-Puja" is performed
in the evenings when tiny diyas (clay lamps)
are lit to drive away the shadows of evil spirits. "Bhajans"(devotional
songs) are sung and "Naivedya"( sweetmeats or
traditionally-lightly pound dry coriander seeds with
jaggery ) is offered to the Goddess.
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On
this very day sun enters his second course and passes Libra
which is represented by the balance or scale. Hence, this
representation of Libra is believed to have suggested the
balancing of account books and they're closing and thus
businesses and personal account books are started/closed
on this day. Despite the fact that this day falls on an
amavasya day it is regarded as the most auspicious.
One more interesting story related to this day is of a small
boy called Nichiketa who believed that Yam, the god
of Death was as black as the dark night of amavasya.
He on this day met Yam in person and was puzzled seeing
Yam's calm countenance and dignified stature. Yam explained
to Nichiketa on this day of amavasya that
by only passing through the darkness of death, man sees
the light of highest wisdom and then only his soul can escape
from the bondage of his mortal frame to mingle with the
Supreme Power without whose will nothing moves in the world.
And then Nichiketa realised the importance of worldly life
and significance of death. Nichiketa's all doubts
were set at rest and he whole-heartedly participated in
Diwali celebrations.
The
Fourth day is Padwa or Varshapratipada,
which marks the coronation of King Vikramaditya,
and Vikaram-Samvat was started from this day. The
Govardhan-Puja (mountain worship) is also performed
on this day. The people of Gokul used to celebrate
a festival in honour of Lord Indra and worshipped him after
the end of every monsoon season. But one particular year
the young Lord Krishna stopped them from offering
prayers to Lord Indra who in terrific anger sent a deluge
to submerge Gokul. But Krishna saved Gokul
by lifting up the Govardhan Mountain and holding
it over the people as an umbrella. This day is also observed
as Annakoot meaning mountain of food. Statues
of deities are given a milk-bath and then dressed in shimmering
attire with colourful ornaments. After the prayers a variety
of sweetmeat is ceremoniously raised in the form of a mountain
before the deities and the devotees approach the Mountain
of Food and take Prasad (sweetmeat blessed by the
deity) from it.
The Fifth and final day of Diwali Festival is known
by the name Bhaiya-Dooj or Bhav-Bij
or Bhai-Tika This day is observed as a symbol
of love between sisters and brothers. The legendary belief
is that on this day Yamraj -the god of death visited
his sister Yami and she put the auspicious
tilak on his forehead. They spent the day together,
talking, eating, sharing stories of their lives and exchanged
special gifts as a token of their love for each other. Yamraj
then announced that anyone who receives tilak from his
sister on this day would never be thrown. Since then it
became symbolic for the brother to go to his sister's house
to celebrate this day. Today sisters apply tilak to
their brothers and pray for their long and happy life. In
all likelihood, this ritual was originally intended only
for married women. Since they celebrated Diwali with their
in-laws, this festival allowed them to come to their parent's
home during this auspicious time. They got some time to
meet the family and to rest after the hectic activity of
the preceding week. And it gave their parents an opportunity
to give them gifts, an opportunity they did not often get.
Nowadays however, among many communities both married and
unmarried sisters observe Bhai-Dooja. It is
regarded as a day for the brother and sister to meet and
generally re-establish/reinstate the love in their relationship.
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Today
however, Diwali on the whole is the festival
with more social than religious connotations. It is
a personal, people-oriented festival when enmities are
forgotten, families and friends meet, exchange gifts
and enjoy feeling of warmth and happiness. This festive
occasion also marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year.
The origin of Diwali can be traced back to ancient India,
when it was probably an important harvesting season.
It was thus extremely important to the largely pastoral
Vaishya community. Their granaries were
full, and the weather was good, at the end of the long
monsoon and before the arduous winter. It was therefore
a good time to celebrate. The Vaishya community began
their New Year with this happy occasion, after paying
their debts and clearing their ledgers. They stared
their day with the ritual bath, which begins with an
oil massage of the hair and body. This was absolutely
essential on this day. Its importance probably refers
to cleaning oneself thoroughly after the monsoon months.
As the religion developed, various mythological stories
and explanations were attributed to this festival to
give it religious sanction. However today, this historical
explanation is all but lost among the many stories and
folklore linked with the origin of the festival. Today
people receive new clothes and gifts from their elders,
which they are expected to wear.
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The
family then prays for its well being and prosperity.
After the prayers start the main celebrations which
consist of bursting crackers and lighting candles. People
then visit friends and relatives and exchange sweets
and gifts. Being one of the main festivals of the trader
community, markets are gaily decorated and lit up. Firecrackers
are lit and burst throughout the five days (According
to one belief, the sound that resounds throughout the
universe makes all aware of the great homecoming of
Rama. Another belief is that the crackers are an indication
of the joy of the people living on the earth, making
the gods aware of their plentiful state. Still another
possible reason has amore scientific basis:the fumes
produced by the crackers kill a lot of insects, found
in plenty after the rains.
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However the use of high-tech bomb crackers is fairly recent.)
Even the significance of wealth has changed over the years
and today the days are considered lucky for gambling.
Giving social sanction to a vice, a popular saying states
that one who does not gamble on this day will be born
a donkey in his next birth. Casinos and local gambling
houses do risk business during the Diwali week. In most
homes, people invite their friends and relatives over
to play cards. |
In West Bengal, the Deepawali festival is celebrated
as Kali-Puja and Kali, Siva's
(the destroyer) consort, is worshipped on this day. It is
believed that on this day Kali killed the wicked Raktavija.
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