Deepāvali
Tamaso Mā Jyotirgamaya
Deepāvali
• Also known as Diwāli
• Literal meaning, a row of lamps
• One of the biggest festival of Hindus
• Celebrated all over India
– In Kenya, Thailand, Trinidad and in many
more countries
The festival of Lights
• Celebrated for 5 days
• Customs vary but lighting
lamps is common
• Fireworks, Rangoli, Lamps
• Lights, Sparkles, Glitters!
Dhana-trayodashi
• Dhanteras, Yama Deepdān
• 13th day of Kārtika month
• Houses, business premises decorated
• Auspicious to buy gold, silver, new
utensils
• Lamps lit and kept burning all night
• Cattles adorned and worshipped in
villages
Dhana-trayodashi - Stories
• Son of King Hima, as per horoscope,
was doomed to die on this night
• His wife did not allow him to sleep
• She kept all ornaments, gold, silver at
the entrance of the room
• Yama, God of death, gets blinded by the
dazzle of brilliant lights and leaves
• Hence, the tradition of buying gold and
the name Yama Deepdān
Narak-chaturdashi
• Chhoti Diwāli, or little Diwāli
• Falls on 14th day of Kārtika
month
• Tradition is to get very early and
have an oil bath before the
sunrise
• Earthen lamps are lit
Narak-chaturdashi - Stories
• Narakāsur,
the
demon
king
of
Prāgjyotishpur, was killed by Lord Krishna
• After defeating the demon, Krishna
returned early in the morning and had
scented oil bath
• King Bali was pushed to
pātāl, or nether regions, by
Vāmanāvatār
Lakshmi Pujā
• Diwāli, Kaumudi Mahotsam
• Amāvasyā, or no moon night
• Day of Lakshmi, the Goddess
of wealth
• Millions of lamps lit
• Amāvasyā becomes brighter than
Poornimā, or full moon night
Lakshmi Pujā - Stories
• Lot of stories associated with this day
• Lord Rāma return to Ayodhyā after
defeating Rāvana
• Lord Krishna delivers knowledge of Gitā
to Arjuna
• Lord Krishna also attains “nirvāna” this
day
• Nachiketa attains knowledge from Yama
and returns back to earth
Bali Padya
• Pādwa,
Varsha
Pratipadā,
Govardhan Pujā, Annakoot
• In northern part of India, the
hill of Govardhan is worshipped
• Annakoot, meaning “mountain
of food”, is observed for all
deities
• Variety of sweets are made and
shared among all
Bali Padya - Stories
• Vikramāditya the great,
coronation and started
calendar, vikram samvat
held his
a hindu
• Lord Krishna, uprooted Govardhan hill
and held it up to save residents of
Gokul from rains
• Bali came back from pātāl and
given boon to return from nether
regions once a year
Bhāi Dooj
• Bhāv Beej, Bhāi Tika, Yama Dwiteeyā
• Sisters put tilak on forehead of brothers
and wish for their success
• Originates from the legend that Yama
went to see his sister Yami on this day
• Yama announced that anyone who
receives tilak from his sister this day,
will never suffer
More on Diwāli
• Sikh also celebrate Diwāli
to commemorate return of
6th
Guru,
Guru
Hargobind from captivity
• Lord
Mahāvir,
who
established
Jainism,
obtained nirvāna on this
day
Significance of Diwāli
• Celebration of rise of knowledge
• Celebration of victory of dharma
• Occasion for self-enlightment
• Prosperity, peace, and progress for
all