Thursday 23 October 2014

Tuesday 21 October 2014

Hi all,
I am posting here after three years! It's Dhana Trayodashi, an auspicious day to start again...





Here's a photo essay on the 5 Day Festival of Diwali 2014. Hope you enjoy it.



Happy New Year! It is Vikram Samvat 2071!

The beginning date of the calendar is supposed to mark the victory of king Vikramaditya over the Sakas, who had invaded Ujjain.

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Kalakacharya and the Saka King. From "Kalakacharya Kathanaka" by Jain sage Mahesara Suri.


Deepawali, the festival of lights.


Lakshmi puja being performed on occasion of Diwali at Swaminarayan Temple, Dadar, in Mumbai. Businessmen keep their account books to be sanctified on the Diwali day for success in the ensuing Samvat.


BSE brokers busy in Diwali Muhurat trading at Bombay Stock Exchange on occasion of Lakshmi Pujan at Mumbai.
A Pata for Diwali.

Mystic Madhubani for Diwali.

Diwali at Golden Temple, Amritsar.

Rangoli for Diwali from Maharashtra.
Flower rangoli with Swastika.
The festival of lights!

And sound - rather, a terrible din and polluting smoke lasting for days!
The Legends of Diwali:

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The 5 day festivity begins with Dhanvantari Trayodasi or Dhanteras. There is a story of the sixteen year old son of King Hima. As per his horoscope he was doomed to die by a snake-bite on the fourth day of his marriage. On that particular fourth day of his marriage his young wife did not allow him to sleep. She laid all the ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a big heap at the entrance of her husband’s boudoir and lighted innumerable lamps all over the place. And she went on telling stories and singing songs. When Yama, the god of death arrived there in the guise of a serpent his eyes got blinded by that dazzle of those brilliant lights and he could not enter the prince’s chamber. So he climbed on top of the heap of the ornaments and coins and sat there whole night listening to the melodious songs. In the morning he quietly went away.

Thus the young wife saved her husband from the clutches of death. Since then, this day of Dhanteras came to be known as the day of "YAMADEEPDAAN" and lamps are kept burning throughout the night in reverential adoration to Yama, the god of death.

Dhanteras is also known as Dhanatrayodashi, and takes place two days before Diwali, in honour of Dhanavantri, the physician of the gods and an incarnation of Vishnu.


Traditionally, people purchase gold and silver on this day.


Gold shopping at a medium sized jewellery outlet in Patna on Dhanteras, 2013.

This day, has now become the biggest consumer event in India.

Then comes Naraka Chaturdashi and the Legend of Narakasura! On the day preceding Diwali, Lord Krishna killed the demon king Narakaasur and rescued 16,000 women from his captivity. This day is called Narak Chaturdasi  and the celebration of this freedom went on for two days including the Diwali day as a victory festival.
Naraka, son of Bhudevi, acquired immense power from a blessing given by Lord Brahma after a severe penance. He soon unleashed a reign of terror in the kingdom of Kamarupa, harassing celestial beings with his invincible might. But Naraka could not be easily killed as he had a boon that he would face death only at the hands of his mother Bhudevi. So, Krishna asks his wife Satyabhama, the reincarnation of Bhudevi, to be his charioteer in the battle with Naraka. When Krishna feigns unconsciousness after being hit by an arrow of Naraka, Satyabhama takes the bow and aims the arrow at Naraka, killing him instantly. The slaying of Naraka by Sathyabhama could also be taken to interpret that parents should not hesitate to punish their children when they stray on to the wrong path. The message of Naraka Chaturdasi is that the good of the society should always prevail over one's own personal bonds.


Krishna Storms the Citadel of Naraka.


Krishna Cleaves the Demon Narakasura with his Discus.


Idol of 'Narakasura' goes up in flames at the 'Narakasura Samharam', Tirupati.


And the famous Govardhan Puja (Annakoot) too occurs on this day in other parts of India. This is a symbolic puja where Goverdhan is symbol of nature, which gives us so much wealth. Krishna persuaded people in Gokul, to worship and take care of Goverdhan mountain, which is the source of their fertile land and natural wealth. This did not please Indra. He sent thunder and torrential rain down on the village. Krishna saved the villagers by lifting the top of the mountain with his finger. The offering of food to God on this day (a day after Diwali) is a reminder of the importance of food and it is a time for being thankful to nature.
Krishna lifts Govardhan.


Chodhyo Pradeep: The Indian Halloween and the importance of the number 14 to the Bengalis

Some Bengalis celebrate the festival of lights for three days. The day before Diwali is known as ‘chodhyo prodeep’ (14 diyas) or ‘bhooth chaturdashi’. On this day, Kali puja is performed from midnight till early hours of the next morning.
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Chodhyo Prodeep is observed to pay homage to 14 ancestors, requesting them to save everyone from evil spirits and ghosts. 14 lamps are lighted and placed in 14 corners of the house to eliminate evil and darkness. Separate oil is bought for Kalipuja or Diwali.
Bengalis cook ‘chodhyo saag’ using 14 varieties of green leafy vegetables and eat it with rice on this day.


Naraka Chaturdashi is the most auspicious day during Diwali festival.On the day of Naraka Chaturdashi people observe fast and lamps are lit in the evening in the honour of yamaraj.

According to an ancient tale, a king named Ranti Deva was a religious and wise man. He was highly involved in religious works and service of mankind. At the time of his death, messengers of Yamaraj came to take his soul.When the messengers stepped towards the king, he asked them, “despite not having done any evil deeds throughout my life, why have you all have come to take me to hell? Please tell me my sin. Then the messengers told him, “once you let a priest go back hungry from your door, due to which you have attained hell.

The King asked them to grant him a year's time.The messengers increased his life by an year due to his blemish free life. The king visited some saints and told them the entire story.The saints told the king to observe the fast on the Naraka Chaturdashi, feed the priests and apologise to them for his mistake. This, they said, would give him relief from his sins. The king then observed the fast and was relieved of his sin.
Since then, people observe a fast on Naraka Chaturdashi to get freedom from hell and to become free of sins.

With the chanting of Mahalakshmi ashtakam comes Deepawali. There is a popular belief that Goddess Lakshmi first appeared from the churning of ocean (Samundra Manthan). But according to our Mythology, this is actually a rebirth of Goddess Lakshmi. The Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi incarnated on the new moon day (amaavasyaa) of the Kartik month during the churning of the ocean (samudra-manthan), hence the association of Diwali with Lakshmi Puja.

The traditional Deepawali triad.


Ritual Painting of Goddess Lakshmi for Worship on Diwali


The day is also celebrated as Kali Puja or Shyama Puja in Bengal and some parts of Assam and Orissa. Raja Krishnachandra, the king of Navadipa started the Bengali puja of Mahakali in the 18th century. The tradition was carried forward by his descendants and the other wealthy zamindar families in Bengal.
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There is a mythical story for kali puja as well. Once, two asuras, Shumbha and Nishumbha, and their asura armies, plagued the Earth and Heaven. The gods prayed to Goddess Durga who is the eternal Shakti of the Universe. To answer their prayers, Kali was born from the forehead of Durga.
Kali attacked the errant asuras with a 'khara' which is kind of twisted sword in her hand. Once she started slaying the asuras, her thirst for blood was aroused. She made a garland of the heads of dead asuras and wore it around her neck. Then she started slaying anyone who came in her way.
To soothe her anger, Shiva (who is her husband) lay down in her path. When she stepped on her husband in her fury, she stuck her tongue out in shame and her entire body turned black in colour. Her fury ended at that very moment and that is why she is portrayed with her tongue stuck out and her foot on Shiva's chest.

Raama's victory over Raavana and his return to Ayodhya is celebrated as Deepawali. According to the epic ‘Raamaayana’, it was the new moon day of Kartik when Raama, Sitaa and Lakshmana returned to Ayodhyaa after vanquishing Raavana and conquering Lanka. In Ayodhyaa, the people welcomed them by lighting rows of clay lamps. So, it is an occasion in honour of Raama's victory over Raavana; of Truth's victory over Evil.
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The day after Diwali is Bali Pratipada. King Bali was a generous but very ambitious ruler. He has become extremely powerful and controlled all three worlds, The Earth, The Heaven and the netherworld. He had also entrapped goddess Lakshmi within his body.
Lord Vishnu in his Vamana Avatar (the Dwarf), approached Bali on the Diwali day, when Bali was about to complete his 100th Ashwamedha Yagna, which would have given him the power of Indra, and asked for three footsteps of land. Bali, known for his generousness, granted this wish, even when his Guru advised him to the contrary. Once Bali granted the request, Vishnu expanded his body until he became so large that he covered Earth to Heaven in one step, and the netherworld in second. Bali eventually provided his own head for the  third step, to fulfill his promise. Then Vamana permitted Bali to go and live in the netherworld. Also, pleased with the generosity of Bali, Vamana granted him a boon that he could return to earth for one day in a year to be with his people and have them light millions of lamps to dispel darkness and ignorance, and spread the radiance of love and wisdom. It is this day that is celebrated as the Bali Padyami/Pratipada, - the annual return of Bali from the netherworld to earth on the day after Diwali.




Cows being worshipped(?!!!) in villages in South India on Balipratipada.

Vamana and Bali. Kalighat Painting
Vishnu as Vamana. The First two steps.

The Third Step.

Vamana as Trivikrama with three legs.
The fifth and last day is Yama Dwitiya or Bhai Duj. It celebrates the love between brothers and sisters.
The famous legend of Bhai Duj states that once Yamraja went to meet his twin sister Yamuna after a long time. When he reached there, she was very happy to see him and put tilak on his forehead, performing aarti, and offered him sweets to eat and gave him a small gift as a token of love. She treated him with appetizing meal. Yamraja was so pleased to see the love and care of his sister that he declared that any brother, who receives tilak from his sister on this day, will never be sent to the hell and will live a long life. Since then the custom of celebrating Bhai Duj started and this is why it is also known as Yama Dwitiya.
The sibling duo of Yama (right side of the picture) and Yamuna
at Vishram Ghat.

Another legend is linked with Lord Krishna when he went to meet his sister Subhadra after killing the demon Narakasura. Subhadra was very happy to see her brother and she gave a warm welcome to him with flowers and by performing aarti and putting tilak on his forehead as a mark of protection and by offering him sweets to eat. This legend then gave birth to the festival of Bhai Duj, stating that sisters, no matter what, will pray for the well-being and long life of their brothers.


The Trinity of Balarama, Subhadra and Krishna at the Temple of Jagannatha.

Bhai Duj celebrations.


Brothers and sisters taking a holy dip in the Yamuna on Bhai Duj

Some other interesting aspects of Deepawali:

According to the great epic ‘Mahabharata’, it was ‘Kartik Amavashya’ when the Pandavas appeared from their 12 years of banishment as a result of their defeat in the hands of the Kauravas at the game of dice (gambling).

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The fourteen auspicious dreams, arranged around a picture of goddess Lakshmi who appears in one of the dreams herself. Although technically not from the traditional Diwali set of tales, this is an interesting aside from the Jain Tradition.

The Powerful Shri Yantra.

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The Ashta Lakshmi Shri Yantram.



It's that time of the year when we are on a sweet eating overload!


As you probably know we Bengalis have an insatiable sweet tooth!

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Warm Regards,


Deepam