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, held his
coronation and started a hindu
calendar, vikram samvat

• 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