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तमसों
मां ज्योतिर्गमय
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Diwali, (दिवाली or दीपावली), known as the "Festival of Lights,"
is a major Indian festival and a special occasion to worship Lord Vishnu,
Lord Ganesha (श्री गणेश) and
Goddess Laxmi
(महा लक्ष्मी). Jains, celebrate it as Lord Mahavira Nirvana day. Hindus, Jains and
Sikhs alike regard it as a celebration of life and use the occasion to
strengthen family and social relationships.
Diwali is celebrated for five consecutive days at the end of Hindu month of Kartika (purminata) or Ashwayuja (amanta). This year is Diwali
celebration starts from October 26, 2008. The five days of
Diwali are:
Dhanteras (on Sunday, October 26, 2008)
Choti Diwali (on Monday, October 27, 2008)
Lakshmi Puja on Diwali (on Tuesday, October 28, 2008)
Padwa & Govardhan Puja (on Wednesday, October 29, 2008), and
Bhai Duj (on Thursday, October 30, 2008)
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Dhanteras:
Dhanteras
also known as Dhantrayodashi or Dhanwantari Triodasi is the first day of five-days-long Diwali Festival.
"DHAN" stands for wealth. On Dhanteras Goddess Laxmi is worshiped to provide
prosperity and well being. According to a legend this day is known as the day of
"Yamadeepdaan" and lamps are kept burning throughout the night in reverential
adoration to Yam, the god of Death.
On Dhanteras Hindus consider it auspicious to purchase gold or silver articles
or at least one or two new utensils. It is believed that new “Dhan” or some form
of precious metal is a sign of good luck. "Laxmi-Puja" is performed in the
evenings when tiny Diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil
spirits.
Dhan Teras or Dhanvantari Trayodashi is
observed as a day of Dhanvantari, the physician of the gods, who emerged from the cosmic ocean when it was churned by gods and
demons. Dhanvantari is worshipped, especially by the medical community. He is considered the founder of Indian systems of medicine, especially of
Ayurveda. He is also called Sudha-pani because he appeared from the ocean carrying nectar in his hands.
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Dhanvantari, the physician of the
gods. emerged from the cosmic ocean during (Samudra -
Manthan) |
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Narak Chaturdashi:
The day after Dhan Teras and/or Diwali eve is Narak
Chaturdashi. This year it is on Monday, the 27th October,
2008. It is dedicated to Yama, the god of Naraka or hell . It signifies the victory of good over evil and light over darkness
.Those who bathe early in the morning on this day, after an oil massage, are believed to earn religious merit with religious points earned getting nullified if the bath happens after sunrise. People in South and West India celebrate Narak Chaturdashi as the day when Lord Krishna killed the demon
Narakasur. Gujarati observe this day as Kali Chaudas and Rajasthani
as Roop Chaudas.
Diwali or Deepavali: Diwali a festival of lights
is being celebrated this year on Tuesday, the 28th October,
2008. It is celebrated not only in India but throughout the world. The festival marks the victory of good over evil. The Sanskrit word Deepavali
means an array of lights that stands for victory of brightness over darkness.
Diwali is observed religiously by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains.
Hindus celebrate Diwali to mark the time when Lord
Ram (श्री राम) achieved victory over Ravana. Some also view it as the day
Lord Krishna defeated the demon
Narakasura or in honor of the day Bali went to rule the nether-world, obeying
the order of Vishnu. In Jainism it marks the nirvana of Lord Mahavira, which
occurred on Oct. 15, 527 B.C. It is also a significant festival for the Sikh
faith. In India, Diwali is now considered a national festival, and the festival is enjoyed by most Indians regardless of faith.
Laxmi -Puja: In the night of Diwali or Kartik Amavasya, Laxmi-Puja
is performed. Maha Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, comes to earth on this day. People tidy up their homes, offices, and shops, and decorate them lavishly to welcome her, lighting lamps at night to illuminate her way into the premises. Diwali
is the "festival of lights", but according to Hindu philosophy
Deepavali is the celebration of Inner Light, which outshines
all darkness (removes all obstacles and dispels all ignorance), awakening the
individual to one's true nature the Atman. With the realization of the Atman,
comes universal compassion, love, and the awareness of the oneness of all things
and brings Inner Joy or Peace. According to Hindu
philosophy, Lakshmi Puja day "Lakshmi- panchayatan"
that is Sri Vishnu, Sri Indra, Sri Kuber, Sri Gajendra and Sri Lakshmi
enters the Universe. After Laxmi- poojan the house is illuminated by
oil lamps and crackers are burst.
Legends to celebrate Diwali:
There there are several legends related to celebrate Diwali
According to the ‘Ramayana’, it was the new moon day of Kartik when Lord Ram, Ma Sita and Lakshman returned to Ayodhya after vanquishing Ravana and conquering Lanka. The citizens of Ayodhya decorated
and illuminated the entire city with the earthen lamps.
According to second legend, 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.
According to another legend, one of the greatest Hindu King Vikramaditya was coroneted on the Diwali day,
and the New Year according to the Vikram era, which was initiated in 56 BC, begins.
According to the Skanda Purana, the goddess Shakti observed 21 days of austerity starting from ashtami of shukla paksha
to get half of the body of Lord
Shiva (शिव) . This vrata (austerity) is known as kedhara vrata. Deepavali is the completion day of this austerity. This is the day Lord Shiva accepted Shakti into the left half of the form and appeared as
Ardhanarishvara.
Dipawali in Jain Dharma:
Lord Mahavira, the 24th Jain Tirthankaras, attained Nirvana or Moksha on this
day at Pavapuri on Oct. 15, 527 BCE, on Chaturdashi of Kartika.
According Harivamsha- Purana, written by Acharya Jinasena and composed in the Shaka Samvat era in the year
705," The gods illuminated Pavanagari by lamps to mark the occasion. Since that time, the people of Bharat celebrate the famous festival of
"Dipalika" to worship the Jinendra (Lord Mahavira) on the occasion of his nirvana."
The Jains celebrate Diwali during the month of Kartik for three days.
Vira Nirvana Samvat, the Jain year starts with Pratipada following Diwali. Vira
Nirvana Samvat 2534 starts with Diwali 2007. The Jain business
people traditionally started their accounting year from Diwali.
Diwali for the Sikhs: From the time of Guru Nanak (1469 – 1539), the founder of Sikhism, popular seasonal or folk festivals like the harvest festival of Baisakhi, or ancient
mythological festivals like Holi and Diwali began to take on a new significance.
For Sikhs, Diwali is particularly important because it celebrates the release
from prison of the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind Ji, and 52 other princes with him, from the Gwalior Fort in 1619 by the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. Sikhs celebrated the return of Guru Hargobind Ji by lighting the Golden Temple
and this tradition continues today. Also the great sacrifice
and devotion of martyr Bhai Mani Singh Ji assassination at Lahore in
1937 by Mughal governor of Punjab, Zakarya Khan for celebrating Diwali at Golden Temple
is remembered on the Bandi Chhorh Diwas (Diwali) celebration. However, in the Sikh struggle for
freedom from the oppressive Mughal regime, the festival of Diwali did become the
second most important day after the Baisakhi, when Khalsa was formally
established by the Tenth Guru Gobind Singh in 1699.
Diwali in south India:
Hindus in South India light small lamps all around the house
with elaborate kolams /rangolis outside their homes. They perform a special puja with offerings to Lord Sri Krishna or Lord Sri Vishnu, as he liberated the world from the demon Narakasura on this day. It is believed that taking a bath before
sunrise is equivalent to a bath in the holy Ganges.
Diwali Greetings:
President Pratibha Patil, Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today greeted the people on the occasion of Diwali.
Barak Obama has wished a "joyous" Diwali to the Indian American community in US, saying the festival provides a
"wonderful opportunity" to reflect on the year past and rededicate to spread peace and tolerance in the coming year. US president George W Bush has wished an 'uplifting and hopeful' Diwali to the Indian-American community in Washington.
"During Diwali, millions of Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains around the world will join together setting out 'diyas' and enjoying fireworks in celebration of the Festival of Lights," he said.
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Govardhan
Puja: Govardhan Puja is celebrated on Pratipada, or the first day of the bright fortnight of Kartik, the day following Diwali. Govardhan Puja
is also called Annakut. On this day, Krishna lifted the Govardhan mountain in Vrindavan with his little finger and held it so for seven days to protect the cows and people of the town from the deluge sent down by an enraged
Indra, the god of heaven and rain. For Annakut a mountain of food is decorated
symbolizing Govardhan mountain lifted by Lord Krishna. In Maharashtra it is celebrated as
Padva or Bali Pratipada.
Bhai
Dooj: Bhai Dooj celebrates the affection between a brother and his sister. It is observed on the second day of Diwali, the day after Govardhan Puja.
It is also called Bhayiduj or Bhayyaduj, Bhaubeej or Bhayitika and
in Gujarati: Bhai Bij, Bengali: Bhai Phota. Bhaiduj brings together married sisters and brothers, and is a significant
festive day for them. This festival is ancient, and pre-dates 'Raksha Bandhan'
another brother-sister festival being celebrated today. |
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Diwali
in various countries
Diwali is celebrated in various parts of the world, in countries such as the
United Kingdom, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Suriname, Canada, Guyana,
Mauritius, Fiji, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Singapore, Sri
Lanka, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Thailand, United Arab Emirates,
Australia, much of Africa, and the United States.
In Nepal, Diwali is known as "Tihar" and celebrated during the October/November
period. In Trinidad and Tobago, communities all over the islands get together and
celebrate the festival. In Malaysia, Diwali is known as "Hari Deepavali," and is celebrated during the
seventh month of the Hindu solar calendar. In Singapore, the festival is called "Deepavali", and is a gazetted public
holiday. In Sri Lanka, this festival is also called "Deepavali" and is celebrated by the
Tamil community. In Britain, Hindus and Sikhs celebrate Diwali with great enthusiasm and in most
ways very similarly to as in India.
Celebrate a pollution-free
Diwali
Celebrate this year a pollution free Diwali. The sound and smoke emitted from the crackers not only pollute the atmosphere
and pose a threat to the lives of asthmatics and heart patients but are also
stressful for animals as they do not understand the deafening noise and fireworks.
Again the fireworks industry is encouraged which employs millions of children in their factories, exposing them
to harmful chemicals used in its manufacturing under deplorable
conditions.
On the eve of Diwali for the joy of a handful of polluters, the entire humanity is suffering
and people are being deprived of their legitimate right of clean environment. In Amritsar hundreds of school children took out a march on Thursday, the 23rd October , 2008 to spread general
awareness and appeal children to not burn fireworks to celebrate the upcoming Diwali festival.
The participants in the march said the fireworks also cause harmful effects on everyone's health with their poisonous gases.
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Goddess Laxmi (महा लक्ष्मी) 