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| Customs & Traditions
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Diwali, which leads us into truth
and light, is celebrated on a nationwide scale.
It symbolises that age-old culture of our country,
which teaches us to vanquish ignorance that subdues
humanity and to drive away darkness that engulfs
the light of knowledge. Diwali, the festival of
lights even today in this modern world projects
the rich and glorious past of our country and
teaches us to uphold the true values of life.
It is associated with many customs and traditions.
One of the most curious customs, which characterises
this festival of Diwali, is the indulgence of
gambling, especially on a large scale in North
India. It is believed that goddess Parvati played
dice with her husband, Lord Shiv on this day and
she decreed that whosoever gambled on Diwali night
would prosper throughout the ensuring year. This
tradition of playing cards- flash and rummy with
stakes on this particular day continues even to
day. |
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The first day of five daylong Diwali celebrations
is of great importance to the rich community of
western India. Houses and business premises are
renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colorful
with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli designs
to welcome Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and
prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival,
small footprints are drawn with rice flour and
vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are
kept burning all through the night. Believing
this day to be auspicious women purchase some
gold or silver or at least one or two new utensils.
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Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evenings when
tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the
shadows of evil spirits, devotional songs- in
praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung and Naivedya
of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess.
There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly
pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer
as Naivedya In villages cattle are adorned and
worshipped by farmers as they form the main source
of their income. In south cows are offered special
veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation
of Goddess Laxmi and therefore they are adorned
and worshipped on this day . |
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On second day there is a traditional practice
specially in Maharashtra of taking bath before
sunrise with oil and "Uptan" (paste) of gram flour
and fragrant powders. In northern India, especially
in places like Punjab, Diwali is dedicated to
the worship of Lord Rama. While in Bengal, Kali/Durga,
the goddess of strength, is worshipped. This reverence
is called "Kali Chaudas or Kal Chaturdasi". It
is believed that on this day Kali killed the wicked
Raktavija. Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed god,
the symbol of auspiciousness and wisdom, is also
worshipped in most Hindu homes on this day. Diwali
is one of the few Hindu festivals, which is celebrated
in every part of the country, even in states like
Kerala that has Onam as its main festival. To
the Jains, Deepavali has an added significance
to the great event of Mahaveera attaining the
Eternal Bliss of Nirvaana. The passing into Eternity
on the same Amavasya of Swami Dayananda Saraswati,
that leonine sanyasin who was one of the first
to light the torch of Hindu Renaissance during
the last century, and of Swami Ramatirtha who
carried the fragrance of the spiritual message
of Hindu Dharma to the western world, have brought
the national-cum-spiritual tradition of Deepavali
right up to modern times.
Govardhan-Puja is also performed in the North
on the fourth day. This day is also observed as
Annakoot meaning 'mountain of food'. In temples
especially in Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities
are given milk bath and dressed in shining attires
with ornaments of dazzling diamonds, pearls, rubies
and other precious stones. After the prayers and
traditional worship innumerable varieties of delicious
sweets are offered to the deities as "Bhog" and
then the devotees approach and take Prasad. Goddess
Lakshmi is worshipped in every Hindu household.
In many Hindu homes it is a custom for the wife
to put the red tilak on the forehead of her husband,
garland him and do his "Aarathi" with a prayer
for his long life. In appreciation of all the
tender care that the wife showers on him, the
husband gives her a costly gift. This Gudi Padwa
is symbolic of love and devotion between the wife
and husband. On this day newly married daughters
with their husbands are invited for special meals
and given presents. Diwali celebration is a very
happy occasion for all.
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