FIVE DAY FESTIVAL

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meenji22

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Posted: 10 years ago

Dhan Teras () falls two days before Diwali. The word "Dhan" means wealth and "Teras" means 13th day of lunar fortnight. God Yama is worshipped on this day to provide prosperity and well being.

As such this day has a great importance for the community of North & Western India . Houses and Business premises are renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colourful with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli rangolee designs to welcome 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 nights.

Celebrations include shopping of new clothes, jewelry, new utensils, sweets and beautiful lanterns, especially for Dhantrayodashi . On the occasion, corporate and any enterprise find it the perfect time to gift their employees. Gift hampers are marked with corporate name and logo; also used for promotional handouts.

As per a legend, when the gods and demons stirred the ocean for Amrit (the potion which makes one immortal), Dhanavantri - physician of the gods - who is also supposed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu emerged from beneath the waters carrying the jug containing the potion.

According to another legend, King Hima's sixteen-year-old son was preordained to die on the third day following his marriage because of snakebite, according to soothsayers. On the critical day, his wife illuminated the house by lighting up numerous lamps. She took out all the ornaments and gold and silver coins piled them up at the entrance of her husband's room. She related tales to the people gathered at their house and also sang songs through the night.

Yama (god of death) arrived at the fated time in the guise of a serpent. However, the bright lighting in the house dimmed his vision. He couldn't sight the prince's chamber. So he made himself comfortable by seating himself on the pile of ornaments and coins. As he sat there, he could not help, but get enchanted by the songs rendered by prince's wife. At daybreak on the following day, he left the place with his mission unfulfilled. Thus, the wife was successful in saving her husband's life. It became a sacred day, and Dhanteras also came to be referred as "Yamadeepdaan" . So on Dhanteras lamps are aflame throughout the night for the worship of Lord Yama.

Offer Yama Deep Daan on same day

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meenji22

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Posted: 10 years ago

NARAK CHAUDAS

Narak Chaturdashi or Chhoti Diwali

The Second day of Diwali Festival is called Naraka chaturdashi or Chhoti Diwali which falls on the fourteenth day after full moon in the Hindu month of Kartik. The story goes that the demon king Narakasur ruler of Pragjyotishpur (a province to the South of Nepal) after defeating Lord Indra had snatched away the magnificent earrings of Aditi, the Mother Goddess and imprisoned sixteen thousand daughters of the gods and saints in his palace. On coming to know about this, Satyabhama (Lord Krishna's wife) was enraged by Narakasura's malevolence towards women, and she appealed to Krishna to give her the golden chance to destroy Narakasura. The legend also says that Narakasura was given a curse that he would be killed by a woman. With Krishna as the charioteer, Satyabhama entered the battle field. During the war, Krishna swooned for a while, a preordained divinely act adopted to empower Satyabhama to kill the demon. After Narakasura was beheaded, the imprisoned women were released.

So on the day previous to Narakachaturdashi, Lord Krishna's divine intervention led to the killing of the demon Narakasura and liberation of the imprisoned damsels as well as recovery of the precious earrings of Aditi. As a symbol of that victory Lord Krishna smeared his forehead with the demon king's blood. Krishna returned home in the very early morning of the Narakachaturdashi day. The womenfolk massaged scented oil to his body and gave him a good bath to wash away the filth from his body. Since then the custom of taking bath before sunrise on this day has become a traditional practice specially in Maharashtra.

It is interesting to note that Bhudevi, mother of the slain Narakasura, declared that his death should not be a day of mourning but an occasion to celebrate and rejoice. Since then, Deepavali is being celebrated by people every year with joyous celebrations with lot of fun and frolic, and fire works.

In South India that victory of the divine over the mundane is celebrated very symbolically. People wake up before sunrise prepare blood by mixing Kumkum in oil and after breaking a bitter fruit that represents the head of the demon King that was smashed by Krishna, apply that mixture on their foreheads. Then they have an oil bath using sandalwood paste.

In Maharashtra also, traditional early baths with oil and "Uptan" (paste) of gram flour and fragrant powders are done. All through the ritual of baths, deafening sounds of crackers and fireworks are there in order that the children enjoy bathing. Afterwards steamed vermiceli with milk and sugar or puffed rice with curd is served.

Another legend is about King Bali of the nether world who became very powerful and a threat to the gods. In order to curb his powers Lord Vishnu in the guise of a Batu Waman- a small boy- visited him and begged him to give him only that much land which he could cover with his three steps. Known for his philanthropy King Bali proudly granted him his wish. That very moment that small boy transformed himself into the all-powerful Lord Vishnu. With his first step Lord Vishnu covered the entire heaven and with the second step the earth and asked Bali where to keep his third step. Bali offered his head. Putting his foot on his head Vishnu pushed him down to the underworld. At the same time for his generosity Lord Vishnu gave him the lamp of knowledge and allowed him to return to earth once a year to light millions of lamps to dispel the darkness and ignorance and spread the radiance of love and wisdom.

This Narakachaturdashi day therefore is dedicated to lights and prayers heralding a future full of joy and laughter.

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meenji22

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DEEPAWALI

Diwali or Deepavali, the festival of "rows of lights" (Deep = Lamp, Vali =Array), is one of the most important of all Hindu festivals. It is also a significant festival for the Sikh and Jain faiths. Of all the festivals celebrated in India, Diwali is by far the most glamorous and important. Enthusiastically enjoyed by people of every religion.

Diwali is celebrated 20 days after Dussehra, on the 13th day of the dark fortnight of the month of Ashwin (October / November). Diwali is a New Year festival in the Vikrama calendar, where it falls on the night of the new moon in the month of Kartika.

It is a festival of lights celebrating the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. On this day homes are decorated, sweets are distributed by everyone and thousands of lamps lit to create a world of fantasy. The festival symbolizes unity in diversity as every state celebrates it in its own special way.

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meenji22

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GOVERDHAN POOJA

The fourth day of Diwali celebrations is 'Padwa' or 'Varshapratipada'. In the North India, it is called as Govardhan Puja. This pooja is performed with great zeal and enthusiasm and in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. In this pooja, there is a tradition of building cow dung hillocks, which symbolize the Mount Govardhan, the mountain which was once lifted by Lord Krishna. After making such hillocks people decorate them with flowers and then worship them. They move in a circle all round the cow dung hillocks and offer prayers to Lord Govardhan. Read on this article to explore more about the Govardhan Puja.

Govardhan Puja Legends
'Govardhan' is a small hillock situated at 'Braj', near Mathura. The legends in 'Vishnu Puraan' have it that the people of Gokul used to worship and offer prayer to Lord Indra for the rains because they believed that it was he who sent rains for their welfare but Lord Krishna told them that it was Mount Govardhan (Govardhan Paevat) and not Lord Indra who caused rains therefore they should worship the former and not the latter. People did the same and it made Lord Indra so furious that the people of Gokul had to face very heavy rains as a result of his anger. Then Lord Krishna came forward to ensure their security and after performing worship and offering prayers to Mount Govardhan lifted it as an umbrella on the little finger of his right hand so that everyone could take shelter under it. After this event Lord Krishna was also known as Giridhari or Govardhandhari.

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meenji22

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BHAI DOOJ

Bhai Duj festival is one of the much awaited occasions for the followers of Hindu religion across India. On this auspicious day, people understand the value and significance of having their own sibling that are often the most lasting bonds in a person's life. The sister decorates the mithai, batashas, roli and rice along with the coconut on a thaali. Sisters ceremonize their love for their brothers by putting an auspicious tilak or a vermilion mark on the forehead of their brothers and performs an aarti of him by showing him the light of the holy flame as a mark of love and protection from evil forces. Then they sweeten their mouths with mouth-watering eatables. Then its brother's turn, sisters are lavished with gifts, treats and blessings from their brothers. Generally, the girl of the house is given presents of clothes, utensils, and lots of mithai and fruits at festivals. According to the Hindu scriptures, it is said that anyone who receives the auspicious tilak on the forehead from his sister on this day would never be hurled into hell.

On the auspicious day of 'Yam-Dwitiya' the people of 'Kayastha' community of Hindus celebrates the holy function of worshipping Lord Chitragupta who is the God, who maintains the records of life and death of the creatures. The 'Kayastha' community also worships the pen, paper and ink on this day in the honor of Lord Chitragupta.

Bhai Duj is celebrated on the fifth day of diwali and it falls on second day after diwali that is on 'Shukla Paksha Dwitiya' in the Hindi month of 'Kartik'. 'Dwitiya' means 'Duj' or the second day after the new moon. Thus Bhayya Duj is the festival that marks the end of diwali celebrations. This festival is popular in different regions with different names such as 'Bhai-Dooj' in north India, 'Bhav-Bij' in Maharashtra, 'Bhai-Phota' in Bengal and 'Bhai-Teeka' in Nepal.

HISTORY
Long time back, Surya, the sun God, was married to a beautiful princess called Samjna (also prounced as Sangya). In course of a year, she presented Him with twins. The twins were christened Yama, and Varni or Yamuna, and they grew up together.
However, Samjna, after some time, were unable to bear the brilliance of her husband, decided to go back to earth. However, she left her shadow, Chaya, her exact replica, behind, so that to Surya, it would appear that she is still there.However, Chhaya turned out to be a cruel stepmother and was very unkind to the twins. She soon gave birth to her own children, and convinced Surya to drive out Samjna's twins from the heaven. Varni fell to earth and became the river Yamuna, and Yama went to the underworld (hell) and became the King of Death.

Years passed. Varni married a handsome prince and was haapy in her life but she missed her brother wanted to see him. Yama, too, missed his sister and decided one day to visit her.

After hearing the news of her brother's visit, Varni prepared a great feast in his honor. It was two days after Deepavali, so her home was already decorated. Yama, too, was delighted by his sister's loving welcome, and brother and sister spent a pleasant evening in each other's company, after their long period of separation.

When it was time for Yama to return to his kingdom in hell, he turned to his sister and said, "Dear Varni, you have welcomed me so lovingly. But I did not bring you a gift. Ask, therefore, for something and it will be yours." So inreturn Varni asked from him that all brothers should remember their sisters on this day and visit them if they can, and that, on this day, all sisters should pray for the happiness of their brothers. This is how the custom of Bhai-duj, or bhai-phonta, came into practice.

Another myth for celebrating this occassion is that on this day Lord Krishna, after assassinating the Narakasura demon, goes to his sister Subhadra who welcomes him with the lamp, flowers and sweets, and mark his forehead with holy protective spot.

Bhai Duj is celebrated also because on this day Bhagawaan Mahavir found nirvana, his brother Raja Nandivardhan was distressed because he missed him and was comforted by his sister Sudarshana. Since then, women have been revered during this festival.

Edited by meenji22 - 10 years ago