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HAPPY DIWALI TO EVERYONE AT IF
Diwali - The Festival of Lights
18 days guide from Dhan Teras to Deva Diwali
Diwali, the festival of lights, celebrates the abundance of autumn harvest. Dedicated to various Gods and goddesses, the festival also marks an important date in the Indian calendar, as this is the point from which we measure the "Vikram Savant", date line established by King Vikram who defeated the Huns and saved India from their potentially disastrous foreign rule. Since time immemorial, north Indian kingdom of Avadha marks this as the last day of Lord Rama's long exile of fourteen years. As the citizens of Ayodhya eagerly awaited their beloved prince's return, they lit thousands of lamps to guide his flying "vimana" to their city. The darkest night of the year gave way to a glorious morning, as the Lord Rama returned with his wife and brothers to his ancestral kingdom of Avadha. Having rid the world of evil rulers, such as Ravana, the Lord established the most benevolent rule ever known to man. New Year marks the first day of this "Rama Rajya", the ultimate utopian kingdom of Hindus all over the world.
Diwali also celebrates the gracious nature of the three goddesses, Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati. Dhan Teras (two days before Diwali) is dedicated to Lakshmi, whose blessings are essential in making our lives prosperous, fruitful as well as peaceful. Lakshmi represents the boundless wealth of nature, health, intelligence, friends, family, long life, fame, fortune etc. we all enjoy. Kali-Chudash (day before Diwali) is dedicated to Maha Kali whose strength we seek to maintain the wealth we have. Strength, physical, mental and spiritual, is essential for an individual as well as the nation in order to flourish. Strength is essential for survival of any civilization. Used positively, it is benevolent, misused, the same energy can be malevolent. Diwali itself is dedicated to goddess Saraswati. Knowledge is the ultimate wealth, for it can not be stolen from you, it is also the ultimate strength, for it often defeats brute force. Knowledge is the ultimate in spirituality, for it is "Janna" that eventually leads to Enlightenment and Moksha.
Festival season proper starts on the eleventh day of Ashwin. Lamps are lit and sweets are made to welcome guests and Gods that may visit the house during the festival season. Vagha Baras is dedicated to the valour of our men and women who fought for the good against evil. Like tigers, they are the brave who have allowed us to preserve our heritage through the ages. Generally, people start to cook festival foods from now on. On Dhan teras, people usually buy gold / silver as a sign of good luck. Tinkling lights from thousands of earthen-ware lamps surround doors and windows to help Lakshmiji find our house. Goddess Lakshmi is formally worshipped in the evening and requested to provide the house with good fortune for the coming year. After the puja, fireworks are lit. On Kali Chaudas, goddess Kali is worshipped. Warriors castes - such as the Rajputs, worship their weapons and offer special puja to goddess Kali in her various forms (Bhavani, Durga etc). Lights are lit to dispel darkness and any evil spirits that may be lingering in the neighbourhood. Interestingly, All Hallows Eve (Halloween) and Mexican festival for the souls of the dead also fall on or near this time. On the Diwali day, goddess Saraswati is worshipped. Merchants and businessmen close their books / accounts and the books are "worshipped", thanking the Gods for a bountiful / successful end of year. Fireworks are lit in the evening and all the houses are wonderfully lit with lamps and lanterns. Festival spirit is in full swing as sweets and sumptuous food is served at dinner.
New Year (day after Diwali) celebrates the beginning of Rama Rajya and also the worship of Mount Govardhan by Lord Shri Krishna. As a child, he decided to humble the pride of the demi-gods and their proud ruler, Indra. He urged his Vrajvasi friends to worship the Lord Govardhan and share their autumn harvest with each other, rather than pour it on the sacrificial fires for Lord Indra. The Lord took a magnificent form as the many armed Lord Govardhan to eat the various prashads (consecrated food) cooked for Him and later protected the Vrajvasies from the torrential floods sent by Indra. Pushti Marg devotees celebrate this their most important festival. At Nathadwara, Rajasthan, the festival is celebrated with great zest and delight. (Diwali at Nathadwara).
Having waited for 14 years, the citizens of Ayodhaya celebrate the crowning of their beloved Rama as the latest in a long line of Ishvaku kings. Merchants usually open their books on this day and everyone wakes up early to worship at the home shrine and the temple. The day is traditionally spent giving and receiving gifts, receiving blessings from elders, distributing sweets, visiting friends and family, and of course, fireworks.
The second day of the year is dedicated to the purity of love between a brother and a sister. On this day, Lord Yama, the God of Death, visited his sister Yamunaji to see how she was doing. Delighted by this surprise visit, she treated him to a feast and made him feel very welcome. Seeing his sister so happy, Lord Yama granted a boon to her. Full of sisterly love, she requested that he comes every year to visit her. Though touched by her affections, Lord Yama decided that this boon benefited him more than it did her. So, he requested her to ask for yet another boon. This time she requested that "If any brother and sister bath in my waters on this day, on this spot (a bathing ghat in Mathura, India), than be kind to them (in death) and please make sure they are reunited in their next life as brother and sister. Overcome with emotion, and seeing the generous nature of his sister, Lord Yama granted these boons and stated that those who drink the waters of this holy river, will be spared the tortures of hell !
The fifth day after the New Year is very special to Hindus and Jains alike. This day is considered to be so auspicious that almost any work can be undertaken without fear of bad omens or unhappy results. This is also the day the Lord Krishna lifted Mount Govardhan on his left hand to protect the people of Vraj from the wrath of Indra. For seven ceaseless days, rain, thunder and gales battered Vraj, but, protected by the Lord of the Universe, in his form as "Govardhandharan", the people of Vraj escaped unharmed. Realizing his great folly, Indra came to worship the Lord as "Govinda" and begged His forgiveness. (11th day after New Year).
Vaishnavas celebrate the eighth day of the New year as "Gopastami". On this day, the darling child of Yashoda left her tender care to become a "Gopal", herding the cattle of Nada-baba. As protector and Lord of cattle, Lord Krishna's affection for this sacred animal is world famous. Indeed, Lord Krishna regarded cows as more precious than all his heavenly jewels and indeed a species worthy of greater respect than a mere "animal". In fact, the Lord would not wear any shoes whilst herding his beloved cows, as He was their servant, and how could He were shoes when they (cows) did not ! So legendary was Krishna's love for cows, that even emperor Akbar issued special imperial proclamations to protect cows in his beloved Vraj.
The eleventh day of the New Year is one of the most important days in the Hindu calendar. Apart from Lord Krishna's exploits as Govardhandharan, this is the day Lord Vishnu ascends to heaven, having spent the last four months in the nether regions to protect King Bali from all woes. Lord is reckoned to "fall in to deep (meditative) sleep" at the beginning of the monsoon and "awakens from his "Yoga Nindra" (deep meditative sleep)" at the end of the season. This day is variously celebrated as Deva-uthi-ekadashi or Prabodhini Ekadashi. The Lord, having re-entered the heavenly realms, promptly marries his beloved goddess Tulsi (goddess of the sacred Basil plant). Every year, this marriage anniversary is celebrated by ritually marrying Lord Vishnu (usually represented by a "shaligram") to the sacred Tulsi (basil) plant.
A great feast follows on the twelfth day and soon enough, the mid autumn full moon graces the sky again. This is celebrated as Deva Diwali. The Diwali of the humans falls on the darkest day of the fortnight, whilst the God's Diwali falls on the day of the full moon. All heavens rejoice as their New Year begins and the eternal cycle of Time is renewed
Diwali - The Festival of Lights
As celebrated in the Pushti Marga
Diwali and New Year have a special meaning for followers of Pushti Marga. This article aims to explore this ancient relationship. It will also describe some of the festivities and rituals taking place at Nathadwara during the festival period. As Rag, Bhog and Shringar are so important to the Pushti sect, the article will also describe some of the fascinating shringars and "bechavats" - settings - of this grand festival. Though the festival lasts for many days, this article lists pageantry of five main days, Vagh Basras, Dhan Teras, Kali Chudash, Diwali and Annakut - New Year.
Annakut is one of Pushti Marga's main festivals. It celebrates Krshna's worship of the Mount Govardhan during his Vraj Lila. Breaking with tradition, he recommended puja of Govardhan instead of Indra. Krshna argued that no one had seen Indra and benefits of his worship were rather dubious. Worshipping Govardhan-Nathji had positive and visible benefits. It was Govardhan-Nathji who protected them, gave them rain, grass, shelter etc. therefore it made sense to worship Him rather than some remote God on a golden throne in a transient heaven !
This represented one of the most significant moments in Krshna's Lilas. Besides overturning centuries of blind tradition, it showed Krshna's response to changing times. Kansa's cruel regime had left Vraj in poorer condition than in the past. Excessive taxes on all agricultural produces had meant the ordinary people and children of Vraj had to do without the basic, essential items in their diets. Except the very rich, most could not afford to give their children milk and butter or even good quality rice. Seeing this, Krshna decided it was unnecessary to pour huge quantities of butter, rice, cereals, and various other edibles in to the fire for the benefit of a God who never even bothered to show himself to the people of Vraj. Where was Indra when the people of Gokul were being bullied by the thugs of Kansa?
Krshna decided to celebrate a new festival where all the people of Vraj could benefit from their hard toil. All the food being gathered for Indra's yagna could be made in to delicious prasad (consecrated food) and after having offered it to Lord Govardhan it would be distributed to every one in Vraj, regardless of caste or creed. Krshna felt the entire community should be involved in the festivities and not just a privileged few.
As a result of such defiance of Heaven, Indra decided to drown the residents of Vraj in a tremendous flood. But, those protected by Krshna can not be destroyed so easily, the Lord decided to lift Mount Govardhan to shield the populace of Vraj from the wrath of Indra. Under the benevolent gaze of Krshna and Lord Govardhan, seven ceaseless days of torrential rain failed to make any impression on the people of Vraja. Realising his mistake, Indra came to apologize for his baseless pride. Indra than worshipped Krshna as Govinda - Universal King of cattle.
Diwali also celebrates the gracious nature of the three goddesses, Lakshmi, Kali and Sarasvati. Dhan Teras is dedicated to Lakshmi, whose blessings are essential in making our lives prosperous, fruitful as well as peaceful. Goddess Lakshmi embodies the wealth of nature, health, intelligence, friends, family, long life, fame, fortune etc. The wealth of heaven is multifaceted and we all enjoy the blessing of mother Lakshmi in some measure. Kali-Chudash is dedicated to Maha Kali whose strength we seek to maintain the wealth we have. Strength, physical, mental and spiritual, is essential for an individual as well as the nation in order to flourish. Strength is essential for survival of any civilization. Used positively, it is benevolent; however, if misused, the same energy can be malevolent. Diwali is dedicated to goddess Sarasvati. Knowledge is the ultimate wealth, for it can not be stolen from you, it is also the ultimate strength, for it often defeats brute force. Knowledge is the ultimate in spirituality, for it is "Jayna" that eventually leads to Enlightenment and Moksha.
Celebrating the various manifestations of the divine energy, Shrinathji enjoys the festivities in numerous ways at Nathadwara. His entire haveli is repainted for the New Year. Most of the walls are gleaming white with fresh coat of lime. Traditional paintings of Lord Ganesh and Surya, along with others, grace the lintels of the main gates. Door lintels and side panels are painted with auspicious signs, flowering creepers, lotuses, bowels of fruit, lamps, cows, maidens bearing arties, milk, butter and various gifts for the lord. Door wardens in Rajput clothes are painted along with well caparisoned/ adorned elephants and horses led by handsome grooms. Tigers stand guard at Navnit Priyaji's haveli as gods descend in heavenly vehicles to catch a glimpse of the Nanda Kishor.
Vagh Barash
Shrinathji wears a gold brocade "Kachani" (courtly skirt like dress worn by Rajput and Moughal aristocrates) with numerous necklaces of pearls and emeralds. The beautiful yellow turban is topped with a gold ornament. The stele is covered with dark green silk, contrasting nicely with a red and gold pichavi. Celebrating the bounties of nature, pichavi depicts golden flowers growing on a delicate moughal trellis. Mani Kota (chamber of gems), directly in front of the inner sanctum, is decorated with four plantains (banana plant) and leaves of the asopalav tree (cypress). Chandeliers and chequered red and green brocade canopy lend a regal feel to the inner sanctum.
Navnit-Priyaji is similarly dressed in golden apparel and swathed in pearls and emeralds. The pichvi here is of beautiful purple and yellow stripes - pichvi is a colorful backdrop (usually on cloth) and is used to create a desired mood or commemorate a specific event. Veranda outside the inner sanctum of Ladela-Lal is covered in white wall hangings studded with silver moons. Miniature cows and herdsmen (made out of painted wood) wait near the door for the Lord to come out and play with them.
In the evening Navnit-Lal sits in the garden courtyard amid regal splendor. A spacious glass and mirror bungalow is set up near the wall of Shrinathji's inner sanctum. Steps leading up to the marble veranda are covered with a chequered carpet of green grass and (red) rose petals. Small lamps are set afloat in the four ponds of the garden. Yellow wall hangings, various chequered canopies, awnings and mirror studded pichvis complete the regal setting Silver gopies serve the lord with various fans, chamars and the like. Madan Mohanji joins the lord in the evening's revelries as musicians play various instruments to entertain the divine Lords. Set amid lotuses, glittering jewels and myriad of twinkling lights, Lords of Nathadwara bring to life joys of Rajput and Moughal courts.
Today in Shrinathji's and Navnit-Lal's haveli, the whole scene is reminiscent of royal hunts when Imperial tents were set amid beautiful groves. Refinements of courtly life were enjoyed in a rustic/ rural setting. Richly decorated awnings stirred in clear mountain air as delicate glass chandeliers spilled pools of colored light amid silk carpets, cushions and bolsters. At Nathadwara, such scenes are regularly brought back to life to entertain the Divine Lords.
Dhan Teras
In honor of goddess Lakshmi, Shrinathji - Lord/ husband of Lakshmi, wears a regal Charvagha (Moughal and Rajput formal court dress with four pointed corners) of green and gold brocade. Several jewels of pearls, diamonds, rubies and emeralds are topped with a plume of peacock feathers set in the gleaming turban. The stele is covered in contrasting red, while the pichavi sets the mood of a royal garden pavilion. Parrots and peacocks perch amid flowering creepers as elephants dance near the base of the pichoi.
Lalan also exuberates royal splendor in his green and gold brocade. Today, all his toys, caskets and utensils are of pure gold. His pichavi depicts three royal pavilions set amidst a beautiful garden, complete with fountains and a fish pond! Radha and Krshna sit in the central pavilion, greeting their numerous guests and friends on this auspicious day. In the foreground, Krshna, Balram and their friends play with the cows specially decorated for the Diwali festival.
In late afternoon, Navnit-Priyaji sits in a magnificent glass pavilion set in his own courtyard. Colorful flowers, mosaics of the colored glass pavilion and silk curtains compete for attention. Colorful gem encrusted chess set along with numerous other games and toys tempt the lord to play to his heart's desire. Gold caskets around him contain such delicacies as sweets, paan, and sweet scented garlands of fresh flowers. Large enamel "surahi" contains sweet sherbets while the delicate "jharis" contain cool waters of the river Yamuna.
In the evening, vegetables arrive by the cart loads in advance preparation for the Diwali and Annakut festival. The Lord's kitchen gets very busy and temple servants work around the clock to serve the most delicious food to the Gods.
Diwali
Sarasvati is the goddess of the day. In her honor, Shrinathji wears a silver brocade charvagha. Like silver, intellect too has to be constantly polished, otherwise it too turns dark. White also represents unblemished, pure character, essential for a Jayani/ intellectual/ philosopher. Countless jewels adorn the Lord and a jewel studded turban is topped by a large plume of peacock feathers. His plaited hair swings merrily to his left-hand side while He holds aloft red roses in his left hand. The stele is covered with yellow silk and the pichavi offered today is one of the costliest of all. Real pearls and gold are woven in to this pichavi to depict the "Tree of Life" motif. Often, this motif is also worshipped as representation of the Lord Himself.
Navnit-Priyaji is also richly dressed and today all the wall hangings in his haveli are white. Being the representative of Shrinathji, He is the central figure in today's main ritual, worshipping of the cows. Shrinathji has over 12,000 cows under his care. Of these, around a hundred come to represent his huge herd. Painted and decorated with peacock feathers, tassels and anklets, they are brought to the haveli in a mass of organised confusion. Clouds of dust flies everywhere, as herdsmen mock the cows by using rattles and taking away their calves. Cows charge around at speed, sometimes knocking the herdsmen to the ground. (No one gets seriously hurt, as cows are usually not as aggressive as bulls.)
While the cows are sporting in the narrow streets of Nathadwara, Navnit-Lal gets ready to perform the momentous rituals of the last day of the year.
Diwali - The Festival of Lights
18 days guide from Dhan Teras to Deva Diwali
Diwali, the festival of lights, celebrates the abundance of autumn harvest. Dedicated to various Gods and goddesses, the festival also marks an important date in the Indian calendar, as this is the point from which we measure the "Vikram Savant", date line established by King Vikram who defeated the Huns and saved India from their potentially disastrous foreign rule. Since time immemorial, north Indian kingdom of Avadha marks this as the last day of Lord Rama's long exile of fourteen years. As the citizens of Ayodhya eagerly awaited their beloved prince's return, they lit thousands of lamps to guide his flying "vimana" to their city. The darkest night of the year gave way to a glorious morning, as the Lord Rama returned with his wife and brothers to his ancestral kingdom of Avadha. Having rid the world of evil rulers, such as Ravana, the Lord established the most benevolent rule ever known to man. New Year marks the first day of this "Rama Rajya", the ultimate utopian kingdom of Hindus all over the world.
Diwali also celebrates the gracious nature of the three goddesses, Lakshmi, Kali and Saraswati. Dhan Teras (two days before Diwali) is dedicated to Lakshmi, whose blessings are essential in making our lives prosperous, fruitful as well as peaceful. Lakshmi represents the boundless wealth of nature, health, intelligence, friends, family, long life, fame, fortune etc. we all enjoy. Kali-Chudash (day before Diwali) is dedicated to Maha Kali whose strength we seek to maintain the wealth we have. Strength, physical, mental and spiritual, is essential for an individual as well as the nation in order to flourish. Strength is essential for survival of any civilization. Used positively, it is benevolent, misused, the same energy can be malevolent. Diwali itself is dedicated to goddess Saraswati. Knowledge is the ultimate wealth, for it can not be stolen from you, it is also the ultimate strength, for it often defeats brute force. Knowledge is the ultimate in spirituality, for it is "Janna" that eventually leads to Enlightenment and Moksha.
Festival season proper starts on the eleventh day of Ashwin. Lamps are lit and sweets are made to welcome guests and Gods that may visit the house during the festival season. Vagha Baras is dedicated to the valour of our men and women who fought for the good against evil. Like tigers, they are the brave who have allowed us to preserve our heritage through the ages. Generally, people start to cook festival foods from now on. On Dhan teras, people usually buy gold / silver as a sign of good luck. Tinkling lights from thousands of earthen-ware lamps surround doors and windows to help Lakshmiji find our house. Goddess Lakshmi is formally worshipped in the evening and requested to provide the house with good fortune for the coming year. After the puja, fireworks are lit. On Kali Chaudas, goddess Kali is worshipped. Warriors castes - such as the Rajputs, worship their weapons and offer special puja to goddess Kali in her various forms (Bhavani, Durga etc). Lights are lit to dispel darkness and any evil spirits that may be lingering in the neighbourhood. Interestingly, All Hallows Eve (Halloween) and Mexican festival for the souls of the dead also fall on or near this time. On the Diwali day, goddess Saraswati is worshipped. Merchants and businessmen close their books / accounts and the books are "worshipped", thanking the Gods for a bountiful / successful end of year. Fireworks are lit in the evening and all the houses are wonderfully lit with lamps and lanterns. Festival spirit is in full swing as sweets and sumptuous food is served at dinner.
New Year (day after Diwali) celebrates the beginning of Rama Rajya and also the worship of Mount Govardhan by Lord Shri Krishna. As a child, he decided to humble the pride of the demi-gods and their proud ruler, Indra. He urged his Vrajvasi friends to worship the Lord Govardhan and share their autumn harvest with each other, rather than pour it on the sacrificial fires for Lord Indra. The Lord took a magnificent form as the many armed Lord Govardhan to eat the various prashads (consecrated food) cooked for Him and later protected the Vrajvasies from the torrential floods sent by Indra. Pushti Marg devotees celebrate this their most important festival. At Nathadwara, Rajasthan, the festival is celebrated with great zest and delight. (Diwali at Nathadwara).
Having waited for 14 years, the citizens of Ayodhaya celebrate the crowning of their beloved Rama as the latest in a long line of Ishvaku kings. Merchants usually open their books on this day and everyone wakes up early to worship at the home shrine and the temple. The day is traditionally spent giving and receiving gifts, receiving blessings from elders, distributing sweets, visiting friends and family, and of course, fireworks.
The second day of the year is dedicated to the purity of love between a brother and a sister. On this day, Lord Yama, the God of Death, visited his sister Yamunaji to see how she was doing. Delighted by this surprise visit, she treated him to a feast and made him feel very welcome. Seeing his sister so happy, Lord Yama granted a boon to her. Full of sisterly love, she requested that he comes every year to visit her. Though touched by her affections, Lord Yama decided that this boon benefited him more than it did her. So, he requested her to ask for yet another boon. This time she requested that "If any brother and sister bath in my waters on this day, on this spot (a bathing ghat in Mathura, India), than be kind to them (in death) and please make sure they are reunited in their next life as brother and sister. Overcome with emotion, and seeing the generous nature of his sister, Lord Yama granted these boons and stated that those who drink the waters of this holy river, will be spared the tortures of hell !
The fifth day after the New Year is very special to Hindus and Jains alike. This day is considered to be so auspicious that almost any work can be undertaken without fear of bad omens or unhappy results. This is also the day the Lord Krishna lifted Mount Govardhan on his left hand to protect the people of Vraj from the wrath of Indra. For seven ceaseless days, rain, thunder and gales battered Vraj, but, protected by the Lord of the Universe, in his form as "Govardhandharan", the people of Vraj escaped unharmed. Realizing his great folly, Indra came to worship the Lord as "Govinda" and begged His forgiveness. (11th day after New Year).
Vaishnavas celebrate the eighth day of the New year as "Gopastami". On this day, the darling child of Yashoda left her tender care to become a "Gopal", herding the cattle of Nada-baba. As protector and Lord of cattle, Lord Krishna's affection for this sacred animal is world famous. Indeed, Lord Krishna regarded cows as more precious than all his heavenly jewels and indeed a species worthy of greater respect than a mere "animal". In fact, the Lord would not wear any shoes whilst herding his beloved cows, as He was their servant, and how could He were shoes when they (cows) did not ! So legendary was Krishna's love for cows, that even emperor Akbar issued special imperial proclamations to protect cows in his beloved Vraj.
The eleventh day of the New Year is one of the most important days in the Hindu calendar. Apart from Lord Krishna's exploits as Govardhandharan, this is the day Lord Vishnu ascends to heaven, having spent the last four months in the nether regions to protect King Bali from all woes. Lord is reckoned to "fall in to deep (meditative) sleep" at the beginning of the monsoon and "awakens from his "Yoga Nindra" (deep meditative sleep)" at the end of the season. This day is variously celebrated as Deva-uthi-ekadashi or Prabodhini Ekadashi. The Lord, having re-entered the heavenly realms, promptly marries his beloved goddess Tulsi (goddess of the sacred Basil plant). Every year, this marriage anniversary is celebrated by ritually marrying Lord Vishnu (usually represented by a "shaligram") to the sacred Tulsi (basil) plant.
A great feast follows on the twelfth day and soon enough, the mid autumn full moon graces the sky again. This is celebrated as Deva Diwali. The Diwali of the humans falls on the darkest day of the fortnight, whilst the God's Diwali falls on the day of the full moon. All heavens rejoice as their New Year begins and the eternal cycle of Time is renewed
Diwali - The Festival of Lights
As celebrated in the Pushti Marga
Diwali and New Year have a special meaning for followers of Pushti Marga. This article aims to explore this ancient relationship. It will also describe some of the festivities and rituals taking place at Nathadwara during the festival period. As Rag, Bhog and Shringar are so important to the Pushti sect, the article will also describe some of the fascinating shringars and "bechavats" - settings - of this grand festival. Though the festival lasts for many days, this article lists pageantry of five main days, Vagh Basras, Dhan Teras, Kali Chudash, Diwali and Annakut - New Year.
Annakut is one of Pushti Marga's main festivals. It celebrates Krshna's worship of the Mount Govardhan during his Vraj Lila. Breaking with tradition, he recommended puja of Govardhan instead of Indra. Krshna argued that no one had seen Indra and benefits of his worship were rather dubious. Worshipping Govardhan-Nathji had positive and visible benefits. It was Govardhan-Nathji who protected them, gave them rain, grass, shelter etc. therefore it made sense to worship Him rather than some remote God on a golden throne in a transient heaven !
This represented one of the most significant moments in Krshna's Lilas. Besides overturning centuries of blind tradition, it showed Krshna's response to changing times. Kansa's cruel regime had left Vraj in poorer condition than in the past. Excessive taxes on all agricultural produces had meant the ordinary people and children of Vraj had to do without the basic, essential items in their diets. Except the very rich, most could not afford to give their children milk and butter or even good quality rice. Seeing this, Krshna decided it was unnecessary to pour huge quantities of butter, rice, cereals, and various other edibles in to the fire for the benefit of a God who never even bothered to show himself to the people of Vraj. Where was Indra when the people of Gokul were being bullied by the thugs of Kansa?
Krshna decided to celebrate a new festival where all the people of Vraj could benefit from their hard toil. All the food being gathered for Indra's yagna could be made in to delicious prasad (consecrated food) and after having offered it to Lord Govardhan it would be distributed to every one in Vraj, regardless of caste or creed. Krshna felt the entire community should be involved in the festivities and not just a privileged few.
As a result of such defiance of Heaven, Indra decided to drown the residents of Vraj in a tremendous flood. But, those protected by Krshna can not be destroyed so easily, the Lord decided to lift Mount Govardhan to shield the populace of Vraj from the wrath of Indra. Under the benevolent gaze of Krshna and Lord Govardhan, seven ceaseless days of torrential rain failed to make any impression on the people of Vraja. Realising his mistake, Indra came to apologize for his baseless pride. Indra than worshipped Krshna as Govinda - Universal King of cattle.
Diwali also celebrates the gracious nature of the three goddesses, Lakshmi, Kali and Sarasvati. Dhan Teras is dedicated to Lakshmi, whose blessings are essential in making our lives prosperous, fruitful as well as peaceful. Goddess Lakshmi embodies the wealth of nature, health, intelligence, friends, family, long life, fame, fortune etc. The wealth of heaven is multifaceted and we all enjoy the blessing of mother Lakshmi in some measure. Kali-Chudash is dedicated to Maha Kali whose strength we seek to maintain the wealth we have. Strength, physical, mental and spiritual, is essential for an individual as well as the nation in order to flourish. Strength is essential for survival of any civilization. Used positively, it is benevolent; however, if misused, the same energy can be malevolent. Diwali is dedicated to goddess Sarasvati. Knowledge is the ultimate wealth, for it can not be stolen from you, it is also the ultimate strength, for it often defeats brute force. Knowledge is the ultimate in spirituality, for it is "Jayna" that eventually leads to Enlightenment and Moksha.
Celebrating the various manifestations of the divine energy, Shrinathji enjoys the festivities in numerous ways at Nathadwara. His entire haveli is repainted for the New Year. Most of the walls are gleaming white with fresh coat of lime. Traditional paintings of Lord Ganesh and Surya, along with others, grace the lintels of the main gates. Door lintels and side panels are painted with auspicious signs, flowering creepers, lotuses, bowels of fruit, lamps, cows, maidens bearing arties, milk, butter and various gifts for the lord. Door wardens in Rajput clothes are painted along with well caparisoned/ adorned elephants and horses led by handsome grooms. Tigers stand guard at Navnit Priyaji's haveli as gods descend in heavenly vehicles to catch a glimpse of the Nanda Kishor.
Vagh Barash
Shrinathji wears a gold brocade "Kachani" (courtly skirt like dress worn by Rajput and Moughal aristocrates) with numerous necklaces of pearls and emeralds. The beautiful yellow turban is topped with a gold ornament. The stele is covered with dark green silk, contrasting nicely with a red and gold pichavi. Celebrating the bounties of nature, pichavi depicts golden flowers growing on a delicate moughal trellis. Mani Kota (chamber of gems), directly in front of the inner sanctum, is decorated with four plantains (banana plant) and leaves of the asopalav tree (cypress). Chandeliers and chequered red and green brocade canopy lend a regal feel to the inner sanctum.
Navnit-Priyaji is similarly dressed in golden apparel and swathed in pearls and emeralds. The pichvi here is of beautiful purple and yellow stripes - pichvi is a colorful backdrop (usually on cloth) and is used to create a desired mood or commemorate a specific event. Veranda outside the inner sanctum of Ladela-Lal is covered in white wall hangings studded with silver moons. Miniature cows and herdsmen (made out of painted wood) wait near the door for the Lord to come out and play with them.
In the evening Navnit-Lal sits in the garden courtyard amid regal splendor. A spacious glass and mirror bungalow is set up near the wall of Shrinathji's inner sanctum. Steps leading up to the marble veranda are covered with a chequered carpet of green grass and (red) rose petals. Small lamps are set afloat in the four ponds of the garden. Yellow wall hangings, various chequered canopies, awnings and mirror studded pichvis complete the regal setting Silver gopies serve the lord with various fans, chamars and the like. Madan Mohanji joins the lord in the evening's revelries as musicians play various instruments to entertain the divine Lords. Set amid lotuses, glittering jewels and myriad of twinkling lights, Lords of Nathadwara bring to life joys of Rajput and Moughal courts.
Today in Shrinathji's and Navnit-Lal's haveli, the whole scene is reminiscent of royal hunts when Imperial tents were set amid beautiful groves. Refinements of courtly life were enjoyed in a rustic/ rural setting. Richly decorated awnings stirred in clear mountain air as delicate glass chandeliers spilled pools of colored light amid silk carpets, cushions and bolsters. At Nathadwara, such scenes are regularly brought back to life to entertain the Divine Lords.
Dhan Teras
In honor of goddess Lakshmi, Shrinathji - Lord/ husband of Lakshmi, wears a regal Charvagha (Moughal and Rajput formal court dress with four pointed corners) of green and gold brocade. Several jewels of pearls, diamonds, rubies and emeralds are topped with a plume of peacock feathers set in the gleaming turban. The stele is covered in contrasting red, while the pichavi sets the mood of a royal garden pavilion. Parrots and peacocks perch amid flowering creepers as elephants dance near the base of the pichoi.
Lalan also exuberates royal splendor in his green and gold brocade. Today, all his toys, caskets and utensils are of pure gold. His pichavi depicts three royal pavilions set amidst a beautiful garden, complete with fountains and a fish pond! Radha and Krshna sit in the central pavilion, greeting their numerous guests and friends on this auspicious day. In the foreground, Krshna, Balram and their friends play with the cows specially decorated for the Diwali festival.
In late afternoon, Navnit-Priyaji sits in a magnificent glass pavilion set in his own courtyard. Colorful flowers, mosaics of the colored glass pavilion and silk curtains compete for attention. Colorful gem encrusted chess set along with numerous other games and toys tempt the lord to play to his heart's desire. Gold caskets around him contain such delicacies as sweets, paan, and sweet scented garlands of fresh flowers. Large enamel "surahi" contains sweet sherbets while the delicate "jharis" contain cool waters of the river Yamuna.
In the evening, vegetables arrive by the cart loads in advance preparation for the Diwali and Annakut festival. The Lord's kitchen gets very busy and temple servants work around the clock to serve the most delicious food to the Gods.
Diwali
Sarasvati is the goddess of the day. In her honor, Shrinathji wears a silver brocade charvagha. Like silver, intellect too has to be constantly polished, otherwise it too turns dark. White also represents unblemished, pure character, essential for a Jayani/ intellectual/ philosopher. Countless jewels adorn the Lord and a jewel studded turban is topped by a large plume of peacock feathers. His plaited hair swings merrily to his left-hand side while He holds aloft red roses in his left hand. The stele is covered with yellow silk and the pichavi offered today is one of the costliest of all. Real pearls and gold are woven in to this pichavi to depict the "Tree of Life" motif. Often, this motif is also worshipped as representation of the Lord Himself.
Navnit-Priyaji is also richly dressed and today all the wall hangings in his haveli are white. Being the representative of Shrinathji, He is the central figure in today's main ritual, worshipping of the cows. Shrinathji has over 12,000 cows under his care. Of these, around a hundred come to represent his huge herd. Painted and decorated with peacock feathers, tassels and anklets, they are brought to the haveli in a mass of organised confusion. Clouds of dust flies everywhere, as herdsmen mock the cows by using rattles and taking away their calves. Cows charge around at speed, sometimes knocking the herdsmen to the ground. (No one gets seriously hurt, as cows are usually not as aggressive as bulls.)
While the cows are sporting in the narrow streets of Nathadwara, Navnit-Lal gets ready to perform the momentous rituals of the last day of the year.
Sports
Kumkum Bhagya
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