[nukkad] Greetings

[Shailesh Salian at DXBNOTES <IMCEACCMAIL-Shailesh+20Salian+20at+20DXBNOTES@mcdermott.com>]

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  Diwali - Festival of Lights


          Diwali-A festival synonymous with celebrations in India and among
  Indians
   all over the world, is an occasion for jubilation and togetherness. This
is
  an
   occasion for young and the old, men and women rich and poor - for
everyone.
   Irrespective of their religious and economic background, the festival is
  celebrated
   throughout the country to ward off the darkness and welcome the light
into
  their
   lives.

          The word "Diwali" is made by Sanskrit word "Deepavali" - Deepa
meaning
   light and Avali means a row, i.e a row of light. Diwali is celebrated 20
days
   after
   Dussera, on Amavasya - the 15th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu
month
   of Ashwin (Aasho) (Oct/ Nov) every year.


          The legend related to Diwali is that King Dashratha had three
wives
  namely
   Kaushalaya, Keykayee and Sumitra and four sons Rama, Bharat, Laxmana
   and Shatrughan. Rama was the son of Queen Kaushalaya and Bharat was the
   son of queen Keykayee. Keykayee wanted Bharat to be the next King while
the
   King Dasharatha wanted Rama, his eldest son to be the King. But Keykayee
   made full use of the two wishes King Dasharatha had promised Keykayee and
   asked for sending Rama to exile for the period of fourteen years. During
that
   time
   Lord Rama fought and won tenuous struggles in the south part of the
Indian
   sub-continent (which some people believe is now Sri Lanka) killing the
king
  of
   Demons, Ravana who had forcibly taken away his wife Sita. Diwali marks
his
   victorious return to his kingdom along with Hanuman,the Vanar who helped
him
  in
   achieving success.

          People give expressions to their happiness by lighting earthen
diyas
  and
   decorating the houses to welcome Lakshmi- the Goddess of wealth and
   prosperity, bursting fire crackers and inviting the near and dear ones to
  their
   households for partaking in the luxurious feast. The lighting of lamps is
a
  way of
   paying obeisance to God for attainment of health, wealth, knowledge,
peace
  and
   fame and it also signifies goodness. It is also marked as the beginning
of
  the Hindu
   New Year and as a brand new beginning for all. Diwali is celebrated for
five
  days,
   each day having it's own significance, rituals and myths.



        First Day
        Second Day
        Third Day
        Fourth Day
        Fifth Day


          The First day is called Dhanteras or Dhantryaodashi, which falls
on
  the
   thirteenth day of the month of Ashwin. The word "Dhan" means wealth. This
day
   has great importance for rich community. It is believed that sixteen year
old
   son of
   King Hima according to his horoscope was doomed to die on the fourth day
of
   his marriage by a snake-bite .So, on that particular fourth day of his
  marriage his
   worried wife lighted innumerable lamps all over the place and laid all
the
   ornaments and lots of gold and silver coins in a big heap at the entrance
of
  her
   husband's boudoir. And she went on telling stories and singing songs
through
  the
   night. When Yam-the god of death arrived there in the guise of a Serpent
the
   dazzle of those brilliant lights blinded his eyes and he could not enter
the
  Prince's
   chamber. So he climbed on the heap of the ornaments and coins and sat
their
   whole night listening to the melodious songs. In the morning he quietly
went
  away.
   Thus the wife saved her husband and since then this day of Dhanteras came
to
  be
   known as the day of "Yamadeepdaan" and lamps are kept burning throughout
the
   night in reverential adoration to Yam, the god of Death.


          The Second day is called Narka-Chaturdashi or Chhoti Diwali that
falls
   on
   the fourteenth day of the month of Ashwin. The legend related to this day
is
  about
   the King Bali of the nether world that mighty power had become a threat
to
  the
   gods. In order to curb his powers Lord Vishnu in the guise of 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.
   So 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
   and putting his foot on his head Vishnu pushed him down to the
underworld.
  But
   for his generosity Lord Vishnu 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.


           The Third day of the festival of Diwali is the most important day
of
   Lakshmi-Puja, which is entirely devoted to the propitiation of Goddess
  Lakshmi.
   This day is also known by the name of "Chopada-Puja". The day of
   Lakshmi-Puja falls on the dark night of Amavasya. It is believed that on
this
   auspicious day Lord Krishna discarded his body. One more interesting
story
   related to this day is of a small boy called Nichiketa who believed that
Yam,
   the
   god of Death was as black as the dark night of amavasya. He on this day
met
   Yam in person and was puzzled seeing Yam's calm countenance and dignified
   stature. Yam explained to Nichiketa on this day of amavasya that by only
  passing
   through the darkness of death, man sees the light of highest wisdom and
then
  only
   his soul can escape from the bondage of his mortal frame to mingle with
the
   Supreme Power without whose will nothing moves in the world. And then
   Nichiketa realised the importance of worldly life and significance of
death.
   Nichiketa's all doubts were set at rest and he whole-heartedly
participated
  in
   Diwali celebrations.


           The Fourth day is called Padwa or VarshaPratipada that marks the
   coronation of King Vikramaditya and Vikaram-Samvat was started from this
   Padwa day. Govardhan-Puja is also performed in the North on this day. As
per
   Vishnu-Puran, the people of Gokul used to celebrate a festival in honour
of
  Lord
   Indra and worshipped him after the end of every monsoon season. But one
   particular year the young Krishna stopped them from offering prayers to
Lord
   Indra who in terrific anger sent a deluge to submerge Gokul. But Krishna
  saved
   his Gokul by lifting up the Govardhan Mountain and holding it over the
people
   as
   an umbrella. This day is also observed as Annakoot and prayers are
offered in
   the
   temples.

           The Fifth and final day of Diwali Festival is known by the name
of
   "Bhaiya-Duj" This day is observed as a symbol of love between sisters and
   brothers. It is believed that on this day Yamraj -the god of death
visited
  his sister
   Yami and she put the auspicious till on his forehead, they ate talked and
  enjoyed
   together and exchanged special gifts as a token of their love for each
other
  and
   Yamraj announced that anyone who receives tilak from his sister on this
day
  will
   never be thrown. Since then it became imperative for the brother to go to
his
   sister's house to celebrate Bhaiyaduj.


  Wish all of U & Ur family a "VERY HAPPY DIWALI & A PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR"

  Regards
  Shailu



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