Dev Deepavali 2016
This
year Dev Deepawali / Dev Diwali is on Monday, November 14, 2016.
* Dev Diwali,
or Dev Deepavali, as the name indicates is the Diwali celebration of the Devas
or Devta (Demi Gods).
* Dev Diwali
is observed on the full moon day (Purnima) in the month of Kartik in a
traditional Hindu calendar .
* The day is
also known as Kartik poonam or Karthik Purnima and Tripurari Poornima.
* Dev Diwali
is observed on the full moon day in the month of Kartik in traditional Hindu
calendar and is a major event in Gujarat and other parts of North India. Tulsi
Puja or Tulsi Vivah is a major event on Dev Diwali day for some communities.
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Dev Diwali Muhurat
Purnima Tithi Begins = 23:17 on 13/Nov/2016
Purnima Tithi Ends = 19:22 on 14/Nov/2016
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Dev Diwali marks the
end of –
* The Tulsi Vivah rituals
* The Diwali celebrations.
* The
famous Akashadeep festival in Varanasi Ghats.
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Legend :-
1. It is said that God
descends from heaven to bathe in the Ganga.
2. It is also believed that
Lord Vishnu returned to Vaikunta, his abode on this day after the Vamana
incarnation and visiting King Bali.
3. Another legend has it
that Lord Shiva killed the three demons, who were killing the Devas and humans,
and destroyed the three cities built by them on this day.
4. Kartik poornima is also
the birthday of Matsya, god Vishnu's fish-incarnation (Avatar).
5. It is also the birthday
of Vrinda, the personification of the Tulsi plant. This day is also observed as
Tulsi Vivah by some communities.
6. It is also the birthday
of Kartikeya, the god of war and son of Shiva.
7. This day also is
considered dear to Radha, the lover of Krishna - Vishnu's incarnation. It is believed that Krishna
and Radha danced rasa and Krishna worshipped Radha on this day.
8. This day is also
dedicated to the pitras, dead ancestors.
9. Another major event on
is the taking of holy dip in holy rivers live Ganga, which his popularly
known as Kartik Snan.
10. Kapal Mochan Mela is
observed in North India with much gusto.
11.
Pushkar Mela is also celebrated in Pushkar town of Rajasthan on
Dev Diwali day.
12. Mahabharata also has a
reference to Dev-Deepavali.
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Tripuri Poornima
Kartika Purnima celebrates the power of Lord Shiva. It
is believed that Lord Shiva killed the demon Tripusara on this day thus the day
is also called known as Tripuri poornima and Tripurari Poornima. This Purnima is
one of the most propitious days for worshipping of Shiva, next only to the Maha
Shivaratri. The legend associated with this goes like-
Tarakasur a
demon with three demon sons- Tarakah, Kamalaksh and Vidyutmali got three moving
cities constructed from Mayasur- the renowned architect of the demons. He
gifted one to each son with advice not to cross the paths of Gods or disrespect
them.
All three sons performed severe penance to Lord Brahma- who
granted them a boon that they would live for a thousand years in three
invincible moving cities called Tripuri and could be destroyed by only one arrow
that would merge the three cities into one and set them on fire. The cities were
made of gold, silver and iron.
Soon the three started harassing the gods. The gods then approached Lord Shiva requesting him for resque. Finally, the task of annihilating
the demon fell on Lord Shiva
Lord Shiva
danced the “Tandava”, the dance of destruction, that rocked the
three cities. He shot an arrow piercing through the three cities at one time and
the fire from his third eye burnt the three cities. The killing of the three
demons spread happiness around the world. This form of Shiva is called
“Tripuraari or Tripurantaka”.
This great victory
happened on the full moon day in Kartik month and therefore the day is
celebrated as Tripuri Poornima and it is also the day of Dev Diwali or Dev
Deepavali – the Deepavali of Devas as they were liberated from the hands of the
powerful demon.
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त्रिपुर अरि = त्रिपुरारि
(भगवान शंकर)
Tripuri poornima or Tripurari Poornima derives
its name from Tripurari - the foe of the demon Tripurasura.
Tripurari is an epithet of Lord Shiva. Shiva in his form as Tripurantaka
("Killer of Tripurasura") killed the demon on this day. Tripurasura had conquered the whole world and defeated the gods. He also
created three cities in space, together called "Tripura". The killing of the demon and
destruction of his cities with a single arrow - by Shiva overjoyed the gods and
they pronounced the day as a festival of illuminations. This day is also called
"Dev-Diwali" - the Diwali of the gods.
'Ganga-Aarti'
Dev Deepavali is celebrated on
the occasion of Kartik Poornima when the Ghats of Varanasi come alive with
thousands of Diyas (earthen lamps). Dev Deepavali, celebrated on the fifteenth
day of Diwali, is a tribute to
river Ganga by the people of Varanasi. Dev Deepavali is held on the full moon
day in the month of Kartik (also known as Kartik Purnima) and is observed with
great fanfare and feasts.
It is believed that on the day
of Dev Deepavali, the Gods descend on Earth. It is interesting to note that the
Kartik Purnima festival also coincides with the Jain light festival and Guru
Nanak Jayanti.
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Ganga Mahotsav
Ganga Mahotsav: This is a 5-day festival, starting from Prabodhani Ekadashi to Kartik Poornima,
This year the Ganga Mahotsav starts on Friday, 11th
November, 2016 and will be celebrated until Monday,14th November (Kartik Poornima /Dev Deepavali),
2016.
To mark the occasion and also to showcase the cultural heritage of Varanasi,
the Uttar Pradesh Tourism department organizes a four-day Ganga Mahotsav around
this period. A large number of Hindu devotees start assembling from the day of
the Prabodhini Ekadasi (the eleventh day of the fortnight) itself. The official
celebration is usually held on the Dasaswamedh Ghat. On the occasion of the
Ganga Mahotsava, reputed artists and performers from all over the country come
and perform, making the celebrations more eventful.
On the eve of Kartik Purnima, the number of pilgrims begins to increase
manifolds and most of the pilgrims camp by the riverside. In the evening,
pilgrims and local people decorate the entire riverbank with tiny earthen lamps
('Diya'). These lamps are lit as a mark of welcome to the Gods as they descend
on earth. The little sparks of fir
e
flicker elegantly and is a wonderful sight to watch. The 'Ganga-Aarti' is an
important event in the evening. Almost all Ghats organize their own ceremony.
Huge lamps are set ablaze and the priest holds forth the lamp as the multitude
chants the hymns.
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