Dipawali Celebrations in India

Dipawali or Diwali is supposedly the biggest festival in the Republic of India amongst all religions, casts and creed. It is said to be the brightest festival, marking the end of evil and ushering mankind into a new era of happiness and prosperity. The festival of lights is not only celebrated in India but also in countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and the Fiji Islands. It is celebrated as a national holiday there.

The Day of Dipawali is the day when Lord Rama returned back to his Kingdom of Ayodhya after slaying the Evil Demon Ravana of Lanka. He came back with his Wife who had been held hostage by Ravana. Also with him came his younger brother Lakshmana and the Monkey God Hanuman. For those who have embraced Jainism as their religion, Dipawali is the day when Lord Mahavira attained Moksha back in 527 BC. Sikhs celebrate Dipawali as their day when Guru Har Gobind Ji returned to Amritsar after setting free 52 Hindu Kings imprisoned by Emperor Jahangir in Fort Gwalior.

The day is called in a very huge manner in India. The whole country gets decorated in lights and illumination like a bride and crackers are burst all around. Diyas are lit all over and the Goddess is prayed to for Divine Intervention to seek her blessings. The day is marked as the one when one prays to have all the sorrows jettisoned from one’s life creating room for only happiness and joy to flow in.

This is the time when the whole country is lit up with fireworks and it becomes very tough to see a clear sky. The celebrations start from the eve and go onto till a few days after the festival as well. The whole week is counted as auspicious and said to be very special for everyone.

According to Hindu Philosophy, this is the day when one gets the chance of a lifetime to take notice of the inner light that is existent inside a person. The day is marked when one gets rid of all ignorance and prays for all obstacles to leave life. A Grand Lakshmi Puja happens on this day in every household. The whole house is decorated with diyas and candles and the Puja is done on a very resounding note. The Goddess is prayed to from the heart and asked for forgiveness apart from being prayed to for lots of happiness, prosperity and wealth within home.

India is a religious land where one thinks a lot about such festivals and makes it a point to categorically celebrate the same as well. Lots of lights, sweets being distributed all over and wishes being exchanged make for a quintessential Dipwali or Diwali. One cannot honestly ask for more as the festival gives a person everything he asks for. You get all the joys flowing in at once and people hugging and embracing each other to call in this wonderful festival that marks a new phase in life.

Teej Festival of Rajasthan

Teej is a festival that Rajasthan celebrates with all of its spirit. The festival is one of the best celebrated events in the royal state and is done so with swings, songs and a lot of dance. These are some of the flagship features that can be seen in the festival and attract a lot of attention from people living outside the state. Women do a lot of folk singing and dancing apart from dressing up in Green Clothes. They can be seen enjoying the swings and loudly singing all those special Teej songs which spark off the event. Prayers are offered to Goddess Parvati and also to her husband, Lord Shiva. This is done to pray for the prosperity of the family. The trendiest of accessories and clothes are sold of this festival on this festival. Sweet shops can be seen selling Ghevar and also Malpaus, which is another famous sweet on the festival. This festival of ‘Saawan’ is celebrated best on the day and one is assured of experiencing the finest kind of joys and happiness on the festival. This undoubtedly happens to be one of the best festivals on the block and offers a lot of joy and happiness to the ones celebrating and the ones who are a part of the celebrations.

Teej Festival of Rajasthan

Teej is a festival that Rajasthan celebrates with all of its spirit. The festival is one of the best celebrated events in the royal state and is done so with swings, songs and a lot of dance. These are some of the flagship features that can be seen in the festival and attract a lot of attention from people living outside the state. Women do a lot of folk singing and dancing apart from dressing up in Green Clothes. They can be seen enjoying the swings and loudly singing all those special Teej songs which spark off the event. Prayers are offered to Goddess Parvati and also to her husband, Lord Shiva. This is done to pray for the prosperity of the family. The trendiest of accessories and clothes are sold of this festival on this festival. Sweet shops can be seen selling Ghevar and also Malpaus, which is another famous sweet on the festival. This festival of ‘Saawan’ is celebrated best on the day and one is assured of experiencing the finest kind of joys and happiness on the festival. This undoubtedly happens to be one of the best festivals on the block and offers a lot of joy and happiness to the ones celebrating and the ones who are a part of the celebrations.

Dusshera: The Embodiment of Good conquering Evil

The Day of Dusshera is one of the most auspicious ones in the history of Indian Culture, Religion and Mythology. The fact that on this day eons of eras back, good prevailed over evil is an indication of the legacy that it left behind. On this day, supposedly in the Treta Yug Lord Rama eliminates the Demon Ravana and freed his Wife only to bring her back home. The Wife happened to be none other than the incarnation of the Goddess Lakshmi. It is said in Hindu mythological folklore that Ravana had kidnapped Sita and incarcerated her in Ashok Vatika, which eventually was raided by the Monkey Warriors when Rama defeated and killed Ravana in a fierce battle of arrows and egos.

Dusshera, also fondly referred to as Vijayadashmi, is celebrated on the Tenth Day of the Hindu Autumn Lunar Month of Ashwin. This usually falls in the months of either September or October or after the New Moon. On this day, the Ten Day Navratri culminates. In countries like India and Nepal where the festival is celebrated, huge celebrations spark off with effigies of Ravana and his brother Kumbhkaran and son Indrajeet are burned with crackers and rockets.

These huge effigies take months to construct and from top to bottom are loaded with fire crackers. The moment they are lit up, the effigies start disintegrating within no time and get burned very quickly. One does not have to think too much into their burning for their disintegration does not even take a split second.

The culminating evening truly signifies the triumph of good over evil and marks a new dawn, a new era. One ushers into time where positivity prevails over negativity and one does not get to think of anything else other than optimism.

Ninth Day: Maa Siddhidatri

The Ninth Day of the Navratri, and the last day as well, is a day dedicated to Maa Siddhidatri. This incarnation of the Divine Mother is considered to be quite beneficial for mankind as those who pray to her from all their heart are considered to be blessed with all forms of achievement. The virtues bestowed on the person include the worldly qualities such as Anima, Mahima, Garima, Ladhima, Prapti, Ishitva, Prakaamya and Vashitva. These are just 8 that have been mentioned where as there are a total of 18 virtues.

Hindu Mythology and folklore says that even Lord Shiva attained all these virtues by worshipping Maa Siddhidatri by all his heart. This is one of the reasons why half the body of Maa Siddhidatri was that of the Devi where as the other half is that of Ardhnareshwar. On this day, all the fasting and worshipping done over the last eight days culminates. The culmination happens in a grand style through Puja, Archna, Havan etc. The portrait of the Goddess, with her four hands, is embellished with jewellery and expensive clothing. Her hands have her Chakra, Lotus, Conchshell with the four one raised to bless her devotees.

It is a great culmination to such an auspicious occasion that gets marked by lots of prayers, thoughts, sentiments and other stuff. People worship the goddess by chanting her name throughout the day and till late in the night when the effigies are burnt. The chants are meant to please the Divine Mother so that she blesses everyone praising her with all those worldly attributes one requires to lead a life full of happiness, success, triumph and cheerfulness. The best way to call off the day would be by remembering all the good deeds one ought to do to have the Mother’s Blessings.

Eighth Goddess of Navratri Maa Mahagauri

In this form Durga is four-armed and she rides on a bull or a white elephant. She carries a trident and hand-drum. Two hands are in blessing posture. She is pure and is believed to have been in the form of Mata Parvati when she did penance to get Shiva as her husband. Purity is depicted in this form of Durga. Mahagauri form of Durga is worshipped on the eighth day of Navratri.

"Mahan Gaur" is the eight incarnation of Goddess Dura. She is as white as a conch, moon and Jasmine. She is of eight years old. Her clothes and ornaments are white and clean. She has three eyes. She rides on bull. She has four hands. The above left hand is in "Fearless - Madras" and lower left hand holds "Trisha." The above right hand has tambourine and lower right hand is in blessing style. She is calm and peaceful and exists in peaceful style. It is said that when the body of Gaur became dirty due to dust and earth while observing penance, Shiva makes it clean with the waters of Ganges. Then her body became bright like lightening. Therefore, she is known as "Mahan Gaur".

The worship of Maha Gauri is recommended for the eighth day of Navaratra Puja. Her power is unfailing and instantly fruitful. All sins of devotees are washed away with the result of her worship. Even accumulated sins get destroyed and in future no sins or sufferings come to him. He gets purified in all respects and becomes fit for inexhaustible virtues.

This is one of the most auspicious days in the Holy Navratri, for the fact that it happens to be the penultimate day of this holy nine-day festival and people are busy going ahead with the Pujas for a fitting finale on the last day. Some fast for eight days and break it today, where as some fast on all nine days and break it on the ninth day with a Puja.

Seventh day of navratri devoted to Maa Kalratri

With the approaching end to the Holy Navratri, Day 7 belongs to unarguably the fiercest and most petrifying of manifestations of the Holy Mother. Maa Kalaratri happens to be the seventh incarnation of the Divine Mother and is also the most violent of all. Her appearance evokes fear and enemies tremble and wet their pants. This form of the Goddess is said to be the assassin of all demon entities.

The very essence of Kalaratri is being the One who finishes off all the Kaal. She is prophesized to destroy ignorance and take away darkness. This form reveals the Dark Side of the Divine Mother, the one who shows no mercy and in whose books every sin is unforgivable. The manifestation has also been bestowed with other names as Shubhankari, the one who was the slayer of Raktabeej. The demon in mention was a tyrant with the gift of multiplying through every drop of his blood that fell onto the ground. The Goddess maneuvered to slay him by licking every drop of crimson before it could fall to the ground. She is said to bequeath her devotees with courage and calmness.

Her complexion is dark and hair is messed. She has four hands, the ones on the left holding a torch and cleaver where as the ones on the right being in quintessential Mudra of ‘giving’ and ‘protecting’. The necklace she wears has a terrific shimmer and her three eyes emanate rays like lightning. Her nostrils exude blazing flames when she inhales and exhales air. Her escort is a Donkey, on whom she sits and rides. The most auspicious colors for this day are White, Blue and Red.

Those who worship her are always free of enemies and become fearsome. Nobody runs into them unnecessarily and peace, serenity and composure always prevail with them in life.