Dev Deepavali, Know about Rituals, Traditions and Legend Behind celebrating the festival
Dev Deepavali, Know about Rituals, Traditions and Legend Behind celebrating the festival
FOLLOW US ON SOCIALS
Dev Deepavali falls on the full moon day of Kartik month according to Hindu Lunar Calendar. The festival is mainly celebrated in Varanasi and over a million of earthen lamps are lit on this day on the ghats of Ganga river on this day. According to Hindu mythology, gods come to the ghats to take a dip in the holy water of Ganga on the day of Dev Deepavali. The festival falls mainly in November, just after fifteen days of Diwali. It is also popular as Tripura Purnima Snan.
Rituals
Mainly, it is a part of five days festival which starts on Probodhini Ekadashi and ends on the day of Poornima (full moon day). It is also called Bhishma Panchak which is celebrated at the last five days of the holy month of Kartik. Kartik Snan is considered as the most beneficial in Hindu tradition and the Dev Diwali is the last day of Kartik. So the devotees who wished to take a dip in the holy river take the bath in the morning and light lamps on the ghats to complete the festival.
There are also tradiitions to offer yellow clothes and yellow sweets to Lord Vishnu. Many people decorates their houses with Rangolis and Diyas just like Diwali.
Thousands of Devotees from Varanasi and nearby cities gather in the evening on the ghats of Ganga to celebrate the festival and the view is truly fascinating where you can see thousands of diyas starting from Ravidas Ghat to southern end to Rajghat. Dashameshwar Ghat is also popular for Ganga Aarti where 21 young Brahmin priests and 24 young women perform this traditional Ganga Aarti.
Tourist Attraction
Boat rides are also offered for the tourists where you can witness beautiful ghats decorated with twinkling diyas, and it looks like all the stars have came on this Earth and is celebrating this beautiful festival.
Legend
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Shiva killed a devil named Tripurasur on this day and bring back heaven for the Gods. To observe the special occasion, gods celebrated Dev Diwali.
That’s why the festival is also associated with Lord Shiva alongside Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi. It is believed that the festival bring wealth and prosperity in the homes of devotees.