DEV DIWALI at Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar

Dev Diwali

Margashirsh Shukla Pratipada (First day of the bright fortnight of Margashirsh) is celebrated as Dev Diwali.

Importance

Besides the Kuldev (male family Deity), Kuldevi (female family Deity) and Ishtadevta (benevolent Deity), other Deities also need to be worshipped on some day during the year and naivedya be offered to them, which is done on this day.

Puja

Along with the Kuldevta and Ishtadevta, the Sthandevta (Deity of the place), Vastudevta (Deity of the premises), Gramdevta (village Deity) and other main and subordinate Deities in the village, inferior Deities such as Mahapurush, Vetoba etc. are worshipped and bestowed with honour due to them, on this day. On the Dev diwali, Deities are offered maha-naivedya of at least five delicacies.

Dev Diwali or Dev Deepawali is a Hindu festival observed in the Hindu month of ‘Kartik’, celebrated with great pomp and show in the Indian state of Varanasi, in Uttar Pradesh. Dev Deepawali is the ‘Festival of Lights of the Gods’ and falls on the Kartik ‘Purnima’ (full moon day), fifteen days after the celebrations of Diwali. It corresponds to the month of November-December in the Gregorian calendar. This religious ceremony is started by chanting of the holy Vedic mantras by the priests, lighting diyas at the ghats and the sparkling of fire crackers, to welcome and please the Gods and Goddesses.

At the occasion of Dev Diwali, all the ghats of River Ganga is lighted with thousands of diyas and crowded with pilgrims. This utsav is celebrated every year in the holy city of Haridwar. Dev Diwali is observed on the first day of the month of ‘Margashirsh’. Dev Diwali is commemorated to honour the victory of Lord Shiva over the demon named ‘Tripurasur’. For this reason, this festival is also known as ‘Tripurotsav’. The festival of Dev Diwali coincides with Guru Nanak Jayanti and Jain light festival.

Rituals of Dev Diwali:

• The main ritual of Dev Diwali is the lighting of diyas after seeing the moon. The steps of every ghats of River Ganga are illuminated with millions of diyas lit in honour of Goddess Ganga and other presiding devas.
• The devotees get up early on the day of Dev Diwali and perform the ‘Kartik snan’, that is a ritual of taking a dip in the holy Ganges). They perform ‘deepdan’ (offering oil lamps) in the honour of Goddess Ganga. Following this ‘Ganga aarti’ is performed by 24 Brahmin Priests along with 24 girls, with full devotion.
• On this occasion of Dev Diwali, people decorate their houses with oil lamps. Colourful designs or rangoli are made on the front doors. In several houses in Haridwar & Varanasi, ‘Akhand Ramayana’ is organized along with offering bhogs.
• In the evening, on the streets of Haridwar & Varanasi, huge processions of beautifully decorated deities are taken out with full enthusiasm. The night sky is lit up with the lights of the firecrackers.

Yours Sincerely,