Tourism
of Goa
Fairs
& Festivals ::
Hindu
Festival
DiwaliDiwali
has a special importance, which has come up through the last 5000-7000
years. It is the gayest of the festivals; an occasion of great excitement
and rejoicing. It is an occasion in honour of Rama's victory over Ravana; of
Truth.
The original form of Diwali is Deepawali,which literally
means a row of lights. During Diwali, the feast of lamps, every house is lit
with little earthenware vessels containing oil and a lighted wick, and
groups of men and women assemble along the river bank setting these little
lanterns afloat on tiny rafts and watching with intense interest the frail
craft, as they float down streams. The festivity is in honour of Goddess
Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu, one of the trinity.
The myth
behind the origin of Diwali is that Lord Vishnu in his eighth incarnation as
Krishna, destroyed the demon Narakasura, who was causing great unhappiness
amongst the people of the world. Diwali or Narakachaturthi celebrates the
end of this evil.
Diwali is a festival in reverence to Lord Rama.
Illuminating the house with colourful lights means that the mind should be
decorated with spiritual accessories such as peach, love, tolerance,
generosity, etc. The earthly lamps called Deeyas (Deep) represent the body,
which is a combination of the five elements i.e., fire, water, air, space
and earth. It is perishable and is only lent to us for a period of a time
ash to ash, dust to dust.
A bath in starlight, before sunrise is
accepted as a bath in the holy Ganges, so purifying soul and body and
auspicious way to begin the day. Such cleaning and focus on newness are
symbolic of the casting off of the last year's sins and hope for a fresh new
year.
Gold threaded saris are often exchanged, symbolic of the
golden Age in the Hindu cycle of time, a time of purity and harmony. Old
clothes are cast off as a reminder that the old world, now in the Iron Age,
will end and make way for the new.
Deepawali (Diwali) festival is
a four day festival, which includes Laxmi Pujan, Narak Chaturdashi,
Deepawali and Bhau Beej. Laxmi Pujan is the day, when people buy new
utensils. Narak Chaturdashi is known as Chhoti Diwali (minor Diwali) when in
every household 5-7 panteo (lamps) are lit on the door and corners.
Diwali
falls on the day of Amavaseya, the next day of which is called Pratipad,
when every kind of transaction, receipt or payment and business is
postponed. On this day, many people try the their luck of gambling.
Bhau
beej falls on the next day, when the brothers visit their sisters, out of
love and affection. As the time of Diwali approaches, there are grand
preparations by young, old, rich, poor, weak and strong. The buildings,
trees, animals, man kinds and statues are all adorned with colourful lights
and costumes.
This festive mood fills the air with great
excitement, joy and happiness. Twenty days after Sudsehra, every house is
illuminated on the day of Diwali, to commemorate the return of Rama after 14
years in exile. Cultural programmes and night long fire works mark the
occasion.
Crackers and cacophony, colour and colourful mood, crowd
and noise, and celebrations. The dazzle of the occasion ushers in an all
pervading and overpowering spirit of happiness and laughter and an
inescapable feeling of joining in.
old accounts and start new
ones. This denotes the giving up of bad habits and cultivating new
attitudes. Exchanging cards and gifts means to share the most elevated
teachings (Godly teachings/Knowledge) and have good wishes and pure feelings
for all-love the neighbour as thyself.
In Goa, huge effigies of
Narkasura the demon, are made and burnt at dawn. The night of Diwali is also
be jewelled with millions of flickering candles and an explosion of fire
works and fire crackers, so it is known as the Festival of Lights. Lighting
of lamps is one of the most beautiful aspects of Diwali. It is the festival
of Row of Lights.
It is always celebrated on the darkest night of
the year. The lamps signify enlightenment or upliftment of the mind and
edification of the spirit.
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