Dev Deepawali

“पर्व है पुरुषार्थ का, दीप के दिव्यार्थ का, हारेगी हर बार अंधियारे की घोर–कालिमा, …”

On this day, the Devas descend from Swarga to take a dip in the Ganga at Kashi. The city is lit with shimmering diyas (earthen lamps) to welcome the Devas. The day is Kartik Poornima, the full moon tithi (date) in the month of Kartik in Hindu calendar which falls in November-December in English calendar. Dev Deepawali comes fifteen days after the far better known two-thousand-year-old Deepawali on Kartik AmSvásyS, the new moon tithi which is the darkest night of the year.

Dev Deepawali in Hindu Mythology

The most popular Dev Deepawali story in Hindu mythology is about the Tripurasura, a trio of asura (demon) brothers. They did tapasya for 2100 years, standing on one foot, or on their head, and living on air. Pleased by the tapasya, Brahma granted them a boon. “Make us immortal”, they asked. “I don’t have the power to make you immortal,” Brahma said, “ask something else.” “Grant us then,” Tripurasura asked, “three forts one of gold, one of silver and one of iron located in three worlds. We will live in these. These will align only once in a thousand years forming a Tripura. If someone can destroy the Tripura with a single arrow, that shall be our death.” The boon was granted.

Tripurasura became powerful. Fearful of Tripasura’s power, Devas prayed to Brahma, and then to Siva to destroy Tripurasura. But Siva refused because the asuras were not sinners. Vishnu then tricked Tripurasura into converting to a new religion where they stopped revering the Vedas and stopped worshipping Siva. And thus, became sinners.

Siva then agreed to destroy the sinner Tripurasura. He asked Vishvakarma the architect of the gods to make a chariot of gold and a special bow and arrow. Brahma became the charioteer. On Kartik Purnima, Siva rode the chariot towards Tripura and as it came into being for just a single moment, Siva fired a single arrow from his most destructive weapon the Pashupatastra that turned Tripura into ashes. Thus, killing Tripurasura. Siva became Tripurantaka or Tripurari, the one who destroyed Tripura. So, Deva Deepawali is also known as Tripurotsav or Tripurari Purnima.

To celebrate the slaying of the demon, Devas lit Kashi with diyas and took a dip in the Ganga. Thus, began Deva Deepawali.

Other Legends About Dev Deepawali

Other legends are that first of Vishnu’s ten avatars, Matsya (fish) avatar, was on this day. And that this day is the birthday of Shiva’s elder son, the warrior Kartikeya. But his birthday is sixth day (Sashti Tithi) of the Shuklapaksha, that is nine days before Kartika Purnima. Yet another legend is that on Kartik Ekadashi Brahma awakens from sleep, and on Kartik Chaturthi Siva awakens.

In Hindu mythology, Kartika is the best month for spiritual and earthly energy. And bathing in holy rivers and water bodies and giving alms, especially of deepak, on Dev Poornima is most beneficial.

Kartik Poornima in Sikhism

Nanakpanthi Hindus and other followers of Guru Nanak’s philosophy celebrate birthday of Guru Nanak, Sikhs first Guru, on this day though he was born on 14 April which was a full moon night. The day is celebrated as Gurpurab or Prakash Parva that is Guru Nanak Jayanti worldwide. Gurudwaras are illuminated, assemblies are held in gurdwaras and discourses given on the lives and teachings of the gurus and special langars are held. Public functions and the more literary and academic ones in schools and colleges are held. Sikhs march in processions through towns and cities chanting the holy hymns.

Kartik Poornima in Jainism

Rishabha, also known as SdinStha, the first tirthankara and founder of Jainism sanctified the Shatrunjay hills of Palitana and delivered his first sermon on Kartik Purnima. Since then, millions of sadhus and Sadhvis have attained salvation on these hills. Jains flock to these hills on Karthik Purnima to do the Shri Shantrunjay Teerth Yatra, a 216 km walk to worship at the Lord SdinStha temple atop the hill. It is an important religious event in the life of a Jain devotee.

Present Dev Poornima

The Dev Deepawali in Kashi as celebrated these days was begun in 1985 by enthusiastic youths led by a social worker named Narayani. They lit lamps at Panchganga ghat. And the tradition was born.

Dev Deepawali 2020

On Dev Deepawali 2020, 29-30 November, Kashi was lit up with more than fifteen lakh shimmering diyas (earthen lamps) on the ghats and the two banks of Ganga. Electric lights were switched off for a while and only the diyas illuminated Kashi. An enthralling laser-light and sound show at the Chet Singh Fort and Ghat, 450 laser lights emitting 480 colours, highlighted Kashi’s spiritual and cultural heritage.

The Dev Deepawali on 30 November was special for yet another reason: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent seven hours in Kashi. He dedicated the six-lane, 73-kilometre Varanasi-Prayagraj National Highway to people and inspected the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir corridor project. He then offered pooja at Kashi Vishwanath Temple at the auspicious MuhSrta of 0508 pm to 0747 pm. And then took a boat-cruise on the Ganga from Rajghat in the north to Ravidas Ghat in the south. He watched the light and sound show at Sarnath where about 2500 years ago Gautama the Buddha gave his first sermon to five monks on the full-moon day of the month of SsSdha (July).

Dev Deepawali is not a religious ritual. It is a symbol of our spiritual and cultural heritage that we have begun to reclaim. That we have begun to take pride in. That defines who we were, who we are.