Diwali Amavasya
It is believed that on Amavasya (no moon day), Goddess Lakshmi is present in sesame oil, and Gangadevi is present in all wells, lakes, and ponds. Sesame oil is used for taking bath. Plants like Uttarani, Anapa and Prapunnatamu are circled around the head before taking bath. Yama is worshipped facing South. It is believed that this helps in combating untimely death and in giving peace to the departed souls. In the evening, lamps are lightened almost every where in the town including the temples, hills, graveyards, etc.
In the olden days, kings used to supervise the festivities during the nights. Black gram leaves are eaten today. Lamps are distributed. Late in the night, women bring out their household weapons like dustpans, mops, etc, to drive away ‘Jyesthadevi’, (goddess of penury). Diwali was once called as ‘Kaumudi Mahostavam’.
Diwali is followed by Deepa Prathi Padavtsovam. On this day Sons-in law were invited and honoured. This is written down in ancient plays and Jain and Buddhist religious scriptures. The play "Naganandam" is also a proof of the same.
The Jain religion has a different version for the celebration of Diwali. According to their books, Mahaveer, the founder of Jain religion, attained nirvana on Diwali day. Angles welcomed him with lamps, and so that day became Diwali.
Businessmen open their new account books on this day after performing puja. They smear them with the devanagari ‘Sri’ symbol in some odd number (3,5,7or 9) in turmeric and kumkum in a pyramid form. As a symbol of godess Lakshmi they place a coin on it. This coin is preserved until the next year puja. In Jain families, this coin is passed on from one generation to the another. They keep leaves or creeper with leaves beside the coin and burn camphor. They perform puja with betel leaves and betel nuts. They sprinkle red turmeric on the books, and serve sweets to a Brahmana (a pious man) in the end. They keep account books open for few hours and close them later while chant ‘Laksha Laksha’. They believe that they would get profit in lakhs by doing this.
In the evening celebration, people burst crackers and other fireworks. This is the day when ‘Akashadeepam’ (a lamp hung at the top of a brass post in front of a temple) is lit for the first time. This lamp is lighted every day from then on during the Karthika masa (comes in November). There are various versions about lighting lamps. Some believe that these lamps show the way to heaven to their dead kin, while some believe that those who are in the Heaven will come down to meet their people and that they burst crackers to welcome them. However, scholars believe that these crackers replaced the old tins in scaring away ‘Jyeshta devi’. |
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