Diwali (Deepawali)

Diwali Traditions in the Village

         When I think of this festival, I am propelled into a vast space of Hindu thought and ancient Indian traditions. Just consider this idea for a moment: Here is a festival that has been celebrated in the Indian subcontinent for more than 5,000 (5,228 ± 10) years continuously without interruption. Kings came and went, government systems changed, glittering politicians, ministers, and numerous fashions (fashions of dress, culture, or thought) popped up and collapsed like a citadel of cards. As the insightful Sister Nivedata would say - multitudes of (foreign) customs hit the shores of Indian subcontinent, but very few could leave their footprints on the sands of time. Yet a few traditions endured like Diwali, Holi, The Hindu New Year, and Sankranti. They are celebrated all over India with minor variations. Diwali is especially the favorite of little children and grownups alike. The modern day man, especially the one who spends enormous time cooped up in air conditioned quarters may have some gripes about the air pollution due to fire crackers; but it was not like that in earlier times or in the wide spaces of villages (the real clean lungs of a nation).

 

         In my younger days the festival’s preparations would start a month or even six weeks ahead of the big function on the moonless night. We would buy pounds of sulfur, potassium nitrate, and coke. To get flickers of light, we also picked up turnings of tin - all from the local grocer. Most families had their own secret formulae and preparatory methods for producing colorful fireworks. But the most exciting thing for young school kids is this: With a few quarters (¼₹) we used to purchase little quantities of sulfur and saltpeter stealthily. Now you don’t have to purchase coal (carbon). Just roam around the streets or vacant fields and you’ll find plenty of Calotropis  (a variant of milkweed seen here in US) twigs or coconut shells. We’d haul over a bundle of green and dried twigs and roast them in the hot sun. Then the process of grinding all the chemicals into a fine powder would ensue, fine but not too fine a powder. You get little chilly-like firecrackers when you stuff the mixture into little paper cones. People also make rockets with worn-out playing cards and coconut leaf spines. For a modest price, we used to get dozens of firecrackers, sparklers, and flower pots like lighting devices. With patience and ingenuity we would even make a swirling wheel to imitate a spinning disc (Vishnu-chakra). Though the real festival is spread over only two days (14th and new moon), as children we used to enjoy for almost a month preceding Deepavali (దీపావళి). And then there were a few fireworks lighted on the following Nagula-chavati day. Due to either negligence or accidental mistakes, of course there (were) are usually a small number of burn injuries. This writer too had one close accident. But looking at the overall fun, creativity, and the large social cohesion brought together for a festive night, Diwali is the most spectacular display of light, color, and sound coupled with some sulfur smelling smoke. The burnt sulfur and other fumes used to fumigate the ambient air and cleanse the air of mosquitoes – the vector culprits of dengue and malaria fevers.

 

Narakasura Vadha (The Slaying of Naraka-asura)

 

         As per the accounts given in Srimad-Bhagavatam and Devi Bhagavatam, the story of Narakasura is quite intriguing. He was the son of Bhudevi and Adi-Varaha murti. But it seems the asura got estranged from his mother and fell into bad ways. With a severe penance (tapas) he invoked Lord Brahma (or Lord Siva) and asked the impossible “boon” of “no-death”. But Brahma could not accede to his request of “no-death”; He granted the rare possibility of death by the asura’s own mother, i.e., Bhudevi. Then many years passed and Narakasura went on a spree of troubling Indra and other devas.

 

         Krishna has eight queens (consorts): Rukmini, Jambavati, Satyabhama, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Nagnajiti, Bhadra, and Lakshana (cf. the five elements, mind, intellect, and ego-sense). Once Lord Krishna was resting in Dwaraka with His consorts. Indra came pleading for help thus: “Krishna, please come to our rescue. We cannot bear the onslaught of Narakasura. He has just stolen our mother’s earrings, Varun chattra, and Mani-parvata, a precious mountain.” Thereupon Sri Krishna was about leave, ready with His weapons and swift flying vehicle (Garuda). He turned to Satyabhama and assured Her, “Do not worry, I will be back in a jiffy. Will destroy the menacing asura and all his troupes.” But Satyabhama wanted to accompany Sri Krishna and see first hand the grand ensuing battle. Till then She only heard the glory of Krishna’s valor and fierce destructive power. Thus together they went hurriedly to Narakasura’s city (Prag-jyothisha-pura) on the back of the superfast flying express, i.e., on Garuda’s shoulders.

 

         Sri Krishna first demolished the front fortresses with His sword and then cut off all the bonds that encircled the enemy’s city. The city was guarded by another rakshasa, named “Mura-asura”. A fierce battle started between Mura and Garuda; a powerful club (gada) was thrown at the celestial bird, but Krishna’s timely action broke the club into pieces. Soon Murasura with his five heads succumbed to Krishna’s weapon and the city’s protection was gone. But the seven sons of Mura got enraged and came onto Lord Krishna, Garuda, and Satyabhama.

 

         The final act of fight between Narakasura and Krishna is interesting; the descriptions vary a little. In one account Satyabhama shot the crucial arrow at Naraka (for ex: see the old B/W Telugu movie, “Deepavali”) and killed him instantaneously. In another narration Sri Krishna sitting behind Satya delivered the final arrow. In the Telugu Srimad-Bhagavatam Sri Krishna killed Naraka with His chakra. In either way, Lord Brhama’s boon was fulfilled in letter and spirit: No one other than the Bhudevi could vanquish Narakasura. Bhudevi came back as Satyabhama in Dwapara-yuga. She took upon herself the responsibility of protecting the earth, people, and the innocent devotees from the ravages of Naraka-asura. The devas from heaven poured flowers on Krishna and Satyabhama and the celestials lighted their adobes rejoicing the victory. Sri Krishna went into the city and liberated sixteen thousand ladies, languishing in the jails of Naraka-asura.

 

         On the chaturdasi (lunar 14th) day, our mother made us get up at 4:30 a.m. early in the wee hours. This is the auspicious Brahma-muhurt. We (school going children then) were given the full body bath including shampooing. The bath usually started with a dab of sesame seed oil on our heads. If mother had time and patience, we used to get a full body oil bath and shampoo with either ritha or shikakayi. Then we would don clean pressed clothes (or new custom tailored ones) and go out for play. On the Deepavali evening, we would first light oil lamps (with cotton wicks) and decorate them in lines (hence the festival’s name) near front door, porch, balcony, and on terrace. Then a brief puja to Krishna (Narayana) and Lakshmi followed by an offering of sweets and other dishes. At home we also lighted gongura (hibiscus ) stems with oil dripping cotton wicks and showed the hanging lights towards southern direction (Yama), chanting the Telugu verse: “దివ్వి దివ్వి దివట్టం, మళ్ళీ వచ్చే నాగుల చవితి”. 

 

         ( यत् भावं तत् भवति !) On such holy festival days, especially during the Brahma-muhurt, the bathing waters at home when properly invoked will contain the sacred waters of Ganga, Jamuna, Narmada, Godavari, Kaveri, and other Indian rivers. Not only that, the sesame seed oil becomes the seat of Sri Maha Lakshmi. In writing this article I’ve trusted my own childhood memories, listened to Sri Chaganti, and watched the old Telugu movie (దీపావళి). Also, I’ve consulted the Telugu Srimad-Bhagavatam (translated by Potana, published circa 1920). If there is a hapless orphan child or a very poor maid somewhere in India or abroad, how could that distraught individual perform Diwali? How could one celebrate the auspicious festival without money, time, or resources? Perhaps, one can just get up early in the morning and take a bath. Or, gather some autumn dry leaves and light up a small bonfire. Perhaps gather all thoughts and sincerely pray to mother Sri Maha-Lakshmi for Her grace, just spend a few meditative moments. The compassionate Lakshmi came to the rescue of Lord Indra, Kuchela, and others. Won’t She listen to my prayers? Won’t She remove my distress? A guru will surely intervene in such a situation and bring happiness to the child.