Significance of the Month of October in Hindu Calendar
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NARKA-CHATURDASHI OR |
DHANTERAS OR |
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PADWA OR |
LAKSHMI-PUJA OR |
“BHAYYA-DUJ” OR |
The
Hindu
month of Kaartika (October - November)
commences with the celebrations of Vijaya Dasami/Dusshera Monday 10-02-2006
(the ending of Navaratri), Lakshmi Puja
Monday 10-09-2006, Karwa Chauth Tuesday 10-10-2006 and with the greatest
celebrations of Indian festival - Diwali Saturday 10-21-2006!
Significance of Dussera or Vijayadasami!
The 10th
day of Navaratri is Dussera or Vijayadasami. Besides Bengal and Central India,
Dussera Parva is celebrated in other Indian states with equal zeal and
enthusiasm though with regional differences. The nine days preceding Dussera in
Tamil Nadu have been equally
divided for worshipping the three Goddesses Durga, Saraswati and Lakshmi. The
women and children of Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh and Karnataka arrange dolls known as Bommai Kolu on artificial steps and decorate the steps and the
nearby place with beautiful lamps and flowers. Women exchange gifts comprising
of coconuts, clothes and sweets and visit their friends and acquaintances
during these 10 days of the festival. On the tenth night after the ceremonial
aarti and prayers the, `Marapachi'
dolls are put to sleep. From the very first day of the festival, songs and
stories form a part of the celebration and a dish made out of chickpeas, beans
and lentils known as 'chundal' is
made for the dolls to relish. Vijayadasami is the day when the whole set up is
taken down. This day is considered very auspicious, especially for the children
to begin their education in classical dance and music. Children also pay homage
to their teachers on this day.
Dussera
is welcomed in Punjab after nine
days of fasting, while in Gujarat, Garba dance and music reigns the evenings
and nights. Here, the women dance to the tunes of the rhythmic clapping of
hands as they dance around the earthen lamp, singing devotional songs in the
honor of the Mother Goddess. Ramalila is the backbone of the celebration in
northern India, where the scenes from Rama's life are depicted, especially
Bharat Milap, the reunion of Ram with his brother Bharat, the destruction of
Ravana (the highlight of Dussehra) and the return of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita
to Ayodhya, after fourteen years of exile. In Himachal Pradesh's Kulu valley, ceremonial festivities and
grand processions of the village deities of the hill people marks Dussera;
while Mysore is famous for a
gala procession of richly bedecked elephants on the brightly lit streets of the
city.
Significance of Karwa Chauth
'Karwa
Chauth' is a ritual of fasting observed by married Hindu women seeking the
longevity, well-being and prosperity of their husbands. It is popular amongst
married women in the northern and western parts of India, especially, Haryana,
Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. This festival comes 9 days before
Diwali on 'kartik ki chauth', i.e., on the fourth day of the new moon
immediately after Dussera, in the month of 'Karthik' (October-November). The
term 'Chauth' means the 'fourth day' and 'Karwa' is an earthen pot with a spout
- a symbol of peace and prosperity - that is necessary for the rituals. Hence
the name 'Karwa Chauth'.
According
to legend, on the occasion of
this vrat (Fast) a kalash (small container) is filled with either milk or
water. In that kalash is placed Pancha Ratna (five pieces of different metals
gold, silver, copper, brass and iron). The kalash is then presented to a
Brahmin and also exchanged with other married women. While thus presenting the
kalash, a wishful prayer is offered to Lord Ganesh: "Let the offerings of
this Karva (Karak (gift bring long life to my husband and may my saubhagya be
everlasting". And express such desire that ‘May my death precede that of my
husband so that I can enter the chitaa (funeral pyre) as a bride (not as a
widow).
This katha (narrative) first took place between Siva and Parvati. Siva told Parvati about the significance of Karva Vrat. In Dwapar Yuga, Draupadi asked Lord Krishna about the vrat of Karva Chauth. Thereafter, the very first time this vrat was observed in the town of Shukraprastha by Veeravati, the daughter of Vedsharma and Leelavati. Ever since, this vrat has been observed by married women.
Married women keep a strict fast and do not take even a drop of water. They wake up early in the morning, perform their ablutions, and wear new and festive raiment. Shiva, Parvati and their son Kartikeya are worshipped on this day along with the 10 'karwas' (earthen pots) filled with sweets. The Karwas are given to daughters and sisters along with gifts. It is the most important and difficult fast observed by married Hindu women. (Unmarried women, widows, and spinsters are barred from observing this fast.) It begins before sunrise and ends only after offering prayers and worshipping the moon at night. Women from all over the neighborhood gather in a group and narrate mythological stories that tell the significance of Karwa Chauth.
Significance of the All Indian Festival
Diwali or Deepavali
Diwali
is a five day Hindu festival which occurs on Amavasya – (15th day of the dark
fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin (Aasho) (October / November)). Diwali
means ‘rows of lighted lamps’ and the
celebration are often referred to as the Festival of Lights. During this time,
homes are cleaned to welcome Laksmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity.
Lamps are lit, gifts are exchanged, and festive meals are prepared. Fireworks
light the night sky and the children join in the fun and frolic. Markets
are gaily decorated and people are attired in new and bright
clothes. Families visit each other and exchange gifts.
Every
home - low or mighty - the hut of the poor or the mansion of the rich - is alit
with the orange glow of twinkling diyas (small earthen lamps). Multi-colored Rangoli designs; floral
decorations and fireworks lend grandeur. Diwali is celebrated all over India.
It symbolizes the age-old culture of our country which teaches us to vanquish
ignorance that subdues humanity and to drive away darkness that engulfs the
light of knowledge.
Celebration of Diwali - The Five Nights of Rows of Lighted
Lamps!
The First Day is called DHANTERAS or DHANTRAYODASI which
falls on the thirteenth day of the month of Ashwin. The word "Dhan"
means wealth. 
As such this day
of the five-day Diwali festival has a great importance for the mercantile
community of Western India. Houses and business premises are renovated and
decorated. Entrances are decorated with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli.
To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice
flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all
through the night.
"Lakshmi-Puja" is
performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the
shadows of evil spirits. "Bhajans"-devotional songs- in praise of
Goddess Lakshmi are sung and "Naivedya" of traditional sweets is
offered to the Goddess. There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly
pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer as Naivedya.
A
very interesting story about this day is of the sixteen year old son of King
Hima. According to his horoscope, he was destined to die by a snake-bite on the
fourth day of his marriage. On that particular day, his young wife did not
allow him to sleep. She laid all the ornaments, gold and silver coins in a big
heap at the entrance of her husband's bed and lit lamps all around. She then
sang songs of devotion all night. When Yama, the god of Death arrived there in
the guise of a serpent, his eyes were blinded by the dazzle of the brilliant
lights and he could not enter the Prince's chamber. So, he climbed on to the
top of the ornaments and coins and sat there the whole night listening to the
melodious songs. In the morning he quietly went away. Thus the young wife saved
her husband from the clutches of death. Since then this day of Dhanteras came
to be known as the day of "Yama Peedan" and
lamps are kept burning throughout the night in reverential adoration to Yama, the
God of Death.
The Second Day is called NARAKA-CHATURDASI or CHOTI DIWALI which falls on the
fourteenth day of the month of Ashwin. Legend has it that the demon king
Narakasura, ruler of Pragjyotishpur (a province to the South of Nepal),
defeated Lord Indra and snatched away the magnificent earrings of Aditi. He
then imprisoned sixteen thousand daughters of the gods and saints in his
harem. Lord Krishna then killed the
demon and liberated the imprisoned damsels and also recovered those precious
earrings of 
Aditi. As a
symbol of that victory Lord Krishna smeared his forehead with the demon king's
blood. Krishna returned home in the very early morning of the Narakachaturdashi
day. The womenfolk massaged scented oil to his body and gave bathed him to wash
away the filth from his body. Since then, the custom of bathing before sunrise
on this day has become a traditional practice especially in South India.
Another
legend is about King Bali of the nether world, whose mighty power had become a
threat to the gods. In order to curb his powers Lord Vishnu in the guise of a
Batu Vaman- a small boy- visited him and begged him to give him only that much
land which he could cover with his three steps. Known for his philanthropy King
Bali proudly granted him his wish. That very moment that small boy transformed
himself into the all-powerful Lord Vishnu. With his first step Lord Vishnu
covered the entire heaven, with the second step the earth and asked Bali where
to set his third step. Bali offered his head. Putting his foot on his head
Vishnu pushed him down to the underworld. At the same time for his generosity
Lord Vishnu gave him the lamp of knowledge and allowed him to return to earth
once a year to light millions of lamps to dispel the darkness and ignorance and
spread the radiance of love and wisdom. Narakachaturdasi day therefore is
dedicated to lights and prayers heralding a future full of joy and laughter.
The Third Day of the festival of
Diwali is the most important day of LAKSHMI-PUJA which is entirely devoted to the propitiation of Goddess
Lakshmi. This day is also known by the name of "CHOPADA-PUJA". On this day sun enters his second course and passes
Libra which is represented by the balance or scale. Hence, this design of Libra
is believed to have suggested the balancing of account books and their closing.
Despite the fact that this day falls on an amavasya, it is regarded auspicious.
The day of Lakshmi-Puja falls on the dark
night of Amavasya. The strains of joyous sounds of bells and drums float from
the temples. It is believed that on this day Lakshmi walks through the green
fields and loiters through the by-lanes and showers her blessings on man for
plenty and prosperity. When the sun sets in the evening and ceremonial worship
is finished, home-made sweets are offered to the goddess as "Naivedya" and distributed as "Prasad". Feasts are arranged and
gifts are exchanged. On this day gaily dressed men, women and children go to
temples and fairs, visit friends and relatives.
One
of the most curious customs which characterizes this festival of Diwali is the
indulgence of gambling, especially on a large scale in North India. It is
believed that goddess Parvati played dice with her husband, Lord Shiv on this
day and she decreed that whosoever gambled on Diwali night would prosper
throughout the ensuring year. This tradition of playing cards- flush and rummy
with stakes on this particular day continues even to-day.
The Fourth Day is PADWA or VARSHAPRATIPADA which marks the coronation of King Vikramaditya and
Vikaram-Samrat was started from this Padwa day. Govardhan-Puja is also
performed in the North on this day. As per Vishnu-Purana, the people of Gokul
used to celebrate a festival in honor of Lord Indira and 
worshipped him
after the end of every monsoon season. One particular year, young Krishna
stopped them from offering prayers to Lord Indra, who in terrible anger sent a
deluge to submerge Gokul. But Krishna saved his Gokul by lifting up the
Govardhan Mountain and holding it over the people as an umbrella. On this day
of Diwali, people of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar build cow dung
hillocks, decorate them with flowers and then worship them.
This
day is also observed as Annakoot
meaning mountain of food. In temples especially in Mathura and Nathadwara, the
deities are given milk abhishekam, dressed in shining attire with ornaments of
dazzling diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious stones. After the prayers
and traditional worship, delicious sweets are ceremoniously raised in the form
of a mountain before the deities as "Bhog" and then the devotees
approach the Mountain of Food and take Prasad from it.
Goddess
Lakshmi is worshipped in every Hindu household and her blessings sought for
success and happiness. This day is looked upon as the most auspicious day to
start any new venture. In many Hindu homes it is a custom for the wife to put
the red tilak on the forehead of her
husband, garland him perform "Aarti" with a prayer for his long life.
In appreciation of all the tender care that the wife showers on him, the
husband gives her a gift. This Gudi Padwa is symbolic of love and devotion
between the wife and husband. On this day newly-married daughters with their
husbands are invited for special meals and given presents. In olden days
brothers would bring their sisters from their in-laws’ home for this important
day.
The Fifth Day of Diwali
Festival is known by the name of “BHAYYA-DUJ” in the
Hindi-speaking belt, "BHAV-BIJ" in the Marathi-speaking communities, and in Nepal by the
name of "BHAI-TIKA". 
As legend goes,
Yamraj, the God of Death visited his sister Yami on this particular day. She
applied tilak on his forehead,
garlanded him and fed him with special dishes. While leaving, Yamraj gave her a
special gift as a token of his love and in return Yami also gave him a lovely
gift which she had made with her own hands. On that day, Yamraj announced that
anyone who receives tilak from his
sister will never be overthrown. That is why this day of Bhayyaduj is also known by the name of "YAMA-DWITIYA" Since then this day is being observed as a symbol of
love between sisters and brothers. It became also imperative for the brother to
go to his sister's house to celebrate Bhayyaduj.
Sources:
http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/ethnic_relig/diwali.html
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