The Ancient Tale When Gods Celebrated Diwali: Dev Deepavali
What is Dev Deepavali?
Varanasi, also known as Kashi, is often considered one of the oldest cities in the world. According to many archaeologists, this forever-evolving city is often compared with the ancient cities of Babylon. The spiritual hub resonates an aura that attracts travellers and pilgrims to seek positivity and enlightenment, making the place one of the most important spiritual tourist locations around the world that gives a tough competition to the Vatican. Amongst its important festivals, Dev Deepavali, which occurs during the full moon night of Kartika Purnima, is considered the most important event that is not only spiritual but has a mythological backstory. This article describes the origin of Dev Deepawali and its importance to Varanasi’s tourism industry.
The Wrath Of Tripurasura
According to the ancient belief, the city of Varanasi was once a holy place where gods used to manifest themselves in physical forms to visit and help humankind. The land once belonged to Lord Vishnu, one of the main gods of the Hindu trinity, but was later gifted to Lord Shiva in exchange for Badrinath (another spiritual place in India). Since then, Lord Shiva became relevant with the lands of Varanasi. Back then it was a hub where the supernatural mixed with human civilization, but soon a trio of demon kings (the Asura brothers), collectively called Tripurasura (Tarakaksha, Vidyunmāli, and Kamalaksha), attacked the land and banished all the gods who came to visit the place, including Lord Shiva, who was the spiritual successor of the holy land. They even attacked all the realms, conquering Amrawati (the place where Indra rules) and hell. Life started to crumble as the demon brothers started destroying civilizations one after another.
The Pashupatastra
Shiva, at his weakest form, took refuge at Mount Malayagiri, as his home, Kailasha, was also taken from him. Lord Vishnu and the Naga king, Vasuki, came to his rescue, gifting him one of the most important divine weapons in Indian mythology, the Pashupatastra, to destroy the demon brothers. All the gods started to worship Lord Shiva as the only hope who can destroy the trio. But for him it was a tough decision, as the brothers were great devotees of Lord Ganesh (Shiva’s Son). But seeing the unnatural destruction, Lord Shiva decided to kill Tripurasura. After a great battle, Lord Shiva managed to kill Tripurasura with the help of the divine weapon, Pashupatastra. This divine weapon later on was gifted to Arjuna to fight for the greater good in the Mahabharata.
The Celebration Of Dev Deepawali
Shiva, after liberating the 3 realms (Heaven, Earth, and the Underworld) from the demon brothers, bestows his compassion and care on the entire universe. He also invited all of the gods back to his holy land, Varanasi. This is the sole reason Varanasi has so many temples dedicated to various gods and demi-gods when compared to other parts of the world. To celebrate this great victory, the gods celebrated Diwali on the full moon night of Kartika Purnima, thus creating the tradition of celebrating Dev Deepavali (Diwali of Gods). Each year on the 15th of November, Varanasi witnesses a divine transformation of fireworks, light, and diyas to celebrate the auspicious event.
The Modern Interpretation Of Dev Deepavali And It’s Local Profit
Today, Dev Deepawali is an amalgamation of oil lamps, fireworks, laser shows, and enchanted lightings that attract not only the nation but also the foreigners to come and visit the divine land. This generates a huge profit for the local markets. The boats, which typically cost between Rs. 100 and Rs. 200 per person, cost between Rs. 2000 and Rs. 3000 (per person) to see the events held on Varanasi’s Ghats. Due to huge demand, people are willing to give the money to witness the divine moment. The program starts with the boats taking one round of the different ghats, starting the program with the evening arti, then it goes to Chet Singh Ghat, where the laser show takes place; after that, the boats stand near the Manikarnika Ghat, where the event of fireworks takes place. Since the event takes place on the opposite side, that area provides the best visuals. After that, the boat gives you a complimentary ride to Assi Ghat and drops the passengers at the starting point. Not only the boats but also the local market booms during the time. As people come to celebrate Dev Deepawali, they also pay homage to Lord Shiva at the Kashi Viswanath Temple, making the local flower and puja market skyrocket.
Conclusion
The celebration of Dev Deepawali is an amalgamation of both ancient lore and modern socio- economical market, surrounding the divine land of Varanasi. The celebration not only benefits the people of Varanasi but also takes an individual to the spiritual realm of gods and demons. Dev Deepavali is a love letter to Sanatan Dharma that not only provides spiritual awakenings but also produces greater feelings than any modern-day rock performance.