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dev deepawali festival

Date

Dates

To be Announced
Location

Location

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Dev Deepawali Festival

Dev Deepawali Festival

India is the epicentre of a plethora of cultures and ethnicity. It is replete with examples of traditions which exemplify our rich heritage and embolden our spirits. The whole year is filled with a multitude of festivals and celebrations which keep enlivening up the aura and spread the vibe of goodness.
The festivity that surrounds us is not even congested to one place. In fact, even the language we speak changes every few kilometers. Therefore, it is pretty much obvious that there is an expansive version of variety when it comes to festivals as well.
When we juggle between north India, South India or northeastern India; we find completely different sets of traditions, beliefs and practices. India is an overwhelming place with too much to absorb at once. It has a place for every emotion and every ethnicity.
Therefore, it provides me with a sense of composure and excitement at the same time while describing one of the biggest festivities in our country: the Dev Deepawali celebrated in Varanasi every year.

History
History

This grand festival signifies the worship of Lord Shiva on Tripura Purnima. This is festival of grandeur and charisma because it is believed that the Gods descend on this day.

In other words; the Dev Deepawali literally means (‘dev’ means Gods and ‘Deepawali’ means Diwali: the festival of lights) “The Diwali of Gods”. It holds a special system of adornment and is celebrated in the city of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India.

The festival is celebrated in the months of November-December. The date is decided according to the Hindu calendar on the poornima of Kartika month. All poornima’s or full moons are deeply revered by Indians because of the positive austerity and sanctity associated with this phenomenon.

The Ravidas Ghat and the Rajghat at Varanasi serve as the boundaries within which this festival is celebrated with grandeur. Dev Deepawali was celebrated for the first time at PanchGanga ghat in 1985.

The ghats along these premises are in the form of steps. Hence, the entire arena becomes star lit when every such step within the premises of the two ghats is lighted with millions of lamps.

It is believed that on this auspicious day, the Gods descend from their heavenly abodes and bless us by taking a dip in the holy waters of the Ganges. Thus, the water of the sanctimonious river becomes even more respected and adored on this day.

Ceremony
Ceremony

This festival is much like the Diwali celebrated with utmost grace and chirp all across the northern India albeit at a much larger scale. All the people blessed enough to be a part of this occasion light their homes with oil lamps and rangolis. Not just Diwali, in fact, the Dev Deepawali feels like an immersion extracting the best of so many cultures and festivals within our country and putting it at one place.

Like Durga Pooja prevalent is areas of West Bengal; especially Kolkata and Ganeshotsava celebrated with all the heightened spirits in Maharashtra; even the Dev Deepawali includes a tradition of taking a procession of their deity on to the streets of Varanasi.

Festivity
Festivity

People create spirit of togetherness, connection and come out in large numbers. These beautiful traditions are not just about celebrating a particular day. In fact, this is way we Indians celebrate the spirit of brotherhood and display the message that we are all one. Through these ceremonies, we come together and deepen not just our relationship with God but also confirm that all of us have been placed on this Earth as each other brothers and sisters.

We stand by each other in good times and in bad. We celebrate the festivities together and celebrate our spirit of existence to its best. It is a way we take time out of our busy schedules to remind ourselves of the ultimate purpose of life i.e. seeking God.

These festivals are so important for us so that life can happen in all its razzmatazz while simultaneously assuring us and teaching us that we don’t get into the illusion this world offers. For us, these have deeper meanings and significance than just having a day out.

With these thoughtful progressions is mind, we set afloat the oil lamps in the river of Ganges.

Rituals
Rituals

As described before, the devotees believe in the descent of their deity and the Gods to take a dip in the river of Ganges. Therefore, the main ritual is to bath in the holy water of Ganges followed by a Ganga aarti in the evening.

It is a 5 day festivity with the largest ceremony on the concluding day of Kartik Poornima which is the day of the Dev Deepawali.

A sight to behold

The Ghats of Varanasi during this festival of Gods is a not to miss site for any tourist. This is an extract of the various cultures of India. Many tourists describe this as a breathtaking experience because there is too much for the sense and the soul.

Also, a major attraction during this time is the boat ride in the midst of this revelry. Sitting in the lap of the river with lamps surrounding you all through the Ghats in addition to the faraway sights of each home with a mesmerizing lighted appearance is nothing short of a heavenly ride.

We can assure you that your soul will be drenched in the holiness of tradition and devotion. After visiting this ceremony, you can never be the same person. This experience opens every knot in the human consciousness and illuminates the deepest of thoughts into expressions.

The earthen lamps also have a specific tradition to them. They are set afloat on the river by 21 Brahmins and 41 maiden young girls while the Vedic mantras are chanted in the background.

The completion

To complete the journey and quest which took you here, let your soul experience the contrast by visiting the ghats after all ceremonies are over as well. The sudden tranquility after the shower of holy sounds will leave you serene and thoughtful. And that is exactly what any excursion is meant to do!

How to reach

Varanasi is well connected to all major cities of India. There are several flights for the Delhi to Varanasi route. International passengers can directly come to Delhi and take a connecting flight to Varanasi.

All major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata also have railway connectivity to the two railway stations of Varanasi i.e. Varanasi Junction and Kashi Junction.

Varanasi can also be easily reached through well connected system of roads. Also, there are plenty of hotels to make your stay comfortable and joyful.

Come here to witness the magnitude of life!

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