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| Dev Deepavali or Gangaotsav in Varanasi |
Dev Deepavali is a celestial happening in the holy banks of River
Ganga in the oldest living city on earth, Banaras or Varanasi. Milions of
illuminated earthen lamps dot the stairs of various Ghats and adjoining
majestic palatial buildings with an equal number seen floating gingerly on the
holy waters of the river. There is a strong aroma of incense and a crowd of
unimaginable proportions. Sacred chanting of Mantras renders a religious fervor
to the divine occasion. Varanasi celebrates this festival on the auspicious day
of Kartik Poornima- fifteen days after Deepawali. It falls on the full moon of
the Hindu month of Kartik (November - December).
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| Ganga Aarti |
The celebrations are as old as the city itself and have been recorded
even by Ptolemy and Huang Tsang among others, when several million earthen
lamps are lit at Sunset on the steps of the Ghats. However, the celebrations as
we see today, the tradition of lighting the lamps on the steps of the ghats, the
thousands of small and big temples ans on the river surface on the Dev
Deepawali festival day was first started at the Panchganga Ghat in 1985.
If mythology is to be believed then this occasion is marked to
celebrate the victory of Lord Shiva over the dreaded demon Tripurasur. That is
the reason why in Varanasi the occasion is also called Tripurotsav. The main
rituals performed by devotees consist of kartik snan (taking a
holy bath in the Ganges during the month of Kartika) and deepdan (offering
of oil lighted lamps) to Ganga in the evening. When the dusk sets the steps of
the ghats, the riverfront of Ganga and all the temples in the banks of the holy
river lit up with millions of earthen lamps or Diyas. Right from Ravidas
Ghat at the southern end to Rajghat in the north,
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| The full moon of Kartik Poornima |
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| Steps of the Ghats studded with earthen lamps |
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| A traffic jam of boats in the banks of Ganges to watch the Ganga aarti |
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| Ganga Aarti as seen from the boat |
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| A divine sight during the aarti |
million earthen lamps are
lit in honour of the holy river, the Ganges, and its presiding goddess.
The gods are believed to descend to Earth to bathe in the Ganges on this day!
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| A sea of humanity but all well organized |
For an outsider it is an amazing site, but for the devout Indian
it is a time to worship the Holy Ganges. Dev Deepawali is also the culmination
of month long Kartik Mahotsava, which starts from the day of Sharad Poornima. This
also coincides with the end of Ganga Mahotsva, which takes place at Rajendra
Prasad Ghat and Dasaswamedh Ghat for the previous three days. Houses are
decorated with oil lamps and colored designs called ‘alpana’ on their front
doors. Firecrackers are burnt at night, processions of decorated deities are
taken out into the streets of Varanasi, and oil lamps are set afloat on the
river.
Besides a religious role, the festival is also the occasion when
the martyrs are remembered at the ghats by worshipping Ganga and lighting lamps
watching the aarti. This is organized by Ganga Seva Nidhi when wreaths are placed
at Amar Jawan Jyoti at Dashashwamedh Ghat and also at the adjoining
Rajendra Prasad Ghat by police officials of the Varanasi District, 39
Gorkha Training Centre, 95 CRPF battalion, 4 Air Force Selection
Board and 7 UP battalion of NCC (Naval), and Benares Hindu
University (BHU). The traditional last post is also performed by all the
three armed forces (Army, Navy and Air force), followed by a
closing ceremony, where sky lamps are lit. Patriotic songs, hymns, and bhajans
are sung and the Bhagirath Shourya Samman awards are presented.
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| A long shot of the ghats from the banks |
This is a very special River Festival of Varanasi and it is a
must see for all visitors to the Holy City. The festival is best enjoyed by
taking a leisurely boat ride on the Ganges from around 5.30 P.M. in the evening
for 2-3 hours or by just walking on the banks of River Ganges. Boat rides along
the riverfront in the evening are popular among tourists, when all the ghats
are lit with lamps and aarti is being performed.
Ganga Mahotsav, as it is often referred to, is a tourist-centric festival in
Varanasi. The sight of a million lamps (both floating and fixed)
lighting the ghats and river in vivid colors renders a breathtaking sight. On
the night of the festival, thousands of devotees from the holy city of
Varanasi, surrounding villages, and across the country gather in the evening on
the ghats of the Ganges to watch the aarti. The local government makes several
intensive security arrangements to ensure order during the festival. Extra
trains and flights are arranged and the city is all prepared to welcome these
annual guests!
If you are ever in this part of the world during this time don’t
miss out on this out of the world experience!
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