So last week was spent in cleaning and de-cluttering. Cupboard by cupboard, room by room and shelf by shelf . Each item was taken out, inspected and kept back or pitched out.

Walls were wiped down, floors scrubbed clean, brass polished and the house looking ready to welcome anyone and everyone, especially good luck.

Luck plays a significant role in one’s life, and this year we are fortunate to be able to celebrate. Last year, I lost both my parents in quick succession and with my father passing so close to Diwali, I didn’t feel festive at all .

But whether I feel festive or not, it doesn’t matter, Diwali is celebrated over five days . However, officially, the government has declared two days of holiday. And, of course, with changing times, celebrations are often determined by weekends and everyone’s convenience in getting together.

And on each of the five days of Diwali, we celebrate . different aspects of life.

Vasu Baras: Appreciating Nature

A day prior to the actual five day festival, the 12th day of fortnight of the waning moon in the month of Kartik is celebrated as Vasu Baras or the Festival of the Cow and Calf .this is of special significance in Maharashtra where it marks our appreciation and gratitude to Nature symbolised as the cow who gives us milk . So on this day, we worship the cow and thank her for her bounteous gift.

The relationship between a cow and her calf also symbolises the deep bond that exists between a mother and child. So on this day mothers observe a special fast to ward off the evil eye from their kids and be blessed with good luck.

However, having been a city dweller all my life I’ve never had a cow in my backyard so I’ve never fed a cow. Nor have I ever kept a fast for my children . But I do think this is a unique way of acknowledging this deep bond.

Dhantrayodashi- Appreciating abundance

The first day is Dhantrayodashi a day to acknowledge abundance in one’s life. Typically this is observed by the Trading community. And in our home, we just light an oil lamp at dawn and dusk and purchase some jewellery or household gadget/pots that are on my wish list.

Narak Chaturdashi- Celebrating the victory of goodness over evil

On this dark moonless night the demon Narkasur who had once terrorised the earth was slain by Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama.

This day of great rejoicing and enlightenment is celebrated with lit oil lamps.

It also happened to be the day Lord Rama returned triumphantly to his kingdom after fourteen tumultuous years of exile. So we continue the tradition of welcoming Him into our homes with lights, floral garlands and rangoli designs on the floor.

Laxmi Pujan -worshipping wealth

This is the main celebration of Diwali where the Goddess of Wealth is welcomed home after she emerges from the churning of the sea. Since our family is not Baniya or a family of traders our Puja is not a grand affair but the simple worship of a silver coin engraved with the goddess Laxmi.

Padva: appreciating new beginnings

The next day which is the beginning of the new month is one of the 3 1/2 auspicious days where every moment is propitious enough to begin a new venture ( without the go-ahead of an astrologer and his calculations).

Among the trading community this is considered as their New Year and start a new accounting year with a puja .

This day is of special significance for married couples when the wife appreciates her husband and honours him with a lighted lamp aarati. Naturally, he gives her a gift in return.

This is also the day when daughters honour their fathers and mothers honour their children. Needless to say, there is an exchange of gifts. Strange as it may sound, gifts are generally cash which is kept in the tray with the lamp. 

Bhau Beej : appreciating one’s brothers.

Brothers played a very important role in a Hindu woman’s life, especially when it came to protecting her interests. Thus on this day, a brother is invited to his sister’s home for a good meal.

Once again the sister performs the lit lamp ritual invoking the divine to bless and protect her brother and he gives her a gift.

Legend has it that Yami’s husband annoyed Lord and vowed to kill him . Hearing this Yami (Yama’s twin sister) placated her brother with a fabulous meal and spared her husband’s life !

Last words

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This year our Diwali celebration is quiet as we aren’t having the BIG family do at our home. Prima Donna Ms Papaya and I are going to be out of town and Anna Shetty and her family too is celebrating Diwali away from home.

We may have brunch, breakfast or lunch together as a family sometime before Diwali but what we are going to do is definitely have a good time.

Happy Diwali to all those who celebrate this festival and good wishes to those who do not.

Ciao

An attempt to explain the aarati or honouring a person with the lit lamp

The person who is being ‘honoured’ is made to sit in an East West orientation. His forehead is dotted with vermillion and some rice sprinkled on the head. Then the tray with the lit lamp is circled in front of the person.