Deepavali - Diwali - Lakshmi Puja

Deepavali or Diwali - Festival of Lights or Array of Lights or Row of Lights. Deepavali is the major Indian festival celebrated by all religious people. This festival is mainly celebrated by Hindus. Deepavali is celebrated as Lakshmi Puja or Lakshmi Pooja by North Indian people. This year Deepavali festival falls on October 27, 2008 (Monday). There are so many reasons to celebrate this Diwali. Major events associated with this festival are:

Killing of Narakasura - Narakasuran a devil destructing the world who is the son of Sathyabama an incarnation of Bhumadevi (Goddess of Earth). Purana says, Lord Krishna provokes his wife Satyabhama to kill Narakasuran by pretending to be injured by the demon. Narakasuran can only be killed by his mother. Narakasuran was killed by Lord Krishna himself on the day of Chaturdasi. People celebrated this day as "Naraka Chaturdasi". Before death, Narakasuran requested a boon from his mother, that everyone should celebrate his death with colorful lights. Also he requested that on this occasion, everyone should take oil bath (Naraka Chaturdasi Snanam or Ganga Snanam), wearing new clothes and dresses, intake sweets and fire crackers.

Return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya - On this day, Lord Rama came back to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and a war between the devil Ravana and himself. People lit on the oil lamps when Lord Rama arrived Ayodhya.

Kedhara Gowri Vrata - Skanda Purana says Goddess Shakti observed 21 days of vrata to get half of the body of Lord Shiva. The completion day of this vrata is celebrated as Deepavali. Lord Shiva accepted Shakti into the left half of the form and appeared as Ardhanarishwara. Hence all the women in India believe this Kedhara Gauri Vrata in order to get half of the rights from their husbands.

Wish You A Very Happy Deepavali - Diwali 2008