Bali and Vaamana Pattachitra courtsey : pinterest
Kartika Shukla Pratipada ie the first day of the bright half of the month of Kartika is celebrated as Bali pratipada. The festival is linked to the legend of the demon king Bali and Vaamana avataara of Vishnu. In some parts of Gujrat and Maharashtra this day is celebrated as a New year day of Vikram Samvat.
The next day is celebrated as Bhau beej / Bhaiyya Dooj or Yamadwitiya.
Mythology :
Vishnu was born to Aditi and Kashyapa as Vaamana. He was a dwarf and had the paraphernalia of a Brahmin child. He went to the sacrifice of the demon king Bali and asked him to give three steps of land in charity. Bali agreed and immediately Vaamana began to grow enormously. He covered the earth with one foot and the celestial world with the other. There was no place to keep the third step. Bali offered his head as the third place to keep the Lord’s foot. Vaamana pushed Bali right through the earth into the nether worlds. But Vaamana was overcome by Bali’s righteousness and offered him the kingdom of Paataal (nether regions). He also permitted him to visit his subjects on earth once in a year. This event is celebrated on Bali Pratipadaa. Bali is to be crowned as the next Indra. Vaamana is also known as Trivikrama as he conquered the three worlds with his feet.
The next day is celebrated as Bhau beej / Bhaiyya Dooj or Yamadwitiya.
Mythology :
Vishnu was born to Aditi and Kashyapa as Vaamana. He was a dwarf and had the paraphernalia of a Brahmin child. He went to the sacrifice of the demon king Bali and asked him to give three steps of land in charity. Bali agreed and immediately Vaamana began to grow enormously. He covered the earth with one foot and the celestial world with the other. There was no place to keep the third step. Bali offered his head as the third place to keep the Lord’s foot. Vaamana pushed Bali right through the earth into the nether worlds. But Vaamana was overcome by Bali’s righteousness and offered him the kingdom of Paataal (nether regions). He also permitted him to visit his subjects on earth once in a year. This event is celebrated on Bali Pratipadaa. Bali is to be crowned as the next Indra. Vaamana is also known as Trivikrama as he conquered the three worlds with his feet.
Trivikrama sculpture. courtesy : pinterest.
note the small figures of Bali and Vaamana near the right side of the base lotus.
note the small figures of Bali and Vaamana near the right side of the base lotus.
Rituals of Bali Pratipada:
On the day of Balipratipada people take an oil bath like that on Narakachaturdashi. They wear new clothes. In the evening wives wave oil lamps before their husband and receive gifts in return. The newly wedded couple is invited to the girl’s house for their first Diwali Paadwa and served sumptuous meals and gifts.
Bali pooja is also done in some houses. An image of king Bali with made with coloured rice and worshipped. People pray to him with the following mantra
बलिराज नमस्तुभ्यं विरोचनसुत प्रभो | baliraaja namastubhyam virochanasuta prabho
भविष्येंद्र सुराराते पूजेयं प्रतिगृह्यताम् || bhavishyendra suraaraate poojeyam pratigruhyataam
I bow to you King Bali, thou who art the son of Virochana O Lord ! Thou being earlier the enemy of the Devas are now the future Indra . Please accept my worship.
Govardhana pooja : Krishna discontinued the worship of Indra and instead urged the cowherds to worship Govardhana hill which he felt was the actual haven for cows of Vraja. This Pooja was performed and Indra was furious. He lashed Vraja with heavy rains and thunder but Krishna lifted up Govardhana and everybody took shelter under its canopy for a week. Indra was humbled and worshipped Krishna.
To mark this event, Govardhana of cowdung is made in some households and worshipped on Bali Pratipada.
Annakoota : In some temples there is a custom of making a heap of all sorts of delicacies and offering it to the Lord. People come from far and near to watch the spectacle.
Maargapaali Bandhana: The entry point of the village is decorated with a string of darbha with Ashoka leaves. The headman worships this festoon and all people walk underneath this Maargapaali to ensure progeny and prosperity.
Custom:
Chopda Poojan : New account books and Bill books are worshipped and used from this day in many shops and business establishments.
Yamadwitiya :
Who so ever worships Yama in the late afternoon after having a bath in the Yamuna on the second day of the bright half of Kartika shall never go to hell.
Ritual
The Bhavishyottara Purana says that Yama was invited to dine at his sister Yamunaa’s place on this day. She fed him heartily with love and he was pleased with Yamuna. So any brother desirous of attaining good health and good fortune, should always dine at his sister’s place on that day. If he doesn’t have a sister his paternal and maternal uncles’ daughters can also take her place. Even a sister in faith (by emotional bonding) can be treated as a real sister. He should honour his sisters by giving ornaments, garments and various gifts to them.
There is a tradition that the sister waves an oil lamp in front of the brother for his long life and good fortune receiving gifts in return. But the Purana states that in fact, she is to be honoured by the brother instead and no such ritual of Neerajana is mentioned.
This is the last post on the Diwali festival rituals. I am sure you must have enjoyed the glimpses of our traditions as much as myself.
Happy Diwali!
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