Diwali: Festival of Lights and Kali Puja

 Kali Puja

Goddess Kali is the fearful and ferocious form of Mother Durga. She is usually shown with her feet on the chest of Lord Shiva and wearing a garland of skulls. She symbolizes the darker side of life and epitomizes strength or "Shakti." Kali is worshiped on the night of Kartik Amavasya in October/November. The day is also celebrated as Shyama Kali, the first 10 avatars of Devi Durga. The reason behind worshiping Kali is destroying all evil both that lies in the outside world and within us.

Kali, also known as Kalika, is a Hindu goddess associated with eternal energy. The name Kali means "black", but has by folk etymology come to mean "force of time (kala)". Despite her negative connotations, Kali is today considered the goddess of time and change. Although sometimes presented as dark and violent, her earliest incarnation as a figure of annihilation still has some influence. More complex Tantric beliefs sometimes extend her role so far as to be the "ultimate reality" or Brahman. She is also revered as Bhavatarini (literally "redeemer of the universe"). Comparatively recent devotional movements largely conceive Kali as a benevolent mother goddess.

Kali is represented as the consort of god Shiva, on whose body she is often seen standing. She is associated with many other Hindu goddesses like Durga, Bhadrakali, Sati, Rudrani, Parvati and Chamunda. She is the foremost among the Dasa-Mahavidyas, ten fierce Tantric goddesses.

Kali became popular as a powerful goddess with the composition of the text Devi Mahatmya in the 5th and the 6th century AD. The legend goes that two demons, Shambhu and Nishambhu disturbed the peace of Lord Indra. After endless battles when the gods failed, they sought help from Lord Shiva and Parvati. The gods sought protection of Maa Durga or Shakti. Kali was born out of Durga’s brow as Kal Bhoi Nashini.

Along with her two escorts, Dakini and Jogini, she was meant to destroy all evils and the growing cruelty of demons. It is believed that Kaali was so much engrossed in the killing spree that she went on killing everything within her sight. To stop this, Lord Shiva, threw himself under her feet. She was so shocked with this act of Lord Shiva, that she stuck her tongue out in disbelief. Hence we have the common image of Kali standing with her feet on Shiva’s chest and her tongue out.

Kali puja is celebrated with lots of gusto and fanfare in Bengal after Durga Puja during the time of Diwali. It is believed that Maharaja Krishnan Chandra of Nawadweep was the first to celebrate Kali Puja in his territory. Everyone was ordered to celebrate Kali puja and thus 10,000 images of Kali were worshipped. Ratanti Kali Puja was celebrated in ancient times before the present Kali puja. It is believed that the present form of Kali is due to a dream by a distinguished scholar of Indian charms and black magic or ‘Tantra’ and the author of Tantric Saar, Krishnananda Agambagish, a contemporary of Lord Chaitanya. In his dream he was ordered to make herimage after the first figure he saw in the morning. At dawn, Krishnanand saw a dark complexioned maid with left hand protruding and making cow dung cakes with her right hand. Her body was glowing with white dots. The vermillion spread over her forehead while she was wiping the sweat from her forehead.  The hair was untidy. When she came face to face with an elderly Krishnananda, she bit her tongue in shame.  This posture of the housemaid was later utilized to envisage the idol of Goddess Kali. Thus was formed the image of Kali.

Kali Puja is a major festival for the people of Bengal after Durga Puja. It is celebrated with gusto and enthusiasm. Like Diwali, people in Bengal light lamps, and fire crackers to welcome Ma Kali. Houses are decorated and rangoli is drawn in front of the houses. Kali puja is carried out late in the night. People seek he blessings of Maa Kali during the puja.

The popular forms of Kali are Shyama, Adya Maa, Tara Maa and Dakshina Kalika, Chamundi. There are other forms as well. They are known as Bhadrakali who is gentle and Shyamashana Kali who stays at the cremation ground. Kali has four arms and is represented with perhaps the fiercest creatures among all the deities in the world. She has a sword in one hand and a demon’s head on the other. Her other two hands bless her devotees.  Her eyes are red and her body is smeared with blood. Her black complexion represents the transcendental nature. Kali is free from all artificial covering beyond all maya or false consciousness. She has infinite knowledge which is represented by the garland o fifty skulls depicting 50 letters in the Sanskrit alphabet. Her inner purity is represented by her white teeth while her omnivorous nature is depicted in her protruding tongue. Three modes of time, the past, present and future are represented by her three eyes.

Diwali: Festival of Lights

Diwali, also known as Deepavali or Deepawali is one of the most important, hugely waited and immensely cherished festival celebrated across India and in parts of Nepal. Originally, the name was Deepawali, which has its origin from Sanskrit, meaning “Rows of Deep”.

Over the years the name has been pronounced as Diwali, especially in Hindi, whereas it still remains Deepawali in Nepali. Diwali also popularly known as “Festival of Lights” is celebrated with great gusto and is observed as an official holiday across India.

Importance:

The festival of Diwali is not only significant to Hindus, but, has importance in Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. For Hindus, it is associated with the return of Lord Rama to Ayodhya, after his 14 years of exile and victory over the demon Ravana.

On that day, he was welcomed to the kingdom of Ayodhya with rows of Deep, lightened throughout the kingdom.

Thus, there is a tradition of lighting oil lamps that symbolize the victory of good over evil and freedom from spiritual darkness.

Hindus, also make preparations to welcome goddess Lakshmi by drawing Rangoli, and Paduka (footsteps) on the entrance that would allure goddess Laxmi to visit one’s home and bring prosperity along with her.

Customs:

There are numerous customs and traditions associated with Diwali, namely, burning of crackers, playing cards, lightning of lamps, wearing new clothes, distribution of sweets, exchange of gifts etc.

A Five Day Festival:

Diwali celebrations spread across five days, with each day having its own significance and set of rituals.

The first day is called “Dhanteras”, on which new utensils and silver ware is brought to the house. The second day is called “Chhoti Diwali”, which normally involves preparation for the next day and the tradition of playing cards is observed in many families.

The next day, or third day is the “Badi Diwali”, which involves the worshiping of mother Laxmi. The fourth day is the Govardhan Puja and finally the five days end with Bhai Dooj.

The festival of Diwali is truly a “Festival of Lights”, as it not only involves lighting of Lamps but, it brings the light of happiness, togetherness, spiritual enlightenment and prosperity for everyone.

With the sounds of crackers killing all bad-omens, the lighted lamps-lighting the lives of people, the prayers and pujas creating an atmosphere full of goodness and purity, the festival of Diwali indeed fills the atmosphere with an aura of goodness and a heaven like atmosphere.

Time to celebrate

According to the Hindu calendar, the festival of Diwali is celebrated on the new moon day that marks the end of Ashwin and beginning of Kartik month.