Dev Diwali or Dev Deepawali is the ‘Festival of Lights, of the Gods’ or ‘Diwali celebration of the Devas or Devtas or Gods’.
It is observed on the full moon day (Purnima) in the month of Kartik, as per the traditional Hindu calendar which happens in the beggining of November in Varanasi (Benares), fifteen days after Diwali. It is also called as Kartik Purnima / Poonam and Tripurari Purnima.
The Ghats of thre City of Light come alive in the evening with pilgrims and local people decorating the entire riverbank with thousands of Diyas (tiny earthen lamps). These lamps are lit as a mark of welcome to God who is believed to descend on earth on that special day.
The Ghats of thre City of Light come alive in the evening with pilgrims and local people decorating the entire riverbank with thousands of Diyas (tiny earthen lamps). These lamps are lit as a mark of welcome to God who is believed to descend on earth on that special day.
This is also a tribute to river Ganga by the people of the city, it is held on the full moon day in the month of Kartik (also known as Kartik Purnima) and is observed with great fanfare and feasts.
The wealthy merchants of the city, whatever their religion can be, allow this festival to be celabrated with magnificence.
The meaning of this festival is to eradicate our inner demons while meeting the Lord. "After leaving king Bali, the Lord rejoined the devas on this day, the devas celebrated His arrival in jubilation and thus Dev Diwali came into being. Though the devas celebrated the Lord's return, we mortals celebrate Dev Diwali by eradicating our inner demons - the base instincts of ego, anger, greed, lust, ... and the resulting manifestation of divinity within."
