Laser show, hot air balloons, decorative lightings, and one and a half million earthen lamps (diyas) lit up Varanasi’s night sky on November 19 – on the occasion of Dev Deepawali. The festival is celebrated in most parts of the country, but the city that is known for the grandest celebration is the holy city of Varanasi. This year’s festival was most magnificent so far, the locals say. The Varanasi district administration spearheaded by District Magistrate Mr Kaushal Raj Sharma spared no effort to make it a splendid and memorable event this year. After all, besides being an international tourist destination, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency too.

This ancient city of lights and ghats, located on the west bank of river Ganga, celebrates Dev Deepawali at this time every year to commemorate the Devas’ celebration of Diwali after Lord Shiva’s win over the demon, Tripurasura. The festival is also linked with Prabhodini Ekadashi and marks the end of Chaturmas, a four-month period when Lord Vishnu is believed to go into deep sleep.

DEV DEEPAWALI’S SIGNIFICANCE

It is said that a demon named Tarakasura had three sons – Tarakaksha, Vidyunmali and Kamalaksha. The brothers sought the blessings of Lord Brahma through intense penance. Pleased by their devotion, Lord Brahma gave them three boons and asked them to decide what they wanted. However, all three asked for the boon of immortality which was against the law of universe. So, Lord Brahma blessed them instead with a boon that assured that they wouldn’t meet their end unless someone killed all three of them with one single arrow.

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Emboldened by the boon, the trio created massive destruction all over and proved a threat to civilisation. Therefore, Lord Shiva took the avatar of Tripurari and killed all three brothers with a single arrow and restored peace to the world.

DEV DEEPAWALI IN VARANASI

This year, Dev Deepawali was celebrated in a grand manner in Varanasi. The city once again became a witness to the historical scenes. Lakhs of people reached the Ghats of Banaras to see the beautiful sights of lights.

In all 84 Ghats, the brightness of strings of 15 lakhs lamps lit together seemed to outshine the stars in the sky. The entire stretches of the Ghats were decorated with lamps, lights, flowers and rangolis. At some places, alpanas were drawn with turmeric and sandalwood and at some other spots, colourful showers of sparklers infused glow to the festival. There were also laser shows and firecrackers on display.

From Rajghat to Assi Ghat, every place was decorated and tourists from all over the world came to witness this wonderful spectacle of Dev Deepawali interspersed with various other cultural and religious programmes.

Tourists and locals alike were especially fascinated by the resplendent Maha Aarti at Dashashwamedh Ghat which has always been a major attraction. As soon as the electric lights were switched on and the earthen lamps lit at the Panchganga, the illuminated Ghats resonated with the chants of Har Har Mahadev and Har Har Gange. For everyone present there, it was a sight to behold!