Ragavan Rengachariar
From Thiruvaiyaru, Ocotber 30, 2021
The lamp of Deepam symbolises realisation Photo by Wilson Mathew on Unsplash
Happy Diwali, Deepavali!
Derived from Sanskrit, meaning ‘row of lights,’ this most important observance, popularly known as the Festival of Lights is celebrated by over a billion people of Hindu, Jain, Sikh, Buddhist and other faiths in India and around the world.
The Festival marks the success of good over evil, light over darkness or knowledge over ignorance. Diwali is very colourful with people wearing brand new clothes and offering prayers, feasts, fireworks, family gatherings and charitable giving.
Diwali is also the start of a New Year in some communities.
Diwali in South India
As with many ancient festivals, the origins of Diwali differ from region to region, based on different regional cultures of stories and legends being passed down through generations through the spoken word.
While in South India the legend has it that Narakasura, a demon was killed by Lord Krishna and as per the Deathwish prayers of Narakasura the day is celebrated as a victory over evil with fireworks and sweets after a Holy Bath known as ‘Ganga Sthanam.’
This is akin to bathing in the Holy River Ganges as it is believed that before sunrise all the water sources were blessed to be ‘Ganges water’ on the day of Diwali.
There is also a belief that the day signifies the birthday of Goddess Lakshmi, and Her Wedding with Lord Vishnu and hence Lakshmi Pooja is performed on the occasion.
The Choodi Bazaar in Hyderabad glitters more as Diwali approaches (File Photo)
The Festival in other regions
In North India, Diwali is celebrated as the day Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya on completion of his 14-year exile as per his father’s command.
People light earthen clay lamps all over Ayodhya to welcome Lord Rama, Sita and Lakshman.
In West Bengal, the celebration is dedicated to Goddess Durga.
Diwali also serves as a cleansing ritual, letting go of the past year’s worries and troubles and stepping into the light. Families clean, renovate and decorate their respective households and workplaces with rangolis and diyas.
Diwali marks the onset of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of all things new, both in nature and humanity.
On Amavasya, which is a part of Diwali day, devotees pray to Goddess Lakshmi, to grant wishes to Her followers. They also narrate the story of Lord Vishnu, who took on the incarnation as Vamana, the dwarf and banished King Bali to the underworld. He is permitted to return to the world on the occasion of Diwali to spread Lord Vishnu’s message of love, compassion and knowledge, and also light diyas along the way.
New Market in Kolkata is always a shoppers’ paradise (File Photo)
Rejuvenating life
Life could be routine and sometimes boring but various religious and cultural festivals celebrated from ancient times with special significance to harvest time, change of season and the like with much fanfare.
These make life more interesting for children and adults to celebrate wearing new clothes, participate in fireworks, feasts, feeding of others through charity and prayers.
The market for various clothes, fireworks, lamps, oil, prayer materials and food items give a big push to the commercial and retail set-up as well thus moving the wheels of the economy.
On a serious note, it is our minds which tend to go negative with adverse thinking. Such thoughts are not helpful to the community and evil thoughts need special exercises to stop and revert to pious and positive thinking and actions.
The offering of sweets and greetings to other faiths during the occasion in reciprocating their gesture during their festivities helps to build the human bond.
Diwali plays a larger role in world peace and communal harmony.
Let us all wish each other Happy Diwali and pray for wellbeing for one and all in the community while we enjoy the feast, new clothes, prayers and fireworks.
About Thiruvaiyaru and its Music Festival
Thiruvaiyaru (also spelled as Tiruvaiyaru or Tiruvayyaru) is a Panchayat town in Thanjavur District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with a population of 16,200.
Thiruvaiyaru means Five Rivers around the City. The Five Rivers are Vadavaar, Vennaar, Vettaar, Vennaar, Kudamurutti and Kaveri.
Thiruvaiyaru is renowned for its association with Saint Thyagaraja, who, along with Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Sastri, comprised the Trinity of Carnatic Music.
Bharat Ratna M S Subbulakshmi at the Thiruvaiyaru Music Festival 1986 (Screen Grab)
Thiruvaiyaru is known for its annual Thyagaraja Aradhana Music Festival. There are so many private Carnatic Music and Bharata Natyam teachers available in this town.
The Tamilnadu Government Music College is the only tertiary education provider in this town, offering courses in music from Diploma through to Doctoral Programmes.
Tribute to Saint Thyagaraja
Near the Shiva temple is the one-roomed house where Thyagaraja composed some of his greatest works. Thyagaraja was interred on the banks of the river Kaveri, it is called the revered Samadhi (burial place) of the Saint Composer, and it is here that the greatest music festival in the country takes place annually.
Nearby are the Samadhis of other saints including Shiva Prakasha Swamigal and Bangalore Nagaratnamma, who identified and rebuilt the Samadhi of Sri Tyagaraja.
The Thyagaraja Aradhana festival is held in the Bahula Panchami Thithi of Margazhi (Margashirsha) Tamil month which falls in December or January when most of the leading exponents of Carnatic music come to perform. The Festival is watched by thousands of ardent fans of classical music. A huge complex is built at this site to accommodate the large audience that comes to the concert in ever-increasing numbers every year.
Ragavan Rengachariar is National Credit Manager and Group Internal Auditor at United Industries Limited based in East Tamaki, Auckland. He is also a religious scholar, voracious reader and writer of various topics and Founder-Trustee of R.A.M.S Foundation. He is currently on a visit to Thiruvaiyaru.
