Dev- Diwali – Lighted Lamps of Nirvana

Dr Navina Jafa

Dr Navina Jafa, Kathak Dancer, Cultural Technocrat, Expert, Scholar on Cultural Heritage, Cultural Management

The Dev Diwali festival, a part of the Hindu Religious Event tourism in Uttar Pradesh, does not have links with the story of the Ramayana. Interestingly, it bonds with the epic Mahabharata, the Padma Purana and the central figures of Lord Krishna, Goddess Lakshmi, and the Moon. 

Banaras – Assi Ghat – Photo Credit – Cristina Albertin

Aakaashdeep  – Deep-Daan

The original ethos of Dev Diwali is portrayed in a Hindi story titled ‘Aakashdeep’ by the famed Hindi writer Jai Shanker Prasad. Aakaashdeep is a ritual called deep-daan (offering of the lighted lamp as a symbol of atonement). It marks the beginning of a sacred period as a symbol of atonement. Dr. Sanjay Mehta, whose father, the Late Dr. Bhanu Shanker Mehta, was a prolific cultural commentator on Varanasi, says, “In the olden days, the bamboo scaffolding with the lamps hanging was prevalent only at the Panchganga Ghat, the last of the 84 ghats. However, there is a logical geographical context to the ritual of the Aakash Deep. From Sharadh Purnima onwards, the waters of the Ganges that rise during the monsoon start to fall. The lamps act like rural lighthouses for the several fishermen and boatmen who travel the waters at night. This is reflected in the story Aakshdeep by Jaishanker Prasad.” 

Aakaashdeep – Story by Hindi Writer Jaishanker Prasad

Here is a brief quote from the story – “Champa pulled the string that made the lighted lamps rise on the bamboo scaffolding. She aspired that her lamps join to play with the stars,” The metaphor of lighted Ganga waters resounds carrying thousands of lighted lamps along the ghats (landing steps) of the sacred ancient city of Varanasi on the festival of Dev Diwali. 

Dev Diwali ( Deepawali) before the Rise of its Identity as part of the Hindu Festival Tourism Calendar

In the 1980s, one barely heard of the Dev Diwali festival outside Varanasi (Banaras). It was something that the locals and the pilgrims observed organically. Keeping Uttar Pradesh as the anchoring energy of political power and mapping the ‘Hindu’ tourism in the Indian state with a maximum number of parliamentary seats was important in creating the Hindu Rashtra. Hence, promoting religious tourism as an important ‘event’ included the congregation of Kumbh in Prayag (Allahabad), the festival of Diwali in Ayodhya, and the Dev Diwali in Varanasi (Banaras). Each of the three events, an organic occurrence in which hundreds and thousands participated for centuries, has now been transformed as highlights of Hindu spiritual euphoria.

Power of the Lighted Lamp – PC – Mysoulwindow

Process – The Spectacle of Dev- Diwali of Varanasi (Banaras)

Transforming the realm of myth, epics, and beliefs existing as organic rituals, the spectacle of Dev Diwali is expanded as pilgrimage tourism within the frame of geo-piety. The fascinating journey of the festival illustrates joining the faith in the discourse of religious economy and Nationalism. There is a wide array of conversations with knowledge resources in Varanasi who present a variety of perspectives to the festival.

Context: 

Cultural commentator and former journalist Amitabh Bhattacharya, who calls himself ‘a student of Banaras’ narrated the phenomenon of a ritual called Aakash Deep, which starts from the day of Sharad Purnima (Full moon of the month September- October). It ends on Kartik Purnima (The full moon of October-November) when it is celebrated as Dev Diwali.

Sharad in the Hindu month of Ashvin (September-October) marks the end of the monsoons. People look forward to a good harvest. The element of prosperity links the festival of the moon to the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi. Bhattacharya recounts, “Starting from the night of the Sharad Purnima, the faithful works to evolve himself in the month of Kartik, called Purushottam (The supreme man). Sharad Purnima is locally called Kojagari in Varanasi (Banaras). The goddess Lakshmi looks out (Khoja) and showers wealth on those worshippers who stay awake all night to worship her; the moon, in turn, showers elixir (Amrit). The faithful concentrate on their dead ancestors. Remembering them, they gather energy to develop themselves. Hence, the devotees pay homage to them by offering a lighted lamp on the riverfront through the month of Kartik. The Ganges flows to the sky transmitting their prayers to the ancestors and enabling their energies to empower the devotees.”

One crucial point is that the Ganga with the lighted lamps on her riverfront becomes a metaphor for an aspiring path for enlightenment. Says Bhattacharya, “The path with the oil lamps is called Sheesh Marg (path of rational mind). In the 10th chapter of the Gita, Lord Krishna even says that He is the Sheesh Marg. The lighting of the lamps in the month of Kartik symbolises the striving by each devotee to create inert equilibrium and a rational mind to reach the shelter of Narayana.” 

The Padma Purana speaks extensively of the sacredness of the month of Kartik and the importance of the deep daan (offering of the lighted lamp) as the highest atonement by a devotee. Surendra Mishra, who is involved with the organisation of many cultural events in Varanasi, says, “After the bloody battle of Panipat, the Pandavas and Draupadi offered ‘Aakash deep‘ (lamp lights hanging in the sky) in honour of the dead fighters and soldiers.”

Sociological Celebrations: 

All celebrations in Varanasi acquire a holistic form, and the month-long festival of Aakaash Deep is no different. “The lamps are formally placed along the ghats not only by a community of ritual priests taking care of various ghats but also by neighbourhood communities and individuals who perform their rituals,” says Sushant Mishra of the Ganga Seva Nidhi. This non-government organisation oversees the Prayag, Dashashvamedh and the Rajendra Prasad Ghats. The NGO organises the daily Ganga aarti (ritual) 365 days. 

Food and music play a role in the celebration of Kartik month. “The association of the moon as a central backdrop from Sharad to Kartik Purnima inevitably brings the cooking of white-coloured food. Milk pudding (kheers) with Sag ( saboodana) and white Lotus Puff ( makhana) are commonly consumed. This month is important in the gaathaa of Krishna worship. In this period, the first of the ten incarnations of Krishna as the Fish (Matsya) was born to save the world and establish the Dharmic (moral order). Hence, one heard that Banaras’s ganikas (Kala-jeevee Tawaifs – traditional singing and dancing girls) visited the temple of Balaji and decorated the image of Krishna with white butter. Through the night, they sang beautiful songs in early morning scale called Raag Bhairavi that bring out the emotion of compassion and devotion,” describes Amitabh Bhattacharya.

Nationalism

Until the mid-1990s, there was a small function to mark the celebrations of the Dev Diwali. Then, in 1999, Late Pt. Satyendra Mishra founded the Ganga Seva Nidhi, an NGO committed to conserving the sacred river Ganga’s rituals and health. He conceived of the daily Ganga aarti on the Dashashmamedha and Rajendra Prasad Ghats as part of the program. Mishra, post-Kargil war, was inspired by the Mahabharata. He blended the Dev Diwali with honouring war martyrs. Mishra, involved in the three-arm forces, recounts his son Sushant Mishra. On the first day of Kartik, Jawans from the air, navy and army forces, and other paramilitary organisations light lamps.’

Aakash deep’ at the Dasashwamedh Ghat. The ritual is accompanied by the military band playing the national anthem. 

On the Dev Diwali, the installation of the India Gate and the ‘Amar jawan Jyoti’ (Eternal Flame – honouring the Soldiers) is set up on the ghat along with a pontoon stage. The rituals in the earlier days even had a helicopter showering flowers when the military band played the National anthem. Following this, the main aarti is performed on Dev Diwali. While on regular days, only seven boys dressed in elaborate ritual clothes perform the aarti, on Dev Diwali, there are 21 boys, accompanied by two girls called Riddhi and Siddhi (wives of Ganesha the elephant God. Riddhi depicts wealth, Siddhi symbolises intellect) Each year, a list of martyrs is collected from the armed, paramilitary and police forces. In 2019, Five jawans who died in action were honoured, and their families were given 100000 rupees.

Describes Sushant Mishra of the Ganga Seva Nidhi, “In 2019, we celebrated before Covid-19 the 20th year of our festivities. The impetus given by the government has made the festival almost international. There was a VIP stage made of 6 pontoons facing the riverfront. The stage accommodated almost 4 to 500 people. The local administration had elaborate security arrangements, including the Jal (water) police. Boats are numbered, and each boat owner requires parking permission along the pontoon bridge on the Ganges water to host audiences. The program begins at sunset with the National Anthem, followed by honouring war martyrs at the installations of Amar Jawan Jyoti (the Eternal flame honouring war heroes)and the India Gate. The rituals of the Dev Diwali have elaborate Aarti followed by a rich cultural program.”

Light

Economy: 

Unorganised, self-organised religious businesses are the most significant business sector of Varanasi’s holy, mercantile city. Hindus and Muslims have existed in a collaborative partnership for centuries. Even today, the elaborate lighting and the floral decorations for Dev Diwali have the two communities working together. “There is an increase in flowers, especially with the impetus provided to the tourism of Dev Diwali. Most flower vendors from both communities get their supplies from Kolkata.” 

Nevertheless, business for the traditional potters has remained the same. In the olden days, says Moti Ram, a potter from Varanasi, “our business peaked in the entire month of Kartik. People bought clay lamps for Diwali and enhanced their consumption by hanging them as Aaakaash Deeps. However, today, the lamps are usually the plastic-coated aluminium bowls in which a wax candle is placed.” Nevertheless, the consumption of bamboo for scaffolding has gone up with the elaborate marketing of Dev Diwali.

The impetus provided by the government for Dev Diwali has hotels sold out for several years after COVID-19. Each of these vignettes reflects a dimension of buyer and seller world views previously undescribed in consumer research of the geo-piety economy.

Pilgrims, tourists and the local Banarasi become a sea of humans in motion during the Dev Diwali. They pass through territories not their own but seeking something we might call completion, a goal to which only the spirit’s compass points the way. 

Their eyes look up to the hanging sky lamps, recalling the lines of Jaishanker Prasad – For whose oath are you lighting the waterways… For that whom you consider the lord… In the dark days on the waters, how desperate were we for every ounce of light.” 

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