DETAILS OF HINDU FESTIVALS

Deepavali is a 5-day ritual in many places, as well as in Karnataka.

1st day: Ashvayuja Masa Trayodashi. This is  called "neeru tumbuva habba".
On this day, wash bath rooms, buckets, vessels in which water is filled, etc  decorate the outside house and inside house( even for bathrooms,boilers,kitchen stove) with rangolis and apply sunna and kemmanu to vessels. Put akshatE and flower to water and recite below stotra.
On this day, if you are inviting your Son-in-law first time, then do huyi kadabu and payasa. You can also do some fried item like chakkali(chakri) or muchchOre.

Deepavali, the literal meaning of which in Sanskrit is 'a row of lamps.' Filling little clay lamps with oil and wick and lighting them in rows all over the house is a tradition that is popular in most regions of the country. Even today in this modern world it projects the rich and glorious past of our country and teaches us to uphold the true values of life. It is associated with many customs and traditions. One of the most curious customs, which characterizes this festival of Diwali, is the indulgence of gambling, especially on a large scale in North India.

The first day of five day long Diwali celebrations is of great importance to the rich community of western India. Houses and business premises are renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colorful with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the night. Believing this day to be auspicious women purchase some gold or silver or at least one or two new utensils.

2 day: Ashvayuja Masa bahula chaturdashi . Also called Naraka Chaturdashi.

On this day, take oil bath in the morning. Preferably use sesame oil or any other if not available. It is good to wake up in Brahmi Muhurta that is between 4 am and 6 am.

Keep all this ready before starting.
 A bowl of oil to heat, in a plate keep villedele and adike, and arishina kumkuma, flower, and aarati tatte (put some arishina in a plate of water and put sunna or lime stone which will make it turn to red. If this is not possible put kumkuma and some akshate into it). Hase mane (wodden slab). Put rangoli beneath the mane.Heat the oil in a cup, which has to be used to apply oil to all members of family from same bowl. The oil has to be applied from eldest (elder woman) in the family. They have to sit on hase mane. Keep kumkuma and give villedele and adike plate. Apply oil first with any flower to navel and to back. Then apply to head and body (optional). To your oiled hand, put arishina (turmeric) and apply to cheeks to whom the oil is applied.

Mantra to be recited while applying oil.

Ashwatamaha balivyasoo| hanumaashascha vibishanaha||

krupaha parashu ramashcha |sapthitae chiranjivinaha||.

Repeat the same to all. At last, take the aarati plate and pour water outside your house.

Crackers have to be burnt whilst oil applied and give some fried item to eat while oil on body. After bath do pooja.
Some prepare obbattu on this day. Else, prepare  nimbehannu chitranna and payasa. Crackers can be burnt in evening.

On second day there is a traditional practice specially in Maharashtra of taking bath before sunrise with oil and "Uptan" (paste) of gram flour and fragrant powders. In northern India, especially in places like Punjab, Diwali is dedicated to the worship of Lord Rama. While in Bengal, Kali/Durga, the goddess of strength, is worshiped. Diwali is one of the few Hindu festivals, which is celebrated in every part of the country, even in states like Kerala that has Onam as its main festival. To the Jains, Deepavali has an added significance to the great event of Mahaveera attaining the Eternal Bliss of Nirvaana.

3 day: Amavasya. 

Do lakshmi pooja, kumkumarchane. On this day, crackers are not burnt as a belief that Amavasya is not good to take risk for playing with fire.In evening all married woman will do Lakshmi pooja and do kalasha poojaaccording to their tradition.Some people will do kedareshwara 

Lakshmi-Puja is performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits, devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung and Naivedya of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess. There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer as Naivedya In villages cattle are adorned and worshiped by farmers as they form the main source of their income. In south cows are offered special veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and therefore they are adorned and worshiped on this day.

Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped in every Hindu household. In many Hindu homes it is a custom for the wife to put the red tilak on the forehead of her husband, garland him and do his "Aarti" with a prayer for his long life. In appreciation of all the tender care that the wife showers on him, the husband gives her a costly gift. This Gudi Padwa is symbolic of love and devotion between the wife and husband. On this day newly married daughters with their husbands are invited for special meals and given presents. Diwali celebration is a very happy occasion for all.

4 day: Kaarthika maasa shuddha padya (Bali padyami).
On this day, keraka has to be made using cowdung. A kote for balindra has to be made and some pillaris to keep a pair on each door way (hosilu). Attached doc has how you do Kote. On each door corners keep pillari. The pillaris have to be stuck with ragi thene and hucchellu hoova. If not available, keep chendu hoova or shavantige. Use many colourful flowers. Do pooja to this with gejje vastra, akshate, kumkuma and arishina. Now keep the Pillaris which were made to keep in the corners of doors.

Note: Keraka can be done with ragi hittu mixing it with unboiled milk or water, if cowdung is not avaialbe.
Next day morning the Keraka and pillaris have to be removed before the man of the house wakes up. They are not supposed to see this.

Prepare bele obbattu, payasa, chitranna and habbada adigae.

In evening keep kalasa. Inside kalasa put some coins, some dry fruits like karjura, godambi, drakshi etc…..Above the chembu keep beetel leaves and coconut. Spread a blouse piece or shalya around it.

Keep kalasha in a plate. First keep a gods' photo, then a mirror, and then in front of them the kalasha. Do pooja to this and pour three times unboiled milk around it.

In a plate take some petals of shavantige flower and akshate. This has to be thrown up in devara mane.

Note: You have to recite a saying whilst doing this. I am not sure how it goes. Ladies, please anybody who knows this, let me know.

Govardhan-Puja is also performed in the North on the fourth day. This day is also observed as Annakoot meaning 'mountain of food'. In temples especially in Mathura and Nathadwara, the deities are given milk bath and dressed in shining attires with ornaments of dazzling diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious stones. After the prayers and traditional worship innumerable varieties of delicious sweets are offered to the deities as "Bhog" and then the devotees approach and take Prasad.

BIDIGE - ALSO CALLED AS BHAVA BIDIGE"

It is called Bhagini Gruhae Bhojana. On this day sisters should invite brothers and share gifts.

Do habbada adige. Newly married girls will invite her brothers  to her home for five years

serve them delicious dishes and give them gifts.total five years different kinds of sweets will be 

prepared and served according to their tradition.

On all or any of the days, you can do deepa dana.

Kaarthika Somavaragalu

Mondays are special on Kaarthika masa. Do pooja to Ishwara. The whole month, light deepa and keep near the main door and also to tulasi.

UTHANA DWADASHI:

Also called Tulasi Pooja. This comes on Kaarthika Dwadashi.

Decorate the tulasi katte or where ever you keep tulasi. Keep nalli kaayi gida (amla twig) in tulasi katte. Keep Krishna’s idol or photo and do pooja in evening. Pour milk around katte. Do nalli kayi arati. Dig out nalli kaayi and make like a bowl to light deepa. Nalli kaayi  deepa should be in odd numbers  like 5,9,11,etc.,

Prepare huggi , Bellada gojju, sweet huggi,mosaranna, payasa and if available do agase soppina palya. Do naivedya.(note: Agase soppu should be chopped on ekadashi day and on dwadashi day it should be cooked and served.)

Call ladies for arishina kumkuma in evening and give milk or panaka and kosambari.  

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SIGNIFICANCE OF BALIPAADYAMI:

Bali Padyami Puja is celebrated on the fourth day during Diwali festival. In 2017, Bali Padyami date is October 20

It is observed on the day after Deepavali Amavasya. Maha Bali, the King of Pathala loka (netherworld), is worshipped on this day. He was given a boon by Lord Vishnu to visit the earth once a year.

Kannada and Marathi people celebrate Balindra Puja to mark his arrival to the earth whereas Kerala people celebrate Bali Puja during Onam festival observed in Shravan month.

In some places, it is also celebrated as Vamana Jayanthi. Bali Chakravarthi had observed 99 sacrifices and about to perform his 100th Yagna.

As per several sacred texts of Hinduism, Indra, Yama, Brahma and some other devas have posts. Indra is a post and the God who takes up the post is called Devendra. Thus, to avoid Bali to sit in the position of Devendra, Lord Vishnu was incarnated as Lord Vamana and banished Maha Bali into the netherworld.

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ದೀಪಾವಳಿ ಹಬ್ಬವನ್ನು ಆಶ್ವಯುಜ ಮಾಸದ ಕೃಷ್ಣ ಪಕ್ಷದಲ್ಲಿ ಆಚರಿಸುತ್ತೀವಿ. ದೀಪಾವಳಿ ಅಂದರೆ ೩-೪ ದಿನದ ಹಬ್ಬ.

• ತ್ರಯೋದಶಿ ದಿನ - ನೀರು ತುಂಬುವ ಹಬ್ಬ
• ಚತುರ್ದಶಿ ದಿನ - ನರಕ ಚತುರ್ದಶಿ
• ಅಮಾವಾಸ್ಯೆ ದಿನ - ಧನ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀ ಪೂಜೆ
• ಪಾಡ್ಯ ದಿನ - ಬಲಿ ಪಾಡ್ಯಮಿ /ಬಲೀಂದ್ರನ ಪೂಜೆ

ನೀರು ತುಂಬುವ ಹಬ್ಬ - 

ಹೆಸರೇ ಹೇಳುವಂತೆ ನೀರನ್ನು ಸಂಗ್ರಹಿಸುವ ದಿನ. ಈ ದಿನ ಸ್ನಾನದ ಮನೆ, ಬಚ್ಚಲನ್ನು ಸ್ವಚ್ಛಮಾಡಿ, ಮಾರನೆಯ ದಿನದ ಅಭ್ಯಂಜನಕ್ಕೆ ನೀರು ಹಿಡಿದು ಇಡುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಕೊಳೆಯನ್ನು ಹೋಗಿಸಿ ಮನೆಯನ್ನು ಶುಭ್ರಮಾಡುವಂತೆ , ನಮ್ಮ ಮನಸಿನಲ್ಲಿರುವ ಕೆಟ್ಟ ವಿಷಯಗಳನ್ನು ತೊಲಗಿಸಿ ನಿರ್ಮಲವಾಗಿ ಇಟ್ಟುಕೊಳ್ಳಿ ಎಂಬ ಸಂಕೇತ ಇರಬಹುದು. ಹಿಂದಿನ ಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ತುಂಬಿದ ಸಂಸಾರ, ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬಹಳ ಜನ ಇರುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು. ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಒಂದೇ ದಿನ ಅಭ್ಯಂಜನ ಮಾಡಬೇಕಾದರೆ ಸಾಕಷ್ಟು ನೀರು ಮೊದಲೇ ಶೇಖರಿಸಿ ಇಡಬೇಕಿತ್ತು.ಹೀಗಾಗಿ ಈ ದಿನ ನೀರುಹಿಡಿಯುವುದರಲ್ಲೇ ಕಳೆದು ಹೋಗುತ್ತಿತ್ತು ಅನ್ನಿಸುತ್ತದೆ.ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಈ ದಿನವನ್ನು ನೀರು ತುಂಬುವ ಹಬ್ಬವೆಂದು ಆಚರಿಸುವ ವಾಡಿಕೆ ಬಂತೇನೋ.ಇದು ನನ್ನ ವೈಯಕ್ತಿಕ ಅಭಿಪ್ರಾಯವಷ್ಟೆ :)

ನರಕ ಚತುರ್ದಶಿ ದಿನ ಬೆಳಿಗ್ಗೆ ಮನೆಯವರೆಲ್ಲ ಎಣ್ಣೆ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರ ಮಾಡಿ ಅಭ್ಯಂಜನ ಸ್ನಾನ ಮಾಡುವ ಪದ್ಧತಿ. ಶ್ರೀ ಕೃಷ್ಣನು ನರಕಾಸುರ ಎಂಬ ರಾಕ್ಷಸನನ್ನು ಸಂಹಾರ ಮಾಡಿದ ನೆನಪಿನ ದಿನ. ಈ ವಿಜಯವನ್ನು ಆಚರಿಸುತ್ತೀವಿ. ಈ ದಿನ ವಿಶೇಷವಾದ ಪೂಜೆ ಅಂತೇನು ಇಲ್ಲ. ಪ್ರತಿದಿನದಂತೆ ದೇವರ ಪೂಜೆ ಅಷ್ಟೆ.

Amavasya Lakshmi Pooje:

ಮಾರನೆಯ ದಿನ ಅಮಾವಾಸ್ಯೆ.ಧನಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀ ಪೂಜೆ ಅಮಾವಾಸ್ಯೆ ದಿನ ಮಾಡುತಾರೆ. ಈ ಪೂಜೆಯನ್ನುಸಾಯಂಕಾಲ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು. ದೇವರ ಮನೆ ಅಥವಾ ಪೂಜೆ ಮಾಡುವ ಸ್ಥಳವನ್ನು ರಂಗೋಲಿ ಹಾಕಿ ಅಲಂಕರಿಸಿ. ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಿ ದೇವಿ ಫೋಟೋ , ಬೆಳ್ಳಿ ವಿಗ್ರಹ /ಪ್ರತಿಮೆ ಇಟ್ಟುಕೊಳ್ಳಿ. ಇದರ ಜೊತೆಗೆ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿರುವ ದುಡ್ಡು/ಕಾಸು/ನಾಣ್ಯಗಳು ಮತ್ತು ವಡವೆ/ಆಭರಣಗಳನ್ನೂ ದೇವರ ಜೊತೆ ಇಟ್ಟು ಪೂಜೆ ಮಾಡಿ. ಮೊದಲು ಗಣಪತಿ ಪೂಜೆ, ನಂತರ ಮಹಾಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಿ ಪೂಜೆ. ಪೂಜಾ ವಿಧಾನ ಇಲ್ಲಿದೆ.ಪೂಜಾ ಸಾಮಗ್ರಿಗಳ ವಿವರ ಇಲ್ಲಿದೆ. ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀ ಅಷ್ಟೂತ್ತರ ಇಲ್ಲಿದೆ. ಯಾವುದಾದರು ಸಿಹಿ ತಿಂಡಿ ಮಾಡಿ, ದೇವಿಗೆ ನೈವೇದ್ಯ ಮಾಡಿ. ಪೂಜೆಯ ನಂತರ ಇದನ್ನು ಪ್ರಸಾದವಾಗಿ ಸ್ವೀಕರಿಸಿ. ಸಕಲ ಐಶ್ವರ್ಯ ಸಂಪತ್ತನ್ನು ಕರುಣಿಸಿ ಎಂದು ಭಕ್ತಿಯಿಂದ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಿಯನ್ನು ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥಿಸಿ.ನಮ್ಮ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಾಡಿದ ಪೂಜೆಯ ಚಿತ್ರಕೆಳಗಿದೆ.

ಅಮಾವಾಸ್ಯೆ ಮಾರನೆಯ ದಿನ ಕಾರ್ತಿಕ ಮಾಸದ ಪಾಡ್ಯ/ಪ್ರತಿಪತ್ . ಈ ದಿನ ಬಲಿ ಪಾಡ್ಯಮಿ ಹಬ್ಬ. ಬಲಿ ಚಕ್ರವರ್ತಿಯು ಭೂಲೋಕ ಆಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ರಾಜ. ವಿಜಯಶಾಲಿಯಾದ ರಾಜನು ದೇವಲೋಕವನ್ನೂ ಗೆದ್ದುಕೊಂಡು ತನ್ನದಾಗಿಸಿಕೊಂಡನು. ಇದರಿಂದ ಇಂದ್ರಾದಿ ದೇವತೆಗಳು ದೇವಲೋಕವನ್ನು ಬಿಡುವಂತಾಯಿತು. ಅವರು ವಿಷ್ಣುವಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊರೆ ಹೋದರು. ಆಗ ಶ್ರೀ ವಿಷ್ಣು ವಾಮನ ಅವತಾರ ತಾಳಿ ಬಲಿಯ ಬಳಿ ಬಂದು, ತನಗೆ ೩ ಹೆಜ್ಜೆ ಇಡುವಷ್ಟು ಜಾಗ ಕೊಡು ಎಂದು ಕೇಳಿದನು. ಒಂದು ಹೆಜ್ಜೆಯಿಂದ ಭೂಲೋಕವೆಲ್ಲ ಮುಚ್ಚಿತು, ಇನ್ನೊಂದು ಹೆಜ್ಜೆಯಿಂದ ಆಕಾಶವೆಲ್ಲ ಮುಚ್ಚಿ ಹೋಯಿತು. ಮೂರನೆಯ ಹೆಜ್ಜೆ ಎಲ್ಲಿ ಇಡಲಿ ಎಂದು ವಾಮನ ಕೇಳಲು, ಬಲಿಯು ನನ್ನ ತಲೆ ಮೇಲೆ ಇಡು ಎಂದನು. ಹೀಗ ವಿಷ್ಣುವು ಬಲಿಯ ತಲೆಯನ್ನು ಮೆಟ್ಟಿ ಅವನನ್ನು ಪಾತಾಳಕ್ಕೆ ತುಳಿದನು. ಬಲಿಯ ಧರ್ಮ ನಿಷ್ಠೆಯನ್ನು ಮೆಚ್ಚಿ ವಿಷ್ಣುವು ಅವನಿಗೆ ಪಾತಾಳದ ಅಧಿಪತ್ಯ ಕೊಟ್ಟನು. ಜೊತೆಗೆ ವರುಷಕ್ಕೆ ಒಂದು ದಿನ ಭೂಲೋಕಕ್ಕೆ ಮರಳಿ ಬಂದು, ಭೂಲೋಕವನ್ನು ಆಳುವಂತೆ ಅನುಗ್ರಹಿಸಿದನು. ಇದೆ ಬಲಿಪಾಡ್ಯಮಿ. ಈ ದಿನ ಗೊಪೂಜೆಯೂ ನಡೆಯುತ್ತದೆ. ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆಳ್ಳಿ ಕೃಷ್ಣ, ಬೆಳ್ಳಿ ಹಸು ಪ್ರತಿಮೆಗಳಿಗೆ ಪೂಜೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಕೆಲವರ ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕೆರಕ ಇಟ್ಟು ಪೂಜೆ ಮಾಡುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಕೆರಕ ಎಂದರೆ ಹಸುವಿನ ಸಗಣಿಯ ಉಂಡೆಗೆ ಚೆಂಡುಹೂವು ಇಡುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಇದು ಗಣಪತಿಯ ಸ್ವರೂಪ ಎಂದು ಭಾವಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಬಲಿ ಚಕ್ರವರ್ತಿಯ ರಾಜ್ಯವು ಐಶ್ವರ್ಯ, ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಹೊಂದಿತ್ತು. ಅಂತಯೇ ನಮ್ಮ ಬಾಳಲ್ಲೂ ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮೀ ಸ್ಥಿರವಾಗಿ ನೆಲಿಸಿ, ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಸಿಗಲಿ ಎಂದು ಪ್ರಾರ್ಥನೆ ಮಾಡುವ ಪದ್ಧತಿ.

ದೀಪಾವಳಿ ಹಬ್ಬದಲ್ಲಿ ನೇಮ, ಉಪವಾಸ, ವ್ರತ ಕಥೆ ಇವ್ಯಾವುದೂ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಹಾಗಾಗಿ ಇದು ಸಂತಸ, ಸಡಗರ, ಸಂಭ್ರಮದ ಹಬ್ಬ :) ಬೆಳಿಗ್ಗೆ ಎದ್ದು ಅಭ್ಯಂಜನ ಸ್ನಾನ ಮಾಡಿ, ದೇವರ ಪೂಜೆ ಮಾಡಿ,ಹೊಸ ಉಡುಗೆ ಹಾಕಿಕೊಂಡು, ರುಚಿಯಾದ ಹಬ್ಬದ ಅಡಿಗೆ ಊಟ ಮಾಡಿ, ವಿಧ ವಿಧವಾದ ಪಟಾಕಿ ಹೊಡೆದು ಆನಂದಿಸುವ ಹಬ್ಬ ಇದು.

ದೀಪಾವಳಿಯ ಬೆಳಕು ಎಲ್ಲರ ಬಾಳನ್ನೂ ಪ್ರಕಾಶಗೊಳಿಸಲಿ ಎಂದು ಆಶಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ :)

REGARDS
MEERA BHAKTA