Life has become quite hectic after my return from India trip. Work is extremely busy, so was unable to add any updates. Hopefully, will add a few posts during the weekend.
Ms.Bhavana Damle sent the lyrics for ಪದುಮನಾಭನ ಹೃದಯ ವಿಹಾರಿಣಿ for Lakshmi Pooje. Had no time to post it. It is here now for any upcoming festivals. Bhavana Says “pu.ti. narasiMhAchAr , a great poet of Kannada is the composer of this song.The tuning of the song is also very beautiful.”
The word Diwali originated from the Sanskrit word “Deepavali” which means “rows of light”. This 5 day long Hindu festival is celebrated throughout the world with great enthusiasm and happiness. Diwali or deepavali is the festival signifying the victory of good against evil.
It usually occurs in October/November, and is one of the most popular and eagerly awaited festivals in India and all over the world. Diwali comes 3 weeks after Dasara.
The first day of Diwali celebrations i.e. on Thrayodasi ತ್ರಯೋದಶಿ is called as Neeru Thumbuva Habba ನೀರು ತುಂಬುವ ಹಬ್ಬ in Kannada. This day all the vessels which are used to fill or collect water are cleaned in the evening, decorated with mango leaves, flowers, and rangoli. I remember all the water geysers and boilers were washed, filled with fresh water and rangoli drawn on them this day.
The rangoli prepared is by soaking rice in water for a few hours and grinding the same into a smooth paste. My Mom used to take a piece of cloth, dip it into this rice paste and draw Rangoli every where from the front door to the kitchen. All corners of the house used to have rangoli, which used to be as white as milk. Just amazing.
Naraka Chaturdashi is celebrated on the second day of diwali celebrations. People wake up early in the morning apply the kumkum (ladies in the household do the arathi), on their foreheads and then take bath.
We used to all sit on a platform, usually called a Mane which is decorated with Rangoli designs, lamps lit on both sides. Everyone is applied Kumkum on the forehead, given betel leaf, nut, and arathi is done by elderly ladies in the house. They will take the oil cup and dip a flower in it and apply it on everyones head. And the man are supposed to give money for the ladies doing the Aarathi. Such a nice tradition, isn’t it?
The story goes that Narakasura the daemon ruler of Pragjyotishpur after defeating Lord Indra had snatched away the magnificent earrings of Aditi, the Mother Goddess and imprisoned 16,000 daughters of the gods and saints in his harem. On the day previous to Naraka-chaturdashi, Lord Krishna killed the demon and liberated the imprisoned daughters and also recovered those precious earrings of Aditi. As a symbol of that victory Lord Krishna smeared his forehead with the demon’s blood and returned home in the very early morning of the Naraka-chaturdashi day. The womenfolk massaged scented oil to his body and gave him a good bath to wash away the filth from his body. Since then the custom of taking bath before sunrise on this day has become a traditional practice.
Another legend is about King Bali. His power and increasing influence posed a threat to the security of all ‘Devatas’ so they prayed Lord Vishnu to help them out. To help Devatas and to curb King Bali’s powers Lord Vishnu went to King Bali in the guise of a short-height ‘Brahmin’, and begged to give him only that much area of land that he could cover with in three steps because King Bali was well known for his philanthropy. King Bali saw just a short-height ‘Brahmin’ asking for a little piece of land so he proudly granted him his wish. That very moment that short-height ‘Brahmin’ disappeared and there was almighty Lord Vishnu in place of him. In his first step Lord Vishnu covered the heaven and in the second step the earth and asked King Bali where to put his third step. Then King Bali offered his head to Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu put his third step on his head and pushed him deep into the underground. But at the same time being impressed by his generosity Lord Vishnu gave King Bali the lamp of knowledge and allowed him to return to earth once a year to light millions of lamps.
The third day of Diwali is the most important day during which we perform Lakshmi Pooje; to the Goddess Lakshmi. Lakshmi Pooje falls on the dark night of Amavasya. Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evening to seek blessings of Goddess of Wealth.
I am sure you all will do the Lakshmi Pooje, and get her blessings. The most important song we sing while performing Lakshmi Pooje is Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma song.
The fourth day of Diwali is called “Bali Padyami“. Bali would come out of Pathala Loka and rule Bhuloka as per the boon given by Lord Vishnu. Hence, it is known as ‘Bali Padyami’.
P.S: Diwali dates – 2013
This year Diwali is celebrated from November 1st – November 4th.
November 1st – Neeru Thumbuva Habba
November 2th – Naraka Chaturdasi
November 3rd – Lakshmi Pooja
November 4th – Bali Padyami
What is Naraka Chaturdashi?
Naraka Chaturdashi is celebrated on the second day of diwali celebrations. People wake up early in the morning apply the kumkum (ladies in the household do the arathi), on their foreheads and then take bath.
The story goes that Narakasura the daemon ruler of Pragjyotishpur after defeating Lord Indra had snatched away the magnificent earrings of Aditi, the Mother Goddess and imprisoned 16,000 daughters of the gods and saints in his harem. On the day previous to Naraka-chaturdashi, Lord Krishna killed the demon and liberated the imprisoned daughters and also recovered those precious earrings of Aditi. As a symbol of that victory Lord Krishna smeared his forehead with the demon’s blood and returned home in the very early morning of the Naraka-chaturdashi day. The womenfolk massaged scented oil to his body and gave him a good bath to wash away the filth from his body. Since then the custom of taking bath before sunrise on this day has become a traditional practice.
Another legend is about King Bali. His power and increasing influence posed a threat to the security of all ‘Devatas’ so they prayed Lord Vishnu to help them out. To help Devatas and to curb King Bali’s powers Lord Vishnu went to King Bali in the guise of a short-height ‘Brahmin’, and begged to give him only that much area of land that he could cover with in three steps because King Bali was well known for his philanthropy. King Bali saw just a short-height ‘Brahmin’ asking for a little piece of land so he proudly granted him his wish. That very moment that short-height ‘Brahmin’ disappeared and there was almighty Lord Vishnu in place of him. In his first step Lord Vishnu covered the heaven and in the second step the earth and asked King Bali where to put his third step. Then King Bali offered his head to Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu put his third step on his head and pushed him deep into the underground. But at the same time being impressed by his generosity Lord Vishnu gave King Bali the lamp of knowledge and allowed him to return to earth once a year to light millions of lamps.
November 3rd – Lakshmi Pooja
P.S: Past few years pooja pictures attached below….
The third day of Diwali is the most important day during which we perform Lakshmi Pooje; to the Goddess Lakshmi. Lakshmi Pooje falls on the dark night of Amavasya. Lakshmi Puja is performed in the evening to seek blessings of Goddess of Wealth.
I am sure you all will do the Lakshmi Pooje, and get her blessings. The most important song we sing while performing Lakshmi Pooje is Bhagyada Lakshmi Baramma song.
The fourth day of Diwali is called “Bali Padyami“. Bali would come out of Pathala Loka ಪಾತಾಳ ಲೋಕ and rule Bhuloka ಭೂಲೋಕ as per the boon given by Lord Vishnu. Hence, it is known as ‘Bali Padyami’.
King Bali of the netherworld, with his mighty power, had become a threat to the gods. To curb his powers, Lord Vishnu in the guise of a Brahmin boy (Vamana), visited him and begged for that much land he could cover with three footsteps.
So, with the first step, Vamana covered the entire heaven and with the second step the earth. When he asked Bali where he could keep his third step, Bali offered his head and put the Lord’s foot on his head. Lord Vishnu banishes Bali into the Pathala (nether land) by his third stride. Later, pleased by his generosity, Lord Vishnu grants him a boon to return to earth once in a year to light millions of lamps to dispel the darkness and ignorance and spread the radiance of love and wisdom.
Links to songs sung while performing Aarathi during Diwali.
ಕೇಶವ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಮಾಂಗಲ್ಯಸೂತ್ರ ತಾಳಿ
ನಾರಾಯಣ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ತಾಳಿ ಪದಕವು
ಮಾಧ್ವ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಸುರಗೆ ಸಂಪಿಗೆ ಮೊಗ್ಗು
ಗೋವಿಂದ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಗೋಧಿಯ ಸರವು ||೧||
ವಿಷ್ಣುವೆ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ರತ್ನ ಕುಂಡಲಗಳು
ಮಧುಸೂದನ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಮಾಣಿಕ್ಯದ ಹರಳು
ತ್ರಿವಿಕ್ರಮ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ವಂಕಿ ನಾಗಮುರುಗಿಯು
ವಾಮನ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಓಲೆ ಏಕಾವಳಿಯು ||೨||
ಶ್ರೀಧರ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಒಳ್ಳೆ ಮುತ್ತಿನ ಹಾರ
ಹೃಷಿಕೇಶ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಕಡಗ ಗೆಜ್ಜೆಯು
ಪದ್ಮನಾಭ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಮುತ್ತಿನಡ್ಡಿಕೆಯು
ದಾಮೋದರ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ರತ್ನದ ಪದಕವು ||೩||
ಸಂಕರ್ಷಣ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ವಂಕಿ ತೋಳಾಯಿತು
ವಾಸುದೇವ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಒಲಿದ ತೋಡೆ
ಪ್ರದ್ಯುಮ್ನ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಹಸ್ತಕಂಕಣ ಬಳೆ
ಅನಿರುದ್ಧ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಮುಕುರ ಬುಲಾಕು ||೪||
ಪುರುಷೋತ್ತಮ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಹೊಸ ಮುತ್ತಿನ ಮೂಗುತಿ
ಅಧೋಕ್ಷಜ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಚಂದ್ರ ಸೂರ್ಯ
ನಾರಸಿಂಹ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಚೌರಿ ರಾಗಟಿ ಗೊಂಡ್ಯ
ಅಚ್ಯುತ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಮುತ್ತಿನ ಬೊಟ್ಟು ||೫||
ಜನಾರ್ದನ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಜರಿಯ ಪೀತಾಂಬರ
ಉಪೇಂದ್ರ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಕಡಗ ಗೆಜ್ಜೆಯು
ಶ್ರೀಹರಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಕಂಚು ಅಂಕಿಯ ತುಳಸಿ
ಶ್ರೀಕೃಷ್ಣ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ನಡುವಿನೊಡ್ಯಾಣವು ||೬||
ಸರಸಿಜಾಕ್ಷ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಅರಸಿನ ಎಣ್ಣೆ ಹಚ್ಚಿ
ಪಂಕಜಾಕ್ಷ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಕುಂಕುಮ ಕಾಡಿಗೆಯು
ಪುರಂದರ ವಿಠಲ ನಿಮ್ಮ ನಾಮ ಸರ್ವಾಭರಣವು
ನಿಲುವುಗನ್ನಡಿಯಲಿ ಲಲನೆಯ ತೋರಿಸುತ ||೭||
shrI mahAlakShmiya alaMkarisi karedaru ||
kEshava nimma nAma mAMgalyasUtra tALi
nArAyaNa nimma nAma tALi padakavu
mAdhva nimma nAma surage saMpige moggu
gOviMda nimma nAma gOdhiya saravu ||1||
viShNuve nimma nAma ratna kuMDalagaLu
madhusUdana nimma nAma mANikyada haraLu
trivikrama nimma nAma vaMki nAgamurugiyu
vAmana nimma nAma Ole EkAvaLiyu ||2||
shrIdhara nimma nAma oLLe muttina hAra
hRuShikEsha nimma nAma kaDaga gejjeyu
padmanAbha nimma nAma muttinaDDikeyu
dAmOdara nimma nAma ratnada padakavu ||3||
saMkarShaNa nimma nAma vaMki tOLAyitu
vAsudEva nimma nAma olida tODe
pradyumna nimma nAma hastakaMkaNa baLe
aniruddha nimma nAma mukura bulAku ||4||
puruShOttama nimma nAma hosa muttina mUguti
adhOkShaja nimma nAma chaMdra sUrya
nArasiMha nimma nAma chouri rAgaTi goMDya
achyuta nimma nAma muttina boTTu ||5||
janArdana nimma nAma jariya pItAMbara
upEMdra nimma nAma kaDaga gejjeyu
shrIhari nimma nAma kaMchu aMkiya tuLasi
shrIkRuShNa nimma nAma naDuvinoDyANavu ||6||
sarasijAkSha nimma nAma arasina eNNe hachchi
paMkajAkSha nimma nAma kuMkuma kADigeyu
puraMdara viThala nimma nAma sarvAbharaNavu
niluvugannaDiyali lalaneya tOrisuta ||7||
Ms. Madhuri sent me the images of many Kundan Ragoli designs created by her Mother. Ms. Madhuri, please convey to your mother that these designs are just awesome. How talented your mother is.
Kundan Rangoli was completely new to me. When Mr. Madhukar shared with me the pictures for Sree Vara MahaLakshmi Pooje, the rangolis surprised me. I asked Mr. Madhukar to send me more details about the same.
Mr. Madhukar writes as follows:
The “Kundan Rangoli” is art work using coloured plastic pieces pasted on OHP sheets. These are now a rave in Bangalore with footpath vendors popping up during festivals selling pieces from Rs. 50 – thousands – depending on size and design.
The ones pictured were ‘created’ by my mother Savithramma – now aged 77 – who has always had an artistic craze – an exponent of the regular rangoli – colour fillings – hittina rangoli etc. now that she cannot bend due to knee problems has ‘migrated’ to Kundan rangolis :)
Varamahalaxmi festival always used to be a much sought of festival in our neighbourhood in Mysore (Chamarajapuram) – mainly because of the 1 1/2 to 2 ft Square Colour rangolis that she would display. She had the co-operation is this aspect by my grand father, grandmother, father, aunt and of course my elder brother and myself.
Attached below are the various pictures sent.
Thanks so much. Mr.Madhukar, And please convey my Namaskaras to your Mother. She is a great artist.
I will definitely buy these during my visit to Bangalore, hurray yes, coming soon to Bangalore in a few weeks. :)
P.S: If you are familiar with this kind of Rangoli and have been drawing them, send me the designs. I will post it here.
Shri Vara Mahalakshmi Vrata is performed by married Hindu women to seek the blessings of the Goddess Mahalakshmi, wife of Lord Vishnu.
The Vrata is observed on the Friday immediately preceding the full moon day of the month of
Sravana Masa. On the day of Pooje or Vrata, women clean their homes and decorate their front yards with rangolis. Later, they take a bath and deck wear pure silk saree and jewellery. The lady performing the pooje makes a mandala with the drawing of a lotus upon it. A kalasha filled with rice and topped with fresh mango and betel leaves, a coconut smeared with haldi and kumkum and cloth are placed on the mandala and Lakshmi is invoked therein.
After the worship of the kalasha, follows the worship of Ganesha, then the worship of the sacred thread. Now the main worship of Vara Lakshmi begins and the scared thread is worshipped a second time. It is then tied to the right hand of the lady. After the worship thamboola is given to 5 married ladies.
The same evening, we invite all the neighboring ladies(married women) and offer them tamboola; also called veeledele Adike, which is an offering of betel leaves, fruits, betel nuts, kumkum, haldi and dakshine. At this point the ladies also sing songs in praise of goddess Varalakshmi.
Attached below is a scanned vrata procedure in Kannada:
Pooje Preparation of gejje vastra, flowers, lamps, and naivedya.
Offer Haldi Kumkum, flowers, gejje vastra, and light the lamps.
Light the Agarbathi.
Break the coconut, perform naivedya, do mangalaruthi and aarathi for Goddess Lakshmi.
Evening Lakshmi Pooja on 7/20/2012.
Rangoli designs for the Pooja, with Lakshmi Hrudaya.
A picture of jasmine garland made from flowers in my own garden for Lakshmi Pooja.
Pooja begins with lamps, flowers, Gejje Vastra:
After, Naivedya, Mangalaruthi, and Lakshmi Aarathi.
Shravana Shukravara Lakshmi pooja is performed on all the Friday’s. This year it is performed on August 9th, 16th, and 23rd.
I have scanned and attached a document which has the complete details on performing Sri Lakshmi Pooja during Fridays and also Shravana Masa. This shouldn’t be confused for Sri VaraMahaLakshmi Vrata. I will post a separate post providing all details for Sri VaraMahaLakshmi Vrata.
This document has all the details from doing the Achamana, to Sankalpa, Dhyana, Naivedya, and Maha Mangalarathi.
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