CHENNAI: Sanatana Hindu dharma has allocated dates for celebrating numerous festivals through a year. A beautiful aspect of all these festivals, without exception, is that each has a spiritual and a social message. Every function for instance is wound around one Devata — a god or a goddess who we recall that day and offer puja and naivedya besides special obeisance as specified.
But one festival that stands apart on this score is Diwali. It’s not designated to a detailed worship of any deity. So what’s the USP of Diwali? Other than lighting up the whole place, wearing new clothes, eating an unbelievable spread of sweets and savouries, and bursting crackers, it’s the bath – as in ‘Ganga snanam’ – during the wee hours of the morning.
We get up early on the day of Diwali and have an oil-bath in hot/warm water. The hot water is supposed to signify that river Ganga is present in the water during the early morning muhurtham. Hence the inquiry about ‘Ganga snanam’.
But many people do not know the tradition of having one more snanam (bath) on this day. A little before 9 am we are required to do a ‘Tula snanam’ which involves bathing in cold water preferably in a river like the Cauvery or from your well if you have one, or at least under your bathroom tap. We are also told that we should pray to Lord Vishnu during the hot water oil bath, and to Lord Siva during the cold bath.
Diwali also gives us an invaluable social message. We celebrate the festival all over India — to commemorate the destruction of Narakasura by Lord Krishna. Interestingly, the Asura himself is said to have requested Krishna that the day should be replete with good cheer and unalloyed happiness. Narakasura’s mother Bhoodevi endorsed his prayer in which he said, “let me suffer for my wrong doings but let everyone be happy and prosperous”.
The subtle and graceful message to all of us from the Asura, seconded by Bhoodevi and blessed by Krishna, is: Forget your personal grouses, unhappiness or pique you may have, and rise over any form of ill-feeling caused by your personal misfortunes. Go out and give joy and good cheer to all around you.”