BHUBANESWAR: With confusion abounding over the date of Diwali, the Mukti Mandap Pandit Mahasabha at the Shree Jagannath Temple on Wednesday put the matter to rest and declared October 20 as the date for the festival and ‘Paya Shradha’.
The highest body of pandits also appealed the state government to declare October 20 as public holiday for Diwali instead of the notified date of October 21.
As per the astrological calculations, the rituals for ‘Paya Shradha’ or ‘Deepadaana Shradha’ and Diwali begin from the evening of October 20, it said. Working president of the Mukti Mandap, Biswanath Mishra said since ‘Paya Shradha’ is not observed in the morning and there is an ‘amabasya’ on that day, it will be observed in the evening from October 20 onwards.
“Burning of Kauriya Kathi (jute sticks) by people to invoke their ancestors through ‘Bada Badua Daka’ and Diwali will be celebrated on October 20. Since ‘amabasya’ continues on October 21, those who could not offer ‘pinda’ to their ancestors on Mahalaya can do so in the morning of that day which will be Amabasya Dibasa,” he said.
Since celebration of Diwali on October 21, as suggested by a few ‘panjikas’, does not align with the Hindu norms, the Mukti Mandap Pandit Mahasabha through a press conference appealed the state government to declare October 20 as a public holiday for Diwali.
Mishra said the confusion over the Diwali date is primarily because of the many ‘panjikas’ that mentioned two different dates - October 20 and 21. Panjika is the Hindu astronomical almanac that gives the dates of festivals, auspicious and inauspicious times, eclipses, lunar days and movement of sun, moon and stars.
There are five leading Panjika publishers in the state - Shri Radharaman Bisudha Khadiratna Panjika, Odisha Kohinoor Press Panjika, Arunodaya Press Khadiratna Panjika, GN Tripathy Utkal Jatia Khadiratna Panjika and Bhagyadeepa Press Panjika.
An official of the state government said the decision on public holidays is taken by the Revenue department. No decision on changing the Diwali holiday to October 20 has so far been taken by the government. Dhanteras will be celebrated on October 18.
