A South Indian Diwali

If you really go across the Indian subcontinent, the actual Diwali festivities beginning with the run-up to Dhanteras (November 5, 2018) go on till Dev Diwali (November 22). Depending on region, community and sect, mythological narratives connected to the festival, rituals, music and food, the celebration vary just like the duration. We look at the lesser known celebrations of Diwali in South India.

Bangalorean founder of Pickle Jar (which curates film festivals and socio-cultural programmes) Vasanthi Hariprakash says the mythology in the South is not about Lord Rama (some in the North call it the extended celebrations of his arrival in Ayodhya on Dussehra after 14 years of exile), but of Krishna. "We were raised on this tale of Narakasura tale where Krishna slays him," she points out.

The pious Naraka and his kingdom Pragjyotisha are mentioned in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. It is said his association with demon Banasura began his journey into evil. His ascetic penance granted him immortality, which protected him. After subjugating all the kingdoms on earth, he turned his attention to the heavens even driving the mighty Indra out, stealing goddess Aditi's earrings and kidnapping 16,000 women from her abode.

The gods then beseeched Lord Vishnu to save them from Narakasura. After his long tyrannical reign, when Vishnu came to Earth as Krishna, at the behest of his wife Satyabhama (originally Bhudevi and Narakasur's mother and a relative of the goddess Aditi), he started a battle against Narakasura. The demon's fortress was destroyed by Krishna and Satyabhama. In the fierce battle both were matched. When the demon hurled a trident at Krishna, he tried to play dead hoping to surprise him. Only Satyabhama was enraged thinking Krishna was really dead. She killed Narakasura with her own arrow. As he breathed his last, Narakasura asked his mother, Satyabhama for a dying wish that everyone should remember him on this day. And hence, the tradition of Narakachaturdashi.

Hariprakash, a well-known radio and TV personality, says despite postings in far flung North Indian places like Bulandshaher, this is the narrative her parents told her. "We also avoid saying Diwali, since it is very close to the word 'Diwala' which means reduced to a pauper. For us, its Deepawali," says Hariprakash, whose maternal family hails from Chennai. "In Karnataka, large pots used to heat water for were filled on the night before, called the Neeru Tumbuwa Habba. These were elaborately decorated and the water was heated for the festive bath after the mandatory oil bath," she says.

She also elaborates how the Bali Padyami is also a big Deepavali tradition in the South. "This is a celebration of Maha Bali, the benevolent asura king," she says.

Mahabali performed severe penance to Lord Brahma, who granted him powers equal to Indra and that no battle would see him lose. Shukracharya Bali soon conquered the three worlds. Indra then wept and complained to his mother Aditi how not only humans but even the gods favoured Bali.

His mother Aditi then undertook penance to invoke Vishnu who tried to dissuade her, but could not. He told her he will vanquish Bali, but not ferociously. Accordingly, Vishnu was born as Vamana to Aditi. After his sacred thread ceremony, he left to pursue education and landed up at Bali's court. Bali was then cementing his position as the lord of all three worlds with a yagna.

Bali agreed to give him what he wanted, despite his guru warning him that the boy was none other than Vishnu. A Vishnu devotee, the overwhelmed Bali disregarded his guru and asked the young boy for anything. Vamana said he wanted a mere three steps of land, measured by his feet. The moment Bali agreed, Vamana grew so large Bali could only see his toe-nail. In one step he had covered the earth, in the next the heavens came under his foot. He then asked Bali where he could put his third foot. Since the king never went back on his world he bent and put his head forward, asking Vishnu to step on it. This pushed him into the netherworld for good and Indra regained his kingdom.

Hariprakash also reminisces how her grandmother would start lighting d iyas in the house a month before the festival. "While we don't do that anymore. For us, the official closure to Deepawali comes only after Karthigai Deepam that falls on November 23 this year. Till then the lighting of diyas continues and so does the festive mood."