After Ayodhya, the stage is now set for a grand Deepotsav along the banks of river Ganga in Varanasi on Monday. Around 14 lakh diyas (earthen lamps) would be lit up on both sides of the river Ganga on the occasion of Dev Deepawali officials said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to reach city around 2pm to participate in celebrations at the ghats.
In Varanasi, Ganga has iconic ghats on the left and sprawling sand banks on the other side. While nine lakh diyas would be lit up on the ghats, another five lakh would be lit up on the sandy bank, a senior official of the tourism department said. “This is the first time when the earthen lamps will be lit on the sandy bank of river Ganga,” he said and added that a laser show would also be a major attraction.
“On the occasion of Dev Deepawali, every year, lakhs of diyas are lit up on and along the ghats. This time, the earthen lamps will also be lit up at the sandy bank of river Ganga. Preparations for the same are in the last phase,” regional tourism officer Keertiman Srivastava said.
According to officials, several committees had been constituted to ensure that the event is a grand success. Divisional commissioner Deepak Agarwal and district magistrate Kaushalraj Sharma have held several meetings to fine tune preparations for Dev Deepawali.
Governor Anandiben Patel and chief minister Yogi Adityanath along with various others are expected to attend the celebrations at the ghats.
Why is Dev Deepawali celebrated?
It is a popular belief that Diwali of the deities is celebrated on Kartik Purnima day. To mark the occasion even deities descend from heaven in invisible forms on the ghats of the holy Ganges to ensure salvation of the devotees involved in the Maha Aarti. The festival is a special part of the ancient culture of Kashi and even finds a mention in the sacred Hindu scripture Shiv Puarana.
According to the Shiv Purana, when demon Tripura Sur tortured the gods during the Kartik month, Lord Vishnu killed him on this day following which celebrations were held that came to be known as Dev Diwali.
