42
November 2017
culturama
The killing of Naraka, a demon who harassed the gods, is one of the many stories associated with Deepavali/ Diwali, the festival of lights followed and many were the weapons that were used against Lord Krishna, but nothing could harm him. Finally, Lord Krishna used his sudarshanachakra (discus) and lopped off Naraka’s head. (The killing of Naraka is one of the many stories associated with Deepavali/Diwali, the festival of lights.) Mother Earth delivered to Lord Krishna the pair of earrings belonging to Aditi, Varuna’s umbrella and Indra’s crest jewels. Bending low with humility, Mother Earth praised Lord Krishna’s powers and sought his blessings. Indra felt duty bound to retrieve the umbrella that belonged to Varuna. Indra is also famed for bringing torrential rains – like he did to the cowherds of the legendary Vraja. Lord Krishna had to lift an entire mountain with his little finger and hold it aloft for seven days to protect the cows, cowherds and villagers who had taken shelter under it from the rains.
The Bond of Brotherhood While Deepavali is a one-day festival in South India, the same (called Diwali) is an elaborate five-day affair in the
North, with each day having its own religious significance and associated legends. Every year, Bhai Dooj, a celebration of the brother–sister bond, is observed on the final day of the five-day festival all over North India. (Bhai means brother.) On this day, brothers visit married sisters and are welcomed with a traditional tilak, or a mark of vermilion on the forehead, which is said to protect them from evil. In return, they renew their pledge to protect their sisters in times of need. Perhaps this festival evolved in response to a need for married women to keep alive the links with their parental home. Perhaps it was society’s way of reassuring the vulnerable dependent married woman of a fallback support system she could rely on, in case of distress. Whatever the reasoning behind this annual ritual, as in all such cases, there is an enchanting story that seeks to explain how it all began. The tale goes that in the early days of creation, the first human pair, Yama and his twin sister, Yami, walked the earth, basking in the warmth of the evershining sun (there was no night then), deeply bound by their