My mentor Shankar* sent me a Diwali e-card � triggering my memory that holiday celebrations were about to take place.
After researching a bit, I realized that I�d unintentionally missed some of our holiday observances. :0(
Here�s a snippet on each of the remaining upcoming holidays. I thought you all might find this both interesting and enlightening.
October 23rd - In Northern India, Dhanteras is celebrated two days before Diwali in honor of 'Dhanvantari', the physician of the gods who is believed to have emerged with a pot of 'amrita' during the 'Samudra Manthan'. On this day new kitchen utensils are bought and kept at the place of worship.
The buying of utensils relates to the myth of Dhanvantari emerging from the ocean with a pot in his hand. People bathe early in the morning and observe a fast, which is broken only after sunset with sweetmeats, puri and other delicacies.
In Western India Dhanteras or Dhantrayodashi which falls on the thirteenth day of the month of Ashwin is of great importance to the rich mercantile community. The word "Dhan" means wealth. Thus houses and business premises are renovated and decorated, entrances are adorned with colorful traditional motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the night. Believing this day to be auspicious, women purchase some gold or silver, or at least one or two new utensils. "Lakshmi-Puja" is performed in the evenings when tiny earthen lamps - 'diyas' are lighted to drive away the shadows of evil spirits. "Bhajans"-devotional songs- in praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung and "Naivedya" of traditional sweets is offered to the Goddess. There is a peculiar custom in Maharashtra to lightly pound dry coriander seeds with jaggery and offer as Naivedya.
In villages cattle is adorned and worshipped by farmers as they form the main source of their income. In the south cows are offered special veneration as they are supposed to be the incarnation of Goddess Lakshmi and therefore they are adorned and worshipped on this day.
A very interesting story about this day is of the sixteen year old son of King Hima, as per his horoscope he was doomed to die by a snake-bite on the fourth day of his marriage. On that particular fourth day of his marriage his young wife did not allow him to sleep. She laid all the ornaments, along with lots of gold and silver coins in a big heap at the entrance of her husband's boudoir, and lit innumerable lamps all over the palace. She told stories and sang songs all the while. When Yam, the god of Death arrived there in the guise of a Serpent his eyes were blinded by that dazzling brilliance of the lights. He was unable to enter the Prince's chamber. Instead, he climbed on top of the heap of the ornaments and coins, and sat there whole night listening to the Princess� melodious songs. In the morning he quietly went away. The young Princess saved her husband from the clutches of death. Since then, Dhanteras came to be known as the day of "Yamdeepdaan". Lamps are kept burning throughout the night in reverence to Yam, the god of Death.