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II
Goverdhan Pooja
: The Fourth Day of Diwali Festival II
The puja performed on the fourth day of Diwali is
called the Govardhan Puja.
The puja performed on the fourth day of Diwali
is called the Govardhan Puja. The origin of this day goes back
to the Dwapara Yuga, and to Lord Krishna. According to legends,
he lifted mount Govardhan on this day and hence the day is
dedicated to the worshiping the mountain. Goverdhan puja is
offered as a tribute to Krishna's heroic feat. In parts of north
India, people make cow dung replicas of the fabled mound,
decorate it with flower petals and offer prayers.
In few places, Goverdhan puja, also known as Godhan puja
The day after Diwali is celebrated as Govadhan Puja when
Govardhan Parbat or Mount Govardhan, near Mathura, is
worshipped.
The devotees of Lord Krishna keep awake the whole night and cook
as many as fifty-six or one hundred and eight different types of
dishes for the bhog (the offering of food) to Krishna. This
sacred ceremony is referred to as ankut i.e. a mountain of food.
After being offered to the lord, the delicacies are distributed
as prasad to devotees.
Celebration :
On this day, houses
and business centers are renovated and 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
nights.
Being a day dedicated
to the festival of wealth, on this people purchase a new utensil,
silver or gold coin or some other precious metal as a sign of good
luck on the day of dhanteras. This is also a tradition related
with celebrations of the festival of Dhanvantari Trayodashi.
Dhanteras festival is ideal time for setting up businesses,
commencing new projects, housewarming, deciding wedding dates,
buying cars and jewellery.
"Lakshmi-Puja" is
performed in the evenings when tiny diyas of clay are lighted to
drive away the shadows of evil spirits.
Prayers to Goddess
Laxmi :
Legends :
The story of Yamadeedaan:
The legend behind Dhanteras is
centred on the sixteen-year-old son of King Hima. As per his
horoscope he was fated to breathe his last on the fourth day of
his marriage owing to snakebite. On the appointed day his wife
illuminated the house with numerous lamps and placed a heap of
gold and silver coins and ornaments in front of their bedroom.
All through the night she sang songs and told stories.
The lights of the lamps, and the dazzle of the coins and
ornaments blinded the god of death, Yam devta, who had come as a
serpent. He spent the entire night in the heap listening to the
sweet sounding songs before leaving peacefully the next morning.
Thus, the wife succeeded in saving the life of her husband. This
explains, why the Dhan teras festival is also referred to as "Yamadeepdaan".
The Story of Samudramanthan:
The legend of Samudramanthan is at
the heart of these celebrations. According to this story, when
the gods and demons churned the ocean for Amrut or nectar,
Dhanavantri, the physician of the gods and an incarnation of
Vishnu emerged carrying a jar of the elixir.
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