After looking at the Karthigai celebration in Tamil Nadu and other southern states in the previous post, let us go to the other parts of the country to get to know the festivals celebrated on the day of Kartik Punima.

Before that however, let us get to know about the five days leading to Kartik Purnima, starting with Prabodhini Ekadashi. Many important vrats fall during the period known as Vishnu Panchak or Bhishma Panchak, dedicated to both Shiva and Vishnu. In Puri, Lord Jagannath and his siblings Subhadhra and Balabhadra are adorned in different dresses (bhesha) on all the five days, with the Deities dressed in royal garb in the Raja Rajeswara Bhesa on the day of Kartik Purnima.

Prabodhini/Dev Uthani/Devotthan Ekadashi.

Falling four days before Kartik Purnima, this is one of the most auspicious Ekadashis, as on this day Bhagwan Vishnu comes out of his chaturmas yoganidra, thus bringing the four-month period to an end. Another legend has it that it is on this day that Vishnu in his Vaman Avatar emerges from patal-lok where he had despatched King Bali.

Tulsi Vivah/Tulsi Kalyanam/Tulsi Puja

Tulsi Vivah or Tulsi Kalyanam is celebrated any one of the five days from Prabodhini Ekadashi till Kartik Purnima, but it is usually celebrated on Dwadashi. On this day, Vishnu marries Vrinda, the personification of Tulsi. A Tulsi plant is symbolically wed to Vishnu either in the form of Shaligram or as an amla plant. In Karnataka it is celebrated as Tulsi puja with special puja offered to the goddess. Tulsi vivah heralds the resumption of the wedding season since no weddings take place during the chaturmas period.

Khopdi Baaras

I came across an interesting variation of Tulsi Vivah, which is celebrated in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Called Khopdi Baaras (Dwadashi), it is also a harvest festival celebrated by farmers. Five whole sugarcane stalks are arranged in a pyramid shape called khopdi, and decorated like a mandap with rangoli and lamps. The deity is placed inside the ‘mandap’, and puja and naivedyam are offered. This festival offers the chance to celebrate Bhau Beej/Bhai dooj for those who had missed it.

Vaikuntha Chaturdashi:

The day before Kartik Purnima is Vaikuntha Chaturdashi. Both Vishnu and Shiva are believed to come together and also worship each other during this month, especially on this day. Hence it is also known as Hari-Har Milan. According to the puranas, Vishnu came to Kashi (Varanasi) to worship Shiva on Kartik Shukla Chaturdashi with 1000 lotus flowers. However, to test Vishnu’s devotion, Shiva removed one lotus. Finding himself short of one lotus, Vishnu decided to pluck one of his eyes (He is called Kamala Nayana — lotus eyed) and offer it to the Lord. Pleased by his devotion, Shiva appeared before him and stopped him, and presented him with the Sudarshana Chakra.

Interestingly, on this day, Vishnu is offered bel and Shiva is offered tulsi, which are not offered to them on other days. The story goes that when they met, the tulsi leaf from Vishnu and bel patra from Shiva’s body fell on each other. So, it is believed that offering bel to Vishnu and tulsi to Shiva on this day is very auspicious.

The doors to Vaikuntha are kept open on Vaikuntha Chaturdashi, and devotees who worship the Lord are believed to go to Vaikuntha.

Festivals on Kartik Purnima:

We have already seen that the Purnima in the month of Kartik or Purhsottam masa is the most auspicious day for pujas and vrats. In some parts of the country, the spiritual and temporal aspects of life are closely intertwined with each other in the celebrations as in Odisha and Pushkar.

Dev Diwali/Dev Deepavali

This is literally the Deepavali of the devatas, which is celebrated in Kashi (Varanasi) and some parts of Gujarat.

There are many legends connecting this festival to both Shiva and Vishnu. According to one, the devatas come down to Kashi to bathe in the Ganga and light lamps to celebrate Vishnu’s return after his chaturmas yoganidra. It is also celebrated as the day Vishnu assumed the Matsya Avatar. Kartik snan in the Ganga is hence considered the most auspicious, and lakhs of people throng the ghats of Varanasi, Haridwar and Rishikesh for the holy dip.

Radha Rani, the consort of Krishna is also celebrated on this day, with Krishna doing the raas leela with Radha.

The devatas also celebrate Tripuri Purnima/Tripurari Purnima, the day Shiva destroyed Tripuri, the three impregnable fort cities built by the three asura brothers — Tripuraksha, Kamalaksha and Vidyunmali, each made of gold, silver and iron respectively.

The three asura brothers had got the boon of invincibility from Brahma after severe penance. The three brothers prospered in their cities, but soon began tormenting the three worlds.  The asuras and their cities could be destroyed only when they were killed by a single arrow shot by Shiva. When the devas prayed to Shiva to deliver them from their terror, Shiva set out with Brahma as his charioteer, the divine serpent Vasuki as the string of his bow Pinaki, and Vishnu as the arrow. When Shiva shot the arrow, Vishnu burnt the three cities and the asura brothers.

The overjoyed devas celebrated this victory as Tripurotsav, lighting lamps and turning Kashi into a celestial city. Devotees of both the Deities observe vrat, lighting lamps in their homes and doing deep daan (floating lamps made of flour down the Ganga).

Even today, Dev Deepavali is celebrated with grandeur with lakhs of lamps lighting up all the ghats in Varanasi, and has become a major tourist attraction of Uttar Pradesh.

Karthigai

This festival celebrating Shiva and Kartikeya is a grand festival in Tamil Nadu and other neighbouring states. Read the previous post for a detailed description.

Boita Bandana of Odisha

The people of Odisha hold the entire month of Kartik very sacred but the last five days of Kartik, leading up to Kartik Purnima or Rasa Purnima as they call it, is especially important for them. The devout observe a five-day vrat known as panchuka, similar to Bhishma Panchak or Vishnu Panchak vrat of Vaishnavites.

On Kartik Purnima, there is a tradition of women and young girls going to a river or water body and floating small boats made of either a piece of banana stem or paper with small lamps in them. Called Boita Bandana This is to celebrate the glory of the maritime exploits of the ancient Kalinga Empire, when there was a thriving trade between the empire and South-East Asian countries, notably Bali. The women sing songs and pray for the safety of the menfolk setting sail on Kartik Purnima, when the winds are most favourable.

The Bali Jatra, a 7-day socio-cultural fair and one of the largest fairs in the country also begins on Kartik Purnima in Cuttack.

Pushkar Fair

Pushkar Fair, the world’s biggest camel fair is held around Kartik Purnima. The town is crowded with traders and buyers along with lakhs of devotees who come to do the ritual Kartik snan in the main Pushkar lake, which Brahma is believed to have created. As per the puranas, once when a notorious asura called Vajranabha was terrorising the people on the earth, Brahma destroyed him with the lotus in his hand. The flower bounced three times on the earth, creating three lakes – Jyeshtha Pushkar, Madhya Pushkar and Kanishtha Pushkar.

Another legend has it that Brahma conducted a yagna for the welfare of the people of the earth at the largest lake, Jyeshtha Pushkar for five days starting on Prabodhini Ekadashi till Kartik Purnima. It was during this yagna that an asura had stolen the light from the world, plunging it into darkness. Vishnu had slayed him and restored light to the world. Read about it here. All the devatas are believed to come down to earth on these five days and thus the region is considered to be imbued with divinity.

Guru Nanak Jayanti

Sikhs the world over celebrate Guru Nanak Jayanti on Kartik Purnima. It is celebrated as Prakash Parv/Prakshotsav/Guru Purab. Sikhs go to Gurdwaras to do kirtan, pray and do seva on this auspicious day. Homes and Gurdwaras are lit up with thousands of lamps, lending credence to the term Prakash Parva.

Importance of Kartik Purnima for Jains

It is on Kartik Purnima that the chaturmas ends. Having stayed put in one place and having avoided eating any vegetables or fruits during the period, the Jain sadhus and sadhvis start their journey once again. The devout make the holiest of  yatras to the Palitana temples on Shatrunjay Hills in Gujarat, where Adinath, the first Jain tirthankar is believed to have attained enlightenment.

If there are other festivals or vrats that I have not covered, do share them in the comments.

Let us all celebrate Kartik Purnima with devotion, fervour and lots and lots of lamps. Here is wishing everyone a very auspicious and shubh Kartik Purnima!

Pics: Dev Diwali – https://www.jagran.com/ https://www.amazingholidaysinindia.com/

Puri- https://visitmyodisha.com/ Khopdi Baaras- http://www.youtube.com Tripurari- https://www.patrika.com/

Vaikuntha Chaturdashi- https://en.wikipedia.org/ Pushkar snan- https://www.pixelchrome.com/

Palitana – https://www.gujarattourism.com/ Karthigai — https://www.wiznar.com/