Dev Diwali or Dev Deepawali is celebrated every year on the 15th lunar day of Kartik month of Hindu calendar, i.e. Kartik Purnima. As per the Gregorian calendar, it falls in the month of November - December. The festival is observed 15 days after Diwali. It is celebrated in the holy city of Varanasi.
Dev Deepawali 2021: Date and Tithi and Muhurat
Date: November 18 (Tuesday).
Tithi Begins: 12:00 PM on Nov 18, 2021.
Tithi Ends: 02:26 PM on Nov 19, 2021.
Pradoshakal Dev Deepavali Muhurat: 05:09 PM to 07:47 PM.
Why and How is Dev Diwali celebrated
It is believed that Lord Shiva defeated the demon Tripurasur on this day. Therefore, Dev Diwali celebrates the victory of Lord Shiva over the demon and this is why, this day is also known as Tripurotsav or Tripurari Purnima.
Devotees of Lord Shiva take a holy bath in the river Ganga to mark the occasion of Dev Diwali.
At dusk, the steps of all the ghats on the riverfront of the Ganges River, from Ravidas Ghat at the southern end to Rajghat, are lit with more than a million earthen lamps in honour of Ganga, the Ganges, and its presiding goddess.
The tradition of lighting the lamps on the Dev Deepawali festival day was first started at the Panchganga Ghat in 1985.
During Dev Deepawali, houses are decorated with oil lamps and colored designs on their front doors. Firecrackers are burnt at night, processions of decorated deities are taken out into the streets of Varanasi, and oil lamps are set afloat on the river.
The Ganga aarti is also performed in the evening.
