Dewali or Dev Dewali

philip007 · Jul 11th, 2009, 21:04

I am really confused about Diwali !

I know that the festival Diwali is on 17th Oct 2009. However I have read that the "main" festival, Dev Diwali is later - 15 days after the 17th Oct on 1st Nov.

I am in Varanasi on 17th October 2009.

From a tourist point of view which is the main festival - 17th or 15 days later ?

On which date do Hindu's row out on boats on the river Ganges to place lighted candles on the river ?

Many thanks for any info.

Philip

machadinha · Jul 16th, 2009, 09:39

Heheh, good question, Philip. I thought (but I may very well be wrong) they were just different names for the same festival of Diwali (Divali, Dipawali, Deepavali; Deva Diwali, etc.). Which are nonetheless often celebrated over a period of time, so the particular name could very well refer to one of those days.

See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali , which doesn't answer your question however (and Wikipedia must always be taken with a grain of salt).

For similar reasons, and since they tend to follow lunar calendars or even more complex schemes often derived from that (not to mention regional variations), I always find the exact dates of these festivals very hard to find out about.

But, in short, I can't answer your question, sorry

Hopefully someone else will. Once on the ground, you can seek local information on it of course. Be prepared even then to be given conflicting information (and names) about such events though, not to mention moving from one location to the next, where it may all be different again, etc.

livinhimalayas · Jul 16th, 2009, 11:40

Dev diwali is celebrated after Diwali. It is celebrated specially in Varanasi. It is on this day that people row out on boats to place lamps in the river. It is celebrated on Kartik Poornima. It marks the end of the two week long diwali festival at Varanasi. Normally a special arti is held followed by people floating lamps in the river.

philip007 · Jul 19th, 2009, 18:51

machadinha
livinhimalayas

many thanks for your help it is much appreciated.

Philip

joneall · Aug 27th, 2009, 16:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by livinhimalayas

Dev diwali is celebrated after Diwali. It is celebrated specially in Varanasi. It is on this day that people row out on boats to place lamps in the river. It is celebrated on Kartik Poornima. It marks the end of the two week long diwali festival at Varanasi. Normally a special arti is held followed by people floating lamps in the river.

Damn! I also have planned our trip around 17 Oct and it is impossible to change. I suppose this is part of the joy of India? Not knowing what is going on when? Phooey.

Does anything at all special take place on 17 Oct?

In any case, thanks for your assistance.

bonded · Aug 27th, 2009, 17:20

It is a quite a big family occassion. Crackers would be burst in open grounds early in the morning and late evenings.

joneall · Aug 27th, 2009, 18:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by bonded

It is a quite a big family occassion. Crackers would be burst in open grounds early in the morning and late evenings.

Great. So we won't be "wasting" our stay. Not that any visit to Varanasi can be wasted. To parapharase an old joke, if you can be bored there, then you're doing it wrong.

Thanks.

AwayFromHome · Aug 27th, 2009, 19:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by joneall

Great. So we won't be "wasting" our stay. Not that any visit to Varanasi can be wasted. To parapharase an old joke, if you can be bored there, then you're doing it wrong.

Thanks.

If you have any Indian friends, get invited to a night of 'Teen Patti' also known as Flash.

It's a gambling card game, lots of fun and the object is to enjoy the company of others, with good food and a few drinks. It's typically played on a white sheet that's spread on the floor, with the participants sitting in a circle.

In North India, we rotate the hosting of the Flash party for several weeks before Diwali. In fact, it's been going on. So far, I'm down a few thousand, but I expect to recoup in the next couple of weeks.

Ankur Mehrotra · Sep 22nd, 2009, 21:26

Dear Sir/Madam,

As you aware that Diwali and Dev Diwali is the different ceromoney.... Basically In the Diwali festival the people only use the bomb like sparking thing,,, but in the Dev Diwali the people decorate the ghat (The Bank of river) with the oil light (Diya)and the all ghat become very beautiful...

If you know more pls tell me I will explain better then of it...

Thanking you

Ankur Mehrotra

Quote:

Originally Posted by philip007

I am really confused about Diwali !

I know that the festival Diwali is on 17th Oct 2009. However I have read that the "main" festival, Dev Diwali is later - 15 days after the 17th Oct on 1st Nov.

I am in Varanasi on 17th October 2009.

From a tourist point of view which is the main festival - 17th or 15 days later ?

On which date do Hindu's row out on boats on the river Ganges to place lighted candles on the river ?

Many thanks for any info.

Philip

joneall · Sep 27th, 2009, 15:50

Thank you, Ankur and others. I think we'll have a good visit even without Dev Dipawali and we'll plan on that for next year.

If even Indians can be confused about this, I don't have to feel bad about being confused too.

Jul 11th, 2009, 21:04	#1
philip007 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Gold Coast Australia Posts: 150	Dewali or Dev Dewali I am really confused about Diwali ! I know that the festival Diwali is on 17th Oct 2009. However I have read that the "main" festival, Dev Diwali is later - 15 days after the 17th Oct on 1st Nov. I am in Varanasi on 17th October 2009. From a tourist point of view which is the main festival - 17th or 15 days later ? On which date do Hindu's row out on boats on the river Ganges to place lighted candles on the river ? Many thanks for any info. Philip

Jul 16th, 2009, 09:39	#2
machadinha brother my cup is empty member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: yörp Posts: 14,389	Heheh, good question, Philip. I thought (but I may very well be wrong) they were just different names for the same festival of Diwali (Divali, Dipawali, Deepavali; Deva Diwali, etc.). Which are nonetheless often celebrated over a period of time, so the particular name could very well refer to one of those days. See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali , which doesn't answer your question however (and Wikipedia must always be taken with a grain of salt). For similar reasons, and since they tend to follow lunar calendars or even more complex schemes often derived from that (not to mention regional variations), I always find the exact dates of these festivals very hard to find out about. But, in short, I can't answer your question, sorry Hopefully someone else will. Once on the ground, you can seek local information on it of course. Be prepared even then to be given conflicting information (and names) about such events though, not to mention moving from one location to the next, where it may all be different again, etc. __________________ Reading tips, all picked up at IndiaMike : INDAX's A Comprehensive Guide To India / Dinoj Surendran's Desi Humor / ITHVC on Culture Shock & Travel Health / JetLag Travel Guides For the Undiscerning Traveller / India Travel Links

Jul 16th, 2009, 11:40	#3
livinhimalayas still learning Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Abode of Snow Posts: 3,337	Dev diwali is celebrated after Diwali. It is celebrated specially in Varanasi. It is on this day that people row out on boats to place lamps in the river. It is celebrated on Kartik Poornima. It marks the end of the two week long diwali festival at Varanasi. Normally a special arti is held followed by people floating lamps in the river. __________________ He that would live in peace and at ease must not speak all he knows or all he sees. - Benjamin Franklin

Sep 27th, 2009, 15:50	#10
joneall Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: France Posts: 31	Thank you Thank you, Ankur and others. I think we'll have a good visit even without Dev Dipawali and we'll plan on that for next year. If even Indians can be confused about this, I don't have to feel bad about being confused too.

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Jul 19th, 2009, 18:51	#4
philip007 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Gold Coast Australia Posts: 150	machadinha livinhimalayas many thanks for your help it is much appreciated. Philip

Aug 27th, 2009, 17:20	#6
bonded Account Closed Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 492	It is a quite a big family occassion. Crackers would be burst in open grounds early in the morning and late evenings.

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