As per legend, Dev Deepawali is celebrated to mark the victory of Lord Shiva over the demon Tripurasur who used to harass the saints and sages and hence, it is also known as Tripurotsav. The festival is mainly associated with Lord Shiva’s worship. As per another legend regarding Dev Deepawali celebration is associated with Sage Vishwamitra. Sage Vishwamitra with the help of his powers, bodily transferred king Trishanku to heaven for which the gods disapproved and pushed him out of the doors of the heaven. As a result, the king came to a position where he belonged to neither earth nor heaven. It angered Vishwamitra and he decided to construct a new universe through his powers. The frightened gods prayed to him to stop this process. The sage finally acceded to the request. From then onwards the gods, humans, and inhabitants of the netherworld, too, celebrate this day as Dev Diwali. Besides, Jains believe that Lord Mahavira had given up his mortal coils and attained final Moksha on Dev Diwali day.
The ritual of lighting diyas on the occasion of Dev Diwali in Varanasi was started first at the Panchganga Ghat in 1985. Numerous diyas are set on the steps of the ghats, starting from Ravidas Ghat at the southern end to Rajghat. It is believed that on Dev Deepawali Poonam, gods and goddesses descend on earth to take a holy bathe in the river Ganga.
The Occasion of Dev Diwali is celebrated by all and sundry. People decorate their houses with lights and colorful design arts, burn crackers and fill up their heart with pious thoughts. Devotees from varied regions carry out many rituals on this day, mainly Kartik Snan (holy bath in the Ganges during Kartik) and deepdan (offering of lighted lamps) to Ganga in the evening. Since the time of dusk, on the streets of Varanasi, a large number of processions of beautifully decorated deities are taken out with full enthusiasm.
Dev Deepawali is celebrated for 5 days, starting on Prabodhini Ekadashi (11th lunar day of Kartik) and ending up on Kartik Purnima. A lot of musical and cultural programs are organized on the ghats that attract large gatherings. The traditional last performance is given by Army, Navy and Air Force collectively, followed by a closing ceremony with lighting of sky lamps. This festival is also celebrated as a remembrance of our martyrs. A tribute is given to those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the country and protected us from the external threats. This event is organized by the ‘Ganga Seva Nidhi’. A large number of tourists from across the globe gather during this occasion and hotels are booked since a year prior the event. A visitor, interested in visiting Varanasi to be witness to Dev Deepawali, need to book Varanasi tour quite in advance to avoid any last-minute glitch.
Date & Schedule of Dev Diwali in Varanasi
Year |
Date |
Day |
| 2019 |
November 12 |
Tuesday |
| 2020 |
November 29 |
Sunday |
| 2021 |
November 18 |
Thursday |
| 2022 |
November 07 |
Monday |
| 2023 |
November 26 |
Sunday |
| 2024 |
November 15 |
Friday |
| 2025 |
November 05 |
Wednesday |