Dev-Deepawali, Festival of Light, City of Light

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Today is Kartik Purnima. (full –moon)It is also called the festival of light. It is celebrated in different ways throughout India. According to beliefs, on this auspicious day Lord Shiva killed the demon Tripurasura. Hence, Kartik Purnima is also called Tripuri Purnima.

KARTIK PURNIMA(FULL- MOON) LORD SHIVA KILLED DEMON TRIPURASURA HENCE KARTIK-PURNIMA IS ALSO CALLED TRIPURIPURNIMA.

GURU NANAK JI FIRST GURU GURU-PURAB GOLDEN TEMPLE

Sikh people celebrate it as Guru Purab, the birthday of the first Guru” Guru Nanak”.

NANAK NAAM JAHAJ HAI . CHAHREY SO UTTEREY PAAR .(THE NAME OF GURU NANAK JI LIKE A SHIP WHICH WILL TAKE YOU TO YOUR SALVATION)

for more information:– http://nithinks.com/2019/11/08/kartarpur-historical-importance-and-current-challenges/

a-Let no man in the world live in delusion. Without a Guru none can cross over to the other shore.

b-If the people use the wealth bestowed on them by God for themselves alone or for treasuring it, it is like a corpse. But if they decide to share it with others, it becomes sacred food.

c-Only fools argue whether to eat meat or not. They don’t understand the truth, nor do they meditate on it. Who can define what is meat and what is a plant? Who knows where the sin lies, being a vegetarian or a non–vegetarian.

d-There are worlds and more worlds below them, and there are a hundred thousand skies over them. No one has been able to find the limits and boundaries of God. If there be any account of God, then alone the mortal can write the same; but God’s account does not finish, and the mortal himself dies while still writing.

e-Sing The songs of joy to The Lord, serve the name of the Lord and become the servant of his servants.

DEV-DEEPAWLI-

In North India, it is believed that on this day the Gods come from the sky to bathe in the Ganges, The holiest river of Hindus. Diya( A small cup- shaped oil lamp made of baked clay) Lamps were lit in temples on this day to welcome the Gods. Generally people used to burn lamps on the banks of river Ganga after bathing in the Ganges on this day. With the globalization of the world, the beauty of this festival began to attract the whole world. Slowly and especially through media, the whole world became familiar with this festival, and its attraction continued to increase.

NOW IN EARLIER times the worlds history had consisted, so to speak, of a series of unrelated episodes, the origins and results of each being as widely separated as their localities, but from this point onwards history becomes an organic whole: the affairs of Italy and Africa are connected with those of Asia and of Greece, and all events bear a relationship and contribute to a single end. Polybius (died 118 b.c),on the rise of Rome (translated by Ian Scott-Kilvert).

(VARANASI )A CITY OF LORD SHIVA, THE CITY OF LIGHT for more information:-http://nithinks.com/2020/12/03/hindu-philosophy-and-the-importance-of-peace-9-11-1893-9-112001/

When bathing in the pure Ganges water,

Worshipping Thee, Omnipresent, with holy fruits

and flowers,

Stretching myself on stones in a stone cave,

my whole soul shall go into meditation,

And according to the voice of my guru,

I shall avoid all misery, and purify

The mind defiled with serving the rich.

I have not learnt that knowledge which defeats all

opponents!

Nor have been able ,at the point of The sword, which can cut thro, an elephant’s back,

to send our glory even unto The skies;

nor under The light of the full moon ,

drunk The nectar of the budding lips of The beloved.

my youth is gone fruitless

like a lamp in an empty house.

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA for more information http://nithinks.com/2020/07/05/the-unknown-life-of-swami-vivekananda/

Biley,Banaras,Vivekananda,Varanasi

DEV-DEEPAWLI

One of the oldest living city in the world, Varanasi, is also called KASHI(ONE OF THE OLD NAME).

The word Kashi has its origin from the word Kash. Its means light. Here light does not mean just light. Light here means “Light of knowledge”. Nalanda, Taxila, and Varanasi were the major centers of education in ancient times.

“The city illumines the truth and reveals reality. It does not bring new wonders into the scope of vision, but enables one to see what is already there. Where this eternal light intersects the earth, it is known as Kashi”(Varanasi).

                                                      (Diana L.Eck)

 Varanasi was also called” THE CAPITAL OF ALL KNOWLEDGE”. Bhagwan Buddha gave his first sermon at a place called Sarnath in Varanasi.

“As I am, so are these.
As are these, so am I.’
Drawing the parallel to yourself,
neither kill nor get others to kill”.

“One is not called noble who harms living beings. By not harming living beings one is called noble.”

“You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself.”

 Varanasi enjoys the pride of birthplace and work place of many sages, mystics, knowledge’s of ancient India. Renowned American scholar Mark Twain also called Varanasi the seat of learning for the same reason.

“I think Banaras is one of the most wonderful places I have ever seen. It it has struck me that a westerner feels in Banaras very much as an oriental must feel while he is planted down in the middle of London”. (MARK TWAIN)

“Benares is older than history, older than tradition, older even than  legend and looks twice as old as all of them put together “

( MARK TWAIN)

for more information:- http://nithinks.com/2019/12/31/oldest-living-city-happy-new-year/

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Varanasi on Dev- Dipawali.He started the DEV- Dipawli festival by lighting a Diya lamp(lamp made of baked clay) from Rajghat of Varanasi.

The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of saving the country’s heritage. He spent nearly an hour watching the panoramic view of Dev Dipawali. During this time a laser show was also organized at Chet Singh Ghat,( for more information about chet singh ghat) :- http://nithinks.com/2020/08/14/benares-rebellion-15august-1781/) The Prime Minister also saw it and then left for Sarnath.

IMAGES:-DINESH SETH