Important of Gudi Padwa and Goverdhan Puja - Diwali Festival
Deewali is a festival of joy, splendor, brightness and happiness. The uniqueness of this festival is its harmony of five varied philosophies, with each day to a special thought or ideal.
The First Day of Diwali - Dhanteras
The Second Day of Diwali - Choti Diwali / Narak Chaturdasi
The Third Day of Diwali - Lakshmi Puja on Diwali
The Fourth Day of Diwali - Padwa and Govardhan Puja
Padwa, The day after the Amavasya is "Kartik Shuddh Padwa" and it is only on this day that the King Bali would come out of Pathal Loka and rule Bhulok by the blessing given by Lord Vishnu. Therefore, it is also known as "Bali Padyami." This day also marks the coronation of King Vikramaditya and Vikaram-Samvat was started from this Padwa day.
Gudi Padwa is symbolic of love and devotion between husband and wife. On this day newly married daughters with their husbands are invited for special meals and given presents. In the olden days brothers went to get their sisters in-laws home for this important day.
In Gujarat, the people is never complete without exchange of Diwali Sweets and wishes of Diwali & New Year.
Govardhan-Puja, is also performed in the North to this day. Govardhan is a small hill in Braj, near Mathura and on this day of Diwali people of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar build cowdung, hillocks, decorate them with flowers and love.
This festival is in commemoration of the lifting of Mount Govardhan by Krishna. According to Vishnu Puran, the people of Gokul used to celebrate a festival in honor of Lord Indra and worshiped him after the end of every monsoon season but one particular year the young Krishna stopped them from offering prayers to Lord Indra who in terrific anger sent a deluge to submerge Gokul.
People were afraid that the rain was the result of their neglect of Indra. But Krishna assured them that no harm would be done. He lifted Mount Govardhan with his little finger and sheltered men and beasts from the rain. This gave him the epithet Govardhandhari. After this, Indra accepted the supremacy of Krishna.
This day is also observed that the meaning Annakoot mountain of food. Pious people keep awake the whole night and cook 56 or 108 different types of food for the bhog to Krishna.
In the temples of Mathura and especially Nathadwara, the deities are given milkbath dressed in bright attire with ornaments of dazzling diamonds, pearls, rubies and other precious stones. After the prayers and traditional worship innumerable varieties of delicious sweets are ceremoniously raised in the form of a mountain before deities as "Bhog" and then the devotees approach the Mountain of Food and take Prasad in from it.
The Fifth Day of Diwali - Bhai Duj
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