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{{short description|Hindu festival}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox holiday|
| holiday_name = Dev Deepavali
| image = 'Dev Deepavali' celebrations in Varanasi on Karthik Purnima..jpg
| caption = A ghat on the Ganges lit on the festival, 2011
| observedby = [[Hindu]]s
| date = Full Moon day of the [[Kartika (month)|Kartik month]] in the [[Hindu calendar]]
| celebrations = Gods descent to the Ganga ghats at Varanasi and [[aarti]] for the [[Ganga River]]
| longtype = Varanasi
| type = Hindu
| significance = Tripura Purnima or worship of [[Shiva]]
| date2026 = 24 November
<ref name = DevDeepawali>{{Cite web|url=https://www.devdeepawali.org/dev-deepawali/|title=Dev Diwali 2026|date=24 November 2026}}</ref>
}}

The '''Dev Deepavali''' ({{lit|the Diwali of the Gods}}, 'Festival of Lights of the Gods')<ref name=festival>{{Cite web|url=http://varanasi.nic.in/culture/fair.html|title=Fairs and festivals|accessdate=2 November 2012|publisher=National Informatics Center|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113184204/http://varanasi.nic.in/culture/fair.html|archive-date=13 November 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> is the festival of [[Kartik Poornima]] celebrated in the city of [[Varanasi]] [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Freitag |first=Sandria B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y6FqVKJNCfQC&dq=Bhojpuri+region+banaras&pg=PA21 |title=Collective Action and Community: Public Arenas and the Emergence of Communalism in North India |date=1989-01-01 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-06439-3 |language=en}}</ref> It falls on the full moon of the [[Hindu month]] of [[Kartika (month)|Kartika]] (November - December) and takes place fifteen days after [[Diwali]]. The steps of all the [[ghats]] on the riverfront of the [[Ganges]] River, from [[Sant Ravidas Ghat|Ravidas Ghat]] at the southern end to Rajghat, are lit with more than a million earthen lamps ([[diyas]]) in honour of [[Ganga]], the Ganges, and its presiding goddess. Mythologically, the gods are believed to descend to Earth to bathe in the Ganges on this day.<ref name= Deep>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/Varanasi-gearing-up-to-celebrate-Dev-Deepawali/articleshow/6896245.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907113247/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-11-10/varanasi/28224935_1_dev-deepawali-ghats-holy-dip|url-status=live|archive-date=7 September 2011|title=Varanasi gearing up to celebrate Dev Deepawali|access-date=7 November 2012|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=10 November 2010}}</ref><ref name=Panch>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/Ghats-dazzle-on-Dev-Deepawali/articleshow/6965731.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019051821/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-11-21/varanasi/28235087_1_ghats-diyas-kendriya-dev-deepawali-mahasamiti|url-status=live|archive-date=19 October 2013|title=Ghats dazzle on Dev Deepawali|access-date=7 November 2012|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=21 November 2010}}</ref> The festival is also observed as '''Tripura Purnima Snan'''.<ref name=festival/><ref name= "Dwivedi2006">{{Cite book|last= Dwivedi |first= Dr. Bhojraj |title= Religious Basis of Hindu Beliefs |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7wmqKuHFWWgC&q=Dev+Deepavali&pg=PA171|accessdate=7 November 2012|publisher= Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd.|year=2006|isbn=9788128812392|pages=171}}</ref> The tradition of lighting the lamps on the Dev Deepawali festival day was first started at the Dashashwamedh Ghat by Pandit Kishori Raman Dubey (Babu Maharaj) in 1991.<ref name=Panch/>

During Dev Deepawali, houses are decorated with oil lamps and coloured designs on their front doors. Processions of decorated deities are taken out into the streets of Varanasi, and oil lamps are set afloat on the river.<ref name= "Publishing 2008">{{Cite book|last= Publishing |first= DK |title= India: People, Place, Culture, History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HUdHHuFZN_8C&q=Dev+Deepavali+at+Varanasi&pg=PA114|accessdate=7 November 2012|publisher= Penguin|year=2008|isbn=9780756649524|pages=114}}</ref>

==Rituals==
[[File:Dev Deepavali Celebrations in Varanasi..jpg|thumb|Crowds gather to watch the riverside festivities.]]The main rituals performed by devotees consist of ''kartik snan'' (taking a holy bath in the Ganges during Kartika) and ''deepdan'' (offering of oil lighted lamps) to Ganga in the evening. The ''Ganga [[aarti]]'' is also performed in the evening.
[[File:Deep Daan Kartik Purnima.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Deepdan]]

The 5 day festivals starts on [[Prabodhini Ekadashi]] (11th lunar day of Kartika) and concludes on [[Kartik Poornima]]. Besides a religious role, the festival is also the occasion when the martyrs are remembered at the ghats by worshipping Ganga and lighting lamps watching the aarti. This is organized by Gangotri seva samiti when wreaths are placed at Amar Jawan Jyoti at [[Dashashwamedh Ghat]] and also at the adjoining Rajendra Prasad Ghat by police officials of the [[Varanasi District]], 39 Gorkha Training Centre, 95 [[Central Reserve Police Force|CRPF]] battalion, 4 Air Force Selection Board and 7 UP battalion of [[National Cadet Corps (India)|NCC]] (naval), [[Benares Hindu University]] (BHU). The traditional last post is also performed by all the three armed forces ([[Indian Army|Army]], [[Indian Navy|Navy]] and [[Indian Airforce|Air force]]), followed by a closing ceremony, where sky lamps are lit. Patriotic songs, hymns, and [[bhajan]]s are sung and the ''Bhagirath Shourya Samman'' awards are presented.<ref name= Deep/><ref name=Times>{{Cite web|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-09/varanasi/30377495_1_dev-deepawali-deep-daan-martyrs|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131103030056/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-09/varanasi/30377495_1_dev-deepawali-deep-daan-martyrs|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 November 2013|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=Events finalised for Dev Deepawali|accessdate=12 November 2012}}</ref>

The festival is a major tourist attraction, and the sight of a million lamps (both floating and fixed) lighting the ghats and river in vivid colors have often been described by visitors and tourists as a breathtaking sight. On the night of the festival, thousands of devotees from the holy city of Varanasi, surrounding villages, and across the country gather in the evening on the ghats of the Ganges to watch the aarti. The local government makes several intensive security arrangements to ensure order during the festival.<ref name= Deep/>

Apart from the aarti at the Dashameshwar Ghat, all buildings and houses are lit with earthen lamps. Nearly 100,000 pilgrims visit the riverfront to watch the river aglitter with lamps.<ref name= "Bruyn2010"/> The aarti is performed by 21 young [[Brahmin]] priests and 24 young women.<ref name=Times/> The rituals involve chanting hymns, rhythmic drum beating, conch shell blowing, and brazier burning.<ref name= "Bruyn2010">{{Cite book|last= Bruyn |first= Pippa de|title= Frommer's India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qG-9cwHOcCIC&q=Ganga+Aarti+on+Dev+Deepavali+at+Varanasi&pg=PA469|accessdate=7 November 2012|publisher= John Wiley & Sons|year=2010|isbn=9780470556108|pages=469}}</ref>

Boat rides (in boats of all sizes) along the riverfront in the evening are popular among tourists, when all the ghats are lit with lamps and aarti is being performed.<ref name=Panch/>

==Ganga Mahotsav==
Ganga Mahotsav is a tourist-centric festival in Varanasi, which is celebrated over five days every year, starting from Prabodhani Ekadashi to Kartik Poornima during the months of October and November. It showcases the rich cultural heritage of Varanasi. With its message of faith and culture, the festival features popular cultural programs, classical music, a country boat race, a daily ''shilp mela'' (arts and crafts fair), sculpture displays, and martial arts. On the final day ([[Purnima (day)|Poornima]]), which coincides with the traditional Dev Deepawali (light festival of the Gods), the ghats on the Ganga River glitter with more than a million lit-up earthen lamps.<ref name=Tourism2>{{Cite web|url=http://www.up-tourism.com/destination/varanasi/fair_festival.htm |title=Fair and Festivals |accessdate=12 November 2012 |publisher=Official website of UP Tourism |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120629052417/http://www.up-tourism.com/destination/varanasi/fair_festival.htm |archivedate=29 June 2012 }}</ref><ref name=festival/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Culture of Varanasi]]
[[Category:Diwali]]
[[Category:Religion in Varanasi]]
[[Category:October observances]]
[[Category:November observances]]
[[Category:Hindu festivals]]
[[Category:Organised events in Varanasi]]

==External links==
* [https://www.devdeepawali.org/dev-deepawali Dev Deepawali Event Dates and Guidance]

Dev Deepavali (Varanasi) - Revision history

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