Diverse celebrations, same essence

MUMBAI: Shining light upon a nation weighed down by corruption and a sagging economy , Diwali will be celebrated on Kartik Amavasya , Wednesday . The day after will mark the Hindu new year of Vikram Samvat 2068 . Wednesday’s mahurat for Lakshmi Puja will begin at 5.00 pm and continue till 11.30 pm.
While the essence of the festival is the same for different communities , the way it is observed varies .For the Gujarati community , it marks Chopda Pujan , or the commencement of accounts for the new year . For the occasion , no less than 3,500 crisp , new account books have been deposited at the Swaminarayan Mandir , Dadar . “Devotees hard pressed for time , who cannot find priests to perform the rituals , simply leave their new registers with us a few days before Lakshmi Puja . Our priests perform Chopda Pujan early in the morning ; businessmen come back to collect their books a day or two later ,” said temple representative Kundan Oza .
The spectacular morning ritual has an evening parallel at Dashmesh Darbar , GTB Nagar . Thousands of oil lamps are lit in the gurdwara’s courtyard along the lines of the grand deepmala that unfolds in Amritsar . “Just as Ayodhya celebrated the homecoming of Lord Ram and Sita by lighting diyas and firecrackers , Amritsar rejoiced when Guru Gobind Singh freed the king of Gwalior and brought him to the city ,” said Bhai Balbir Singh of Dashmesh Darbar .
“Here in GTB Nagar , hundreds of believers arrive all night and light oil lamps to commemorate that occasion .” For Bengalis , the main event is Kali Puja . Large gatherings are expected at the Aponjan Cultural Association , Mira Bhayander , which will hold its inaugural Kali Puja over Wednesday and Thursday . “We host a vibrant Durga Puja each year , and are now joining the tradition of worshipping Goddess Kali on Diwali ,” said the association’s secretary Debasish Ganguly . “From 500 to 1,000 people are expected to partake of bhog over the two days .”
In general , most Hindu households on Diwali make a small shrine for Goddess Lakshmi , where lamps are lit and offerings of flowers and food made .
As for individuals , S Viswanathan , manager , Bombay Tamil Sangham , Sion , said his family will rise early on Wednesday for a ritual oil bath , before wearing new clothes and gathering to worship the deity . “We cannot cook the entire array of mysorepak , murukku , laddoo and other delicacies that we once used to, but my granddaughter has prepared a homemade sweet today (Tuesday ).”
The Rajanis of Andheri , warned by news reports about adulterated sweets, spent part of Tuesday preparing the traditional Sindhi kaju ki mithai at home . Meanwhile , siblings Rohit Shete and Kiran More finished spending 10 hectic days frying vats of Maharashtrian faral (snacks ) to despatch to working couples as well as corporates .
“Only on the eve of Lakshmi Puja do we give thought to our own Diwali celebrations ,” said Shete .