Varanasi, 30 October (HS). There is a festive atmosphere in the city of Shri Kashi Vishwanath since Wednesday evening on Chhoti Diwali (Nark Chaturdashi), a day before Jyoti Parv Diwali. In the urban and rural areas of the district late in the evening, a rainbow of lights were scattered with glowing lamps and colorful electric lights. The color of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham has brightened.
On the festival, people traditionally lit Yama lamps outside their homes and establishments in the evening. Apart from Yama, people also lit lamps filled with sesame oil in the names of Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh etc. in temples, monasteries, gardens, stepwells etc. It is believed that this prevents untimely death. On the other hand, on the festival, the multi-storey buildings and business establishments of the city were bathed in lights. The city's major markets, public parks, Kashi Hindu University (BHU), Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth campus were seen drenched in lights. The life-size statue of Bharat Ratna Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya was also seen adorned with colorful electric fringes at the Singh Gate in Lanka of BHU.
There was huge purchase of Lakshmi Ganesh idol during the festival.
Even on Chhoti Diwali, idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha made of clay were sold extensively for worship. There was a crowd of people throughout the day at temporary stalls set up on the streets to buy idols. People kept shopping on the festival in areas like Lahurabir, Jagatganj, Chetganj, Nai Sadak, Godaulia, Dashashwamedh, Jaddumandi, Lanka, Assi, Lahartara and Manduwadih, Pandeypur, Ardali Bazaar etc. People also kept buying Ganesh Lakshmi and other auspicious symbols made from cow dung. Hanumat Jayanti was also celebrated on Chhoti Diwali. Grand decoration of Sri Sri 1008 Trilok Mahabir Hanuman ji was done at Golghar Paradkar Smriti Bhawan. It started with the recitation of Sunderkand. On this occasion, the idol of Hanuman ji was smeared with jasmine oil. Aarti was performed by wearing new clothes and offering laddus, gram and halwa. The temple was decorated with flowers, garlands and Ashoka leaves. Bhandara was organized amid the melodious presentation of bhajans. Ramu Saav had special support in this.