Dev Deepawali
देव दीपावली
Celebrated on Kartik Purnima, this is the Diwali of the gods. The ghats of Varanasi are lit with thousands of oil lamps as the gods descend to celebrate Shiva's victory over Tripurasura.
Why We Celebrate
Dev Deepawali, meaning "Diwali of the Gods," is celebrated on Kartik Purnima (the full moon of Kartik, 15 days after Diwali). According to legend, Lord Shiva destroyed the three demon cities of Tripurasura on this night. The Tripur demons had built three flying cities of gold, silver, and iron, and had become invincible. The gods begged Shiva to save them, and he destroyed all three cities with a single arrow.
Overjoyed at their liberation, the gods descended to Varanasi (Kashi), the holiest city on the Ganges, and lit millions of lamps along the sacred ghats to celebrate Shiva's victory. This divine celebration is reenacted each year as Dev Deepawali, when the 84 ghats of Varanasi are illuminated with over a million earthen diyas, creating a breathtaking spectacle.
The festival is also considered the day when Lord Shiva accepted the river Ganga in his matted locks. Devotees take holy dips in the Ganges, light lamps, and participate in the spectacular Ganga Aarti. Dev Deepawali reminds us that even the gods celebrate with light — and that Varanasi, the eternal city, is where the divine and human worlds meet.
Did You Know?
- ✦Over one million earthen lamps are lit along the 84 ghats of Varanasi during Dev Deepawali, making it one of the most visually spectacular festivals in the world.
- ✦Dev Deepawali also marks the end of Chaturmas (the four sacred months when Vishnu is believed to be sleeping). The gods "wake up" and descend to earth to celebrate.
- ✦Varanasi's Dev Deepawali attracts over a million visitors, including many international tourists, who come to witness the ghats glowing with lamps reflected in the waters of the Ganges.
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