Hindus Sikhs and Jains celebrate Kartik Purnima

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K.A.Viswanathan

Kartik Purnima on the Purnima day or the fifteenth lunar day of Kartik month. It is also known as Tripuri Purnima and Tripurari Purnima. It is sometimes called Deva-Diwali or Deva-Deepawali, the festival of lights of the Gods. 

Last year due to lockdown the festival was celebrated on a very subdued scale as most temples had to follow the government norms like entry restrictions. This year due to relaxation, temples in Matunga, allow only darshan without carrying Peacock feathers which devotees usually carry for Lord Karthik’s darshan. 

Tamilians and Keralites celebrate it as Kartikai Deepam when they light rows of lamps both in houses and temples. Both Sri Shankara Mattham and South Indian Bhajana Samaj in Matunga lit up the entire complex with lamps for two days. 

The day of Kartigai Deepam is fixed based on Tamil Solar Calendar. It falls in the month of Kartikai when Kartiga Nakshatra prevails and it coincides with Pournami, the full moon day. The name of the festival was born from the name of the Lord Karthikeya who is also called Muruga and Subramanya, who was believed to have been born on this day to  Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi.

This festival is also celebrated to commemorate the bonding between brothers and sisters, analogous to Bhai-Dhooj and Raakhi. Sisters pray for the prosperity and success of their brothers and light lamps to mark the occasion.

 

On this day the Maharashtrian ladies, all over,  make it a point to visit any Karthik temple with a Peacock feather to get the Lord’s blessings. They believe that having darshan on the day will help in having a long and prosperous married life. Darshan on any other day they believe will bring calamity in the family.

It is also a special day for Sikh devotees as their Guru, Guru Nanak Dev was born on  Karthik Purnima day in 1469 AD.  

 

Kartik Purnima is also an important religious day for Jains who celebrate it by visiting Palitana a Jain pilgrimage centre on the foothills of Shatrunjay hills of Palitana.

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