The Wiccan Dance Meets Bollywood - Happy Diwali & Tihar!

This Diwali, may you be blessed with good fortune as long as Ganeshji's trunk,
wealth and prosperity as big as his stomach,
happiness as sweet as his ladoos and
may your trouble be as small as his mouse.
- Ashish Jain

I would like to wish a Blessed Diwali season to our friends here and overseas.

This is a time when Lakshmi, the Goddess of Beauty and Wealth is honored.

Another festival of lights celebrated this time of year is Tihar. Among the festival highlights is the honoring of dogs, crows and cows:

The second day is called 'Kukur tihar', dogs day. A dog plays many roles in our society. We have dogs in our houses as guardian of the house. As the legend also says that there is a dog at yama's gate guarding the gate to the underworld. The dog is also the steed of the fearful Bhairab, the god of destruction. So on this day a big red tika is put on a dog's forehead and a beautiful garland around the neck. After worshipping the dog, it is given very delicious meal. This day the saying 'every dog has his day' comes true; for even a stray dog is looked upon with respect. We pray to the dog to guard our house as he guards the gate of the underworld and to divert destruction away from our homes. On this day you can see dogs running around with garlands on their neck.

Diwali celebrates the triumph
of light over darkness,
goodness over evil and
knowledge over ignorance
- Liz Camden

Laxmi is also honored in Nepal:

In the evening goddess Laxmi is worshipped. Days before the house are cleansed and decorated. For goddess likes clean and tidy places. In the evening a small potion of the house out side the main door is painted red with red mud and an oil lamp is lit on it. A pathway is made from here to the place where the old money box and valuables are kept in the house that is the puja room. All the Nepalese have a box where from generation to generation money is put every year worshipping goddess laxmi. This money is never used unless extreme emergency. The entire house is decorated with lit oil lamps in every doors and windows. Laxmi, goddess of wealth is worshipped performing the traditional rituals and when the rituals are over then gambling in the house starts. This is a festival when gambling is not illegal. On this day throughout the evening groups of girls come to houses singing song of praise of the goddess and they are taken as guests and given gifts. This day the entire place is lively through out the night.

Sounds like fun,

Sia

Links:

Diwali

Recipe for Ladoos

The food of Diwali

The Days of Diwali

Articles on Cooking Indian Food by Liz Camden

Loreena McKennitt website. Her latest album is titled An Ancient Muse

Goddess Lakshmi

Related Articles:

Ganesh

Photo: from Dogs and Gods at the Intute: Health and Life Sciences Blog

Video: Bollymix: The Wiccan Dance

Reposted and updated from 11/08/07

This post is for Fyrehawk and her wonderful partner who have just registered as Domestic Partners in a rather conservative area. Congrats, Ladies. Thank you for the bonfires, the good food, the book hunts, and for the pleasure of your company in these years past.