Dev Deepawali: A Mesmerising Experience

The Ganga Mahotsava Prelude

 A three-day cultural event, Ganga Mahotsava, prior to the Dev Deepawali organised at Dr Rajendra Prasad Ghat though had been thoroughly enjoyed by me. Not only had the performances of the artists but also the ambience truly mesmerised me. I was introduced to the beauty of the ghats just before the winter sets in, which continues to enamour me till date.

 Dr Rajendra Prasad Ghat, then the only ghat to host the cultural fiestas, was perfectly suited with an elevated platform that served the stage while the stairs of the ghat housed the audience. This was when the city was not deluged with the maddening crowd and we could enjoy some serene moments even when some commendable performances were happening.

On D-day (read Dev Deepawali) as it was my first time, we ( as a colleague of mine accompanied me) were told to reach the Dashshwamedha ghat(( the ghat which was then the epicentre of the celebrations) by four in the evening.

 I was perplexed as to why should we reach the venue so early when the event was slated to start by 6 pm. The reason I got to know later on. So taking heed, we left our office around 3.30 pm to be at the venue by 4 pm.

A Night of a Million Diyas

 On reaching the Luxa area I could sense that we were heading to be part of something huge. At that time social media had not evolved so social media influencers had not immersed our timelines with the visuals of this stunningly ethereal event. 

The only information I had was of some newspaper stories available on the Internet. I was quite unprepared for what I was about to witness. As we walked to the Godowlia crossing suddenly we were surrounded by a large crowd all moving in the same direction, towards the ghat. Everyone trying to reach the area, to find a space on the ghat, that was beginning to be engulfed with people when we reached there. 

A stage had been erected in the middle of River Ganga where a cultural event was scheduled to be held (a tradition that had been discontinued for the last few years). Making our way to the stage amidst River Ganga we could have the view of the ghat that was getting ready for the grand Ganga arti all decked up with flowers and diyas. 

Gradually the sun began to set and the entire area lit up with diyas and the Ganga arti began. With minimal electric blubs and no laser show, the entire area was illuminated with earthen diya, it truly appeared as if the Gods had descended on earth as it is believed happens on  Dev Deepawali. Not only the ghats but even the River Ganga was illuminated, with devotees offering diyas to the holy river. It was a scenario that I had not experienced in my life till then. The view was ethereal and I stayed looking at the ambience forgetting to make a memory of it through any humble camera, as I believe that even the most sophisticated technology could not capture what was etched in my memory and remains till date.