Page:Hindu Feasts Fasts and Ceremonies.djvu/41

Rh he was always a.gay person revelling in worldly pleasures, feasts, baths, women, display of fireworks, etc., he requested the great god that the day of his death (moksha) should be honoured by the Hindus in revels and festivities. "Let it be so” said Sri Krishna and transferred the 16,000 damsels collected by Narakasura from Pragjyotisha to his own harem at Dvaraka, where they, after a certain time, became Rishis or sages.

So, the Dipavali goes by another name of the Narakachaturdasi, i.e., the fourteenth day of the dark fortnight of the month of Tula (October—November) on which the demon Narakasura was put to death by Sri Krishna. And the Hindus consider the oil bath in the morning of that day before sunrise equal to a bath in the sacred waters of the holy Ganges. After the bath in the early morning every Hindu takes a small quantity of a special medicine which is prepared for the occasion, and which is mostly composed of ginger powder. Then every male who can afford the cost wears a pair of new dhoties. The females and children have also their saris and bach-kana cloths. A light refreshment of sweet-