Varanasi and the Ganges River.
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Although Diwali is now over for another year, there's still Varanasi's "Festival of Lights" to look forward to -- Dev Deepavali. This occasion takes place 15 days after Diwali, on the full moon night of Kartik Purnima. It forms part of the five day Ganga Mahotsav festival, held to showcase the city's cultural heritage.
This festival attracts crowds from far and wide to listen to classical music on the banks of the Ganges river. It culminates with Dev Deepavali, when more than a million clay lamps are floated down the river at dusk amidst chanting of Vedic hymns. Every ghat along the river is warmly lit up with rows and rows of candles. The Ganga Aarti is also particularly spectacular.
In addition, the festival features a huge handicrafts fair and a wide variety of traditional sporting events such as wrestling, tug of war, boat racing, kite flying, and horse cart racing.
Varanasi, one of the top spiritual destinations in India, is an ancient and mystical city that reveals its rituals openly to along the many riverside ghats. The Ganga Mahotsav website has more information about the festival including a program of events.
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Dev Deepawali not being celeberated ..News Item in Hindustan Times Page 6;Interferance bu Varanasi Administration?
Take up to restore the event
A meeting to be held this Friday apparently to “resolve the deadlock”. Lets hope it happens! Thanks for the update, amitabha.
Unfortunately, the deadlock wasn’t resolved.
Note: Dev Deepavali has been held in subsequent years.