Dev Deepawali in Varanasi celebrates the triumph of good over evil, marked by illuminated “Diya” and communal cooking. The festival fosters family bonds and beautifully exemplifies unity in diversity as it showcases India’s cultural diversity through shared culinary experiences. Traditional dishes symbolize gratitude, invoking blessings from gods during the festivities. While modern lifestyles challenge home-cooking traditions, the spirit of celebration persists, with enthusiastic preparations for various regional festivals. Each occasion boasts unique delicacies, reinforcing social ties. Despite the rise of nuclear families and the burdens of contemporary life, cooking remains a cherished practice. It transforms into a creative outlet for many. Many continue to honor their culinary heritage.
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Key Takeaways
- Dev Deepawali in Varanasi celebrates the triumph of good over evil with illuminated Diyas. The festival also features communal cooking. It showcases India’s cultural diversity.
- The festival fosters unity in diversity by reinforcing family bonds through shared culinary experiences and traditional dishes.
- Modern lifestyles challenge home-cooking traditions, yet cooking remains a cherished practice that connects families.
- Each region has unique dishes for various festivals, highlighting the significance of food in cultural celebrations across India.
- Despite the rise of nuclear families, the spirit of celebration persists, with people continuing to honor their culinary heritage.
Dev Deepawali
Rows of “Diya” (Small cup-shaped earthen oil lamps) with flickering flames lightened the famous “Ghats” of Varanasi. Hundreds of thousands of “Diya” appeared as if millions of stars had descended to earth. They seemed to celebrate the occasion. It was “Dev Deepawali”, celebrated to commemorate the victory of good over evil, light over darkness.
Transcendence
Mythological stories tell that Lord Mahadev (Lord of Lords), Shiva, annihilated the demon Tripurasura. To commemorate the occasion, “Dev Deepawali” is celebrated. According to Sanatan belief, this is when all cosmic powers descend to earth. They come to bless and partake in a joyous occasion.
People welcome gods and goddesses by lighting “Diya” on the bank of the Ganga. The reflection of millions of “Diya” presents a spectacular sight which invigorates visitors and devotees alike. It is the festive time to feel and enjoy full throttle and celebrate. It is an occasion of thanksgiving as well. People dress in their best attire. They conduct “Puja” (Worship) of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Laxmi, praying to visit the earth and bless them. The upbeat nature of festivities fills in joy and happiness. People offer lavish food as oblation, thanking Him for all that is good and healthy.
India: Rich Culture and Traditions
The “Diya” at Varanasi lights up the bank of the Ganga. It is a reflection of a vast and diverse nation. India is a large landmass with an area of 3.29 million square kilometres. It has stunning geographical features. Home to 140 crore people who show diversity in cultures, traditions, languages, and cuisines, yet are united. It is the unity in diversity unique to India. Nevertheless, a shared sentiment of “We the People of India” unites them.
Every part of the country celebrates an occasion in their tradition with some common festivals. While Southern India celebrates Onam and Pongal, Northern India celebrates Holi, Deepawali and Dussehra. Rajasthan celebrates “Gan Gaur Puja” and “Teej”. Bengal celebrates “Durga Puja”. Northeast India celebrates the Hornbill festival and “Bihu” while Maharastra celebrates “Ganapati Utsav”. There are several occasions and their means of celebrations with a common thread of “Unity in Diversity”. Different cultures and traditions bring a variety of cooking styles. People use spices and condiments to create the unique flavour of the occasion. (India’s cultural diversity and Heritage)
Family Cooking
The spirit is not only in physical geography, but it is also in food and ways of cooking. The rich tradition of cooking and dining with family members acts as a bond. It glues every member of a family together. They share moments of joy, fervour and happiness. The traditional fine dining and collectivism is the colourful tapestry of the rich Indian tradition of unity and diversity. Cooking is not a gender specific; it involves every family member. Primarily, it used to be a woman’s affair. During festivities, households follow the division of work among family members. Some go to the market for shopping essentials. Others clean the house, chop, grate, and grind the ingredients, while a few even stir in the cauldron. Playful children squeal and play, sprinkling colour to the occasion.
Special Dishes For Occasions
Festivities are incomplete without the variety of rice dishes in Onam and Pongal of the South. “Gujhiya” and “Papad” are essential in the Holi of North India. Every part prepares food according to its traditions. Preparing special food according to the religious faith and traditions. While “Sevaiyan” (Vermicelli) are a must in Eid, Cakes are essential on Christmas.
Enthusiasm And Excitement
On special occasions, a unique blend of enthusiasm and excitement is palpable. Preparation of a variety of dishes starts in the morning and lasts for the whole day. Sometimes it takes days to finish. Households become busy.
Important Festivals and Delicacies
Food is an important aspect. Specialised food is an insignia of a festival. Some important food items are worth noting prepared on different festivals. The list is not comprehensive, but it gives a feel of the excitement and festivity.
Festivals
Let us explore one of the country’s important festivals, showcasing its cultural richness and unity in diversity.
Deepawali
Deepawali celebrated with traditional fervour across India and the world. Commonly referred to as the “Festival of Lights,” it occurs in October/November every year. Among several mythological stories linked to the festival, the most prominent is that of Lord Rama. It is believed that happy people welcomed Lord Ram when he reached Ayodhya after the annihilation of Ravana. They celebrated the occasion by richly illuminating their houses.
The Celebration
Related to crop harvesting, the festival has scientific relevance. It is the season of paddy harvesting. Happy people celebrate their hard work by paying gratitude to the Almighty. They carry out extensive cleaning of their home after the end of the monsoon rains. On the new moon night of the Ashwin month of the Vikram Calendar, people decorate their houses. They use ignited earthen “Diya” (oil lamps) and colourful lights. They worship Lord Ganesha and Goddess Laxmi, offer “Kheel”, “Batashe”, and“Lava”.
Delectable delicacies
Deepawali is also the festival of gifting. People send best wishes to their friends, relatives and colleagues. People visit each other, exchange greetings, sweets, and gifts. Lavish food cooked. Mixed spicy, tangy vegetables, “Poori”, “Kachauries” and “Dahi Vada” are the main dishes. Besides this, families cook paratha stuffed with lentils or potatoes. It’s a great occasion to show cooking prowess by cooks and family members.
Holi
Holi marks the end of the year. It falls on the full moon of Falgun. After the winters are over, balmy sun disperses its cosy warmth, and Nature wears a new and romantic look. People are jovial. They sing melodious songs in groups called Faag. People meet together, smear Gulaal and embrace each other.
Legend of Holika and Prahlad
The festival signifies the burning of negativities in the effigy of Holika. Sister of the demon king and father of Prahlad, Holika had a boon of immunity to fire. King Hiranakashyap commanded Holika to put the child Prahlad in her lap. She then sat on a pyre. Holika, who epitomised strong negative forces, burned to ashes despite her boon. Child Prahlad came out unharmed.
Food that makes the festival special
Holi is famous for its rich and sumptuous food. Different food items and sweets are specially madeon the occasion. Some of the popular ones are:
- “GUJHIYA” – A sweet dish. It is prepared by stuffing roasted “Khoya” (Milk Solid) mixed with dry fruits and cardamom. Stuffed thin rolled dough deep fried.
- “MAAL PUA” – A saucer-shaped sweet and rich preparation. It is prepared with a running dough of milk, flour, and sugar. The dough is mixed with plenty of dry fruits and then deep-fried.
- “PAPAD” and “NAMKEEN” – Different varieties of crispy and tasty “Papad” (Poppadom) prepared by grounded lentils, sago or potato. “Namkeen” or “Dalmoth” are prepared in different ways and taste salty, tangy and sometimes hot.
Pongal and Onam
Two important festivals of Southern India are Pongal and Onam. The former is celebrated in Tamil Nadu, latter is celebrated mainly in Kerala. The colourful festivals of different regions and states are a kaleidoscope of cultural unity in diversity.
Pongal
An important festival of Tamil Nadu, Pongal is a harvest festival. It occurs in January when the Sun starts its northward journey. It underscores Nature and its worship. A special dish is prepared from the newly harvested grains called Pongal.
- Varieties of PONGAL
- Different varieties of rice preparations
Onam
Onam is celebrated in Kerala. A harvest festival is observed in the month of August/September. It is celebrated to welcome King Mahabali. The festival decleared national festival in 1961. The festivities continue for about ten days. The delicious part of the festival is Onasadiya. It is a nine-course meal served on banana leaves. Onam
Sharing Happiness
Festive occasions apart, Indian people habitually pick up minor occasions or days to enjoy and celebrate. Our septuagenarian friends would recall their childhood days when even a Sunday happened to be a time of celebration. The male members of the family would capture the kitchen and start preparing rich, spicy curry in their own way. They would peel onions and garlic cloves. Some would start grinding spices or grating. The “event” used to consume a lot of time, but the excitement can be seen at its pinnacle. After hours of hard work, the final preparation was declared finished. The children would eagerly wait for the delicacy to be ready for them to satiate their hunger pangs.
Other celebrations
The inclusive Indian culture embraces different things from other than Indian cultures. The inclusiveness adds a dimension to the unity in diversity of the country. Celebrations other than festivities were uncommon. Birthday celebrations were almost absent. It was a rare sight even in cities. In mediocre families, birthday celebrations were considered a way to show a level of affluence. Later, the trend gained momentum in the mid-nineties when more people started enjoying birthday bashes.
Birthday bashes
On birthday occasions, a few families would prepare dishes like “Poori Sabzi”. They would go to places of worship and feed paupers. Back home, they would add some pickles, “Raita”, and a piece of sweetmeats in their platter. Over time, influenced by foreign culture, celebrations became more pompous. Cake cutting took a centre stage and elebrations started taking place in hotels. The food was not the burden of the family. It is pre-ordered based on the preset menu. The essence of food preparation and cooking with involvement started volatilizing.
(B) Pastime
As time advanced cooking became a pastime hobby which could be flaunted. The household cooking that acted as a glue to strengthen the bonds of love and affection started weakening. Eventually, it waned.
Nuclear Families and Cooking
Strong family traditions have many positive points in their favour. The sweetness of festivity, food and togetherness are the backbone of the Indian social system. The shifting priorities are showing their effects. Families are the most affected institution. The nuclear family emerged. Home cooking and devoting time to it started becoming a burden. Improved utensils and clean fuel have made cooking easy and flawless. Yet, increasing work tension has made cooking at home less romantic. Long hours of commuting with the pressure of reaching the workplace on time have taken their toll.
Conclusion
Every era has advantages and disadvantages. It is good that Indian society readily accepts changes that are good. The diversity in unity is the hallmark of Indian tradition. Modern people have lost the pleasure of cooking and enjoying homemade food. Yet, modern times have eased life greatly. They have also opened new opportunities for those who love cooking. Cooking was once considered a household chore done by female family members. Chefs cook food and experiment with the process, producing delectable dishes. It is a professional attitude that, despite obstacles, has become a way of life. Nostalgia reminds us of our past with affection, and while it is skewed, a dispassionate observation provides a balanced perspective. Modern people love cooking and prepare it with utmost dedication and enjoyment. They prepare special food for special occasions for those who don’t have time.
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