Diwali celebration is attributed to the return of Lord Rama from the forest where he spent fourteen years. But according to puranas this is not correct. It so happened that since no festival was celebrated in Ayodhya for fourteen years, on his return, all festivals were celebrated.
The real story
Initially Diwali used to be puja for Narayan and Lakshmi. Later it changed to Ganesh and Lakshmi puja. Let us see how this change happened.
When Raja Bali won all three worlds and took the throne of Lord Indra, the latter panicked and went to Narayan. Knowing Bali’s weakness on giving ‘Dan’(charity), Narayan took the form of Vamana and sent Bali to patal lok. In patal, Bali was praying to Narayan, who became happy and had to agree to the request of Bali to go with him to patal.
So that year, Narayan was not present with lakshmi during Diwali puja. That is how Ganesh and Lakshmi puja started, which still continues.
Narayan’s return
Lakshmi was desolate without Narayan. She too decided to cash in on Bali’s weakness for ‘Dan’. She made Bali her brother on ‘Bhaiduj’ festival. When Bali asked what she wanted as a gift, she requested to release Narayan from patal. Then Lakshmi granted boon for Bali that he will rule all three worlds on Diwali.
Significance of gambling on Diwali day
In his previous life Bali was a gambler. Once while going to a prostitute with flowers,he tripped on a stone and fell on a nearby Shivling. He died on the spot and though he was destined to go to patal for his sins, he was given Lord Indra’s throne for one day for his merit in putting flowers on Shivling. When he sat on the throne, it struck him that for one good deed he got the throne for a day. So, to gain more merit, he offered one by one, everything in the Heaven’s treasury. In the evening when Indra came, the treasury was empty, and because of all the merits that Bali gained, he got Indra’s throne.
When Bali released Narayan from patal, Lakshmi gave the boon that Bali will be worshipped during Diwali and to commemorate his life as a gambler, gambling is allowed on Diwali day.
Puja during Diwali
During the Samudra mandhan ( churning of ocean, the Ksheera sagar), on the day Lakshmi appeared, Diwali is celebrated. Whoever lights lamp with oil (where Lakshmi resides), the Goddess blesses them and resides in their house for one year.
On the day Lord Dhanvantari appeared, Dhanteras is celebrated.
On Naraka Chaturdasi day, Mahakali puja is done.
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