Dev Diwali
29 Aug 2026
The importance of the first day of the month of Margashirsha is not seen in any other Brahmin community in India except among Chitpavan Brahmins. Lord Shri Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita, 'Of all the months, I am Margashirsha.' This means that Margashirsha is the most auspicious month.
Devdiwali is a festival that celebrates worshiping one's family deity, village deity, and other deities of reverence. On this day, all Chitpavan Brahmin households offer vada and ghooghare as naivedya (food offerings). All the gods' naivedyas are displayed on different leaves. At the same time, specific offerings for ancestors are made separately. The leaf containing the offering in the name of the family deity is taken home as prasad, while the other naivedya leaves are either given to street dogs or fed to cows.
The Chaturmas is observed from Ashadhi Ekadashi to Kartiki Ekadashi. These four months are considered the night for the gods. Around the North Pole, where the Vedas were composed, there were four months of darkness and the remaining eight months of light. Hence, these four months are likely regarded as the long night on the land of the gods or the night of the gods.
The first Pratipada after Kartiki Ekadashi falls in the month of Margashirsha, and since the night ends, it is considered a day of celebration on the land of the gods, which is why it is called Dev Diwali.
Due to this family tradition, we remember our family gods, deities, and village gods, and the purpose of this tradition is to keep this remembrance alive by offering food to honor our ancestors and deities. Everyone should worship whichever deity they like, read scriptures, and perform any other religious activities according to their preference and liking.
However, one should never forget the family gods and goddesses. Just as the head of the household takes care of the entire family and manages things properly according to Hindu customs, the family gods and goddesses take care of and protect the family.
Courtesy - Family Deity: Ajit Patwardhan