India is celebrating the second day of Diwali. This day is called as Narak Chaturdashi or in some places Chotti Diwali. It is celebrated on the 14 th day of Krishna Paksha.

Second day of Diwali is dedicated to the victory of Lord Krishna over the evil king Narakasur. There is a legend behind the celebration of this day of Diwali. India as a culture is so vast and dynamic as one will see different stories behind every celebration or festival. There is no doubt in the fact that India loves to celebrate.

The story goes like this-

Narkasur a mighty king was fighting against neighboring kings and he imprisoned 16,000 women and daughters of the Gods and saints. He also defeated Lord Indra and took the magnificent earrings from the ears of Aditi, believed to be the mother of the Gods. When Lord Krishna came to know about this, he planned a battle against Narkasur and liberate all the captives.
 

When Lord Krishna’s Wife, Satyabhama came to know about it, she decided to shoulder this responsibility and killed Narkasur with Lord Krishna’s Sudarshan Chakra. To celebrate this victory lord Krishna, applied Narmasura’s blood on his forehead. When he returned he got massaged with scented oil and herbs and given bath to wash the blood off his body. To symbolize this victory of gods over demons, Indians massage their body with scented oil and herbs and take bath early in the morning, before sunrise.

The southern state of India, Goa celebrates it in different way. Here, Effigies of Narkasura are created then paraded all over the city or village throughout the day and then is burnt in the evening and celebration begins by lighting firecrackers. Here the ritual brings people together and they celebrate it with fellow citizens.

There might be many more stories in every state, tribe or regions of India stating the purpose behind this celebration. But the gist is the same. It is to defeat the evil and let the right, positive and angelic spirit within and outside us win!