Read on Twitter
Done.
उल्काहस्ता नराः कुर्युः पितॄणां मार्गदर्शनम्।
नरकस्थास्तु ये प्रेतास्ते मार्गं तु व्रतात्सदा ।।
- Skanda Purana.
Skanda Purana is largest of the 18 Mahapuranas and one of the most important scriptures . No Hindu can cancel Skanda Purana . Only remains for you to apologise https://twitter.com/D_Roopa_IPS/status/1328362564539977728
उल्काहस्ता नराः कुर्युः पितॄणां मार्गदर्शनम्।
नरकस्थास्तु ये प्रेतास्ते मार्गं तु व्रतात्सदा ।।
- Skanda Purana.
Skanda Purana is largest of the 18 Mahapuranas and one of the most important scriptures . No Hindu can cancel Skanda Purana . Only remains for you to apologise https://twitter.com/D_Roopa_IPS/status/1328362564539977728
This verse is from Vaiṣṇava-khaṇḍa of Skanda Purāṇa. It describes rites to be performed on Dīpāvalī.
It says that on the night of Chaturdashi, we need to show the path to the departed Pitrs by holding fireworks in our hands.
English Translation of the Verse by GV Tagare
It says that on the night of Chaturdashi, we need to show the path to the departed Pitrs by holding fireworks in our hands.
English Translation of the Verse by GV Tagare
Analysing such verses, professor of Sanskrit and historian Dr. GV Raghavan concludes that crackers have been a part of Dipavali celebrations since earliest times.
He says that their religious purpose was to light the path of the departed pitrs.
He says that their religious purpose was to light the path of the departed pitrs.
Some people are saying that Ulka(dana) does not mean today's modern crackers. Here is how their objection is not valid:
Even if I accept for the same of argument that Ulka does not mean today's modern crackers, it ends up directly proving my point. Let me tell you how.
Even if I accept for the same of argument that Ulka does not mean today's modern crackers, it ends up directly proving my point. Let me tell you how.
If you come across the kind of crackers that were available in the market even in 1980, you would be very surprised.
They were NOTHING fancy like today's crackers. Many of them were quite primitive. Most people of India were poor and they used such basic crackers
They were NOTHING fancy like today's crackers. Many of them were quite primitive. Most people of India were poor and they used such basic crackers
They still served two basic purposes for which they were used
1) Made noise
2) Illuminated the sky
Nobody bothered about alleged "pollution" that could have been an inadvertent consequence. Obviously, Crackers used in ancient India were different from today's modern crackers.
1) Made noise
2) Illuminated the sky
Nobody bothered about alleged "pollution" that could have been an inadvertent consequence. Obviously, Crackers used in ancient India were different from today's modern crackers.
Crackers used in Ancient India were different from today's modern crackers. Just like chairs used in ancient India were different from today's modern chairs.
Does that mean Chairs are not a part of Indian history? Almost everything used today is different from its predecessors.
Does that mean Chairs are not a part of Indian history? Almost everything used today is different from its predecessors.
If one goes by this logic, one could as well conclude that Ancient India had NOTHING in our culture because everything today is different from its yesteryear's predecessors.
What is relevant is that the concept existed. And the concept was quite simple.
What is relevant is that the concept existed. And the concept was quite simple.
The concept was to use a combustible substance on the night of Dipavali to make a lot of noise, illuminate the sky and show the path to our departed ancestors.
This is mentioned in the Skanda Purana itself & is true irrespective of whether or not Ulka means modern fire crackers.
This is mentioned in the Skanda Purana itself & is true irrespective of whether or not Ulka means modern fire crackers.
What does it all show?
With advancement of technology, everything changes. But the basic concept of using combustibles to make noise and illuminate the sky on the day of Dipavali existed since ancient times. This was not a foreign import or 16th century concept.
With advancement of technology, everything changes. But the basic concept of using combustibles to make noise and illuminate the sky on the day of Dipavali existed since ancient times. This was not a foreign import or 16th century concept.
