Balipratipada

The tradition & historical record

Balipratipada (Bali-pratipadā), also called as Bali-Padyami, Padva, Virapratipada or Dyutapratipada, is the fourth day of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. It is celebrated in honour of the notional return of the daitya-king Bali (Mahabali) to earth. Balipratipada falls in the Gregorian calendar months of October or November. It is the first (or 16th) day of the Hindu month of Kartika and is the first day of its bright lunar fortnight. In many parts of India such as Gujarat and Rajasthan, it is the regional traditional New Year Day in Vikram Samvat and also called the Bestu Varas or Varsha Pratipada. This is the half amongst the three and a half Muhūrtas in a year. Balipratipada is an ancient festival. The earliest mention of Bali's story being acted out in dramas and poetry of ancient India is found in the c. 2nd-century BCE Mahābhāṣya of Patanjali on Panini's Astadhyayi 3.1.26. The festival has links to the Vedic era sura-asura Samudra Manthana that revealed goddess Lakshmi and where Bali was the king of the asuras. The festivities find mention in the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and several major Puranas, such as the Brahma Purana, Kurma Purana, Matsya Purana and others. Balipratipada commemorates the annual return of Bali to earth and the victory of Vamana, the dwarf avatar of the god Vishnu. It marks the victory of Vishnu over Bali and all asuras, through his metamorphosis into Vamana-Trivikrama. ¹

Balipratipada (Sanskrit: बालि प्रतिपदा, Marathi: बळी-प्रतिपदा or Pāḍvā पाडवा, Kannada: ಬಲಿ ಪಾಡ್ಯಮಿ or Bali Pāḍyami) is a compound word consisting of "Bali" (a mythical daitya king, also known as Mahabali) and "pratipada" (also called padva, means occasion, commence, first day of a lunar fortnight). It is also called the Akashadipa (lights of the sky). ¹

The Balipratipada and Bali-related scripture is ancient. The earliest mention of Bali's story is found in the c. 2nd-century BCE Mahābhāṣya of Patanjali on Panini's Astadhyayi 3.1.26. It states that "Balim bandhayati" refers to a person reciting the Bali legend or acting it out on a stage. This, states P.V. Kane – a Sanskrit literature scholar, attests that the "imprisonment of Bali" legend was well known by the 2nd-century BCE in forms of drama and poetry in ancient India. According to Tracy Pintchman – an Indologist, the festival has links to the Samudra Manthana legend found in Vedic texts. These describe a cosmic struggle between suras and asuras, with Mahabali as the king of the asuras. It is this legendary churning of cosmic ocean that created Lakshmi – the goddess worshipped on Diwali. The remembrance and festivities associated with Lakshmi and Mahabali during Diwali are linked. The festivities related to Bali and Balipratipada find mention in the Vanaparva 28.2 of the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and several major Puranas, such as the Brahma purana (chapter 73), Kurma purana (chapter 1), Matsya purana (chapters 245 and 246), and others. The Hindu text Dharmasindhu in its discussions of Diwali states that day after the Diwali night, Balipratipada is one of three most auspicious dates in the year. It recommends an oil bath and a worship of Bali. His icon along with his wife's should be drawn on the floor with five colored powder and flowers. Fruits and food should be offered to Bali, according to Bhavisyottra, and drama or other community spectacles should be organized. ¹

Bali was Prahlada's grandson. He came to power by defeating the gods (Devas), and taking over the three worlds. Bali, an Asura king was well known for his bravery, uprightness and dedication to god Vishnu. Bali had amassed vast territories and was invincible. He was benevolent and popular, but his close associates weren't like him. They were constantly attacking the suras (Devas) and plundering the gods who stood for righteousness and justice. According to Vaishnava scriptures, Indra and the defeated suras approached Vishnu for help in their battle with Bali. Vishnu refused to join the gods in violence against Bali, because Bali was a good ruler and his own devotee. But, instead of promising to kill Bali, Vishnu promised to use a novel means to help the suras. Bali announced that he will perform Yajna (homa sacrifices) and grant anyone any gift they want during the Yajna. Vishnu took the avatar of a dwarf Brahmin called Vamana and approached Bali. The king offered anything to the boy – gold, cows, elephants, villages, food, whatever he wished. The boy said that one must not seek more than one needs, and all he needs is the property right over a piece of land that measures "three paces". Bali agreed. The Vamana grew to enormous proportions, metamorphosing into the Trivikrama form, and covered everything Bali ruled over in just two paces. For the third pace, Bali offered his own head to Vishnu who pushed him into the realm of Patala (nether world). Pleased with the dedication and integrity of Bali, Vishnu granted him a boon that he could return to earth for one day in a year to be with his people, be worshipped and be a future Indra. ¹

The rituals observed on the Bali Padyami day have variations from state to state. In general, on this festival day, Hindus exchange gifts, as it is considered a way to please Bali and the gods. After the ceremonial Oil Bath, people wear new clothes. The main hall of the house or the space before the door or gate is decorated with a Rangoli or Kolam drawn with powder of rice in different colours, thereafter Bali and his wife Vindhyavali are worshipped. Some build Bali icons out of clay or cow dung. In the evening, as night falls, door sills of every house and temple are lighted with lamps arranged in rows. Community sports and feasts are a part of the celebrations. ¹

Some people gamble with a game called pachikalu (dice game), which is linked to a legend. It is believed that god Shiva and his consort Parvati played this game on this festival day when Parvati won. Following this, their son Kartikeya played with Parvati and defeated her. Thereafter, his brother, the elephant-headed god of wisdom Ganesha played with him and won the dice game. But now this gambling game is played only by family members, symbolically, with cards. The farming community celebrates this festival, particularly in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, by performing Kedaragauri vratam (worship of goddess KedaraGauri – a form of Parvati), Gopuja (worship of cow), and Gouramma puja (worship of Gauri – another form of Parvati). Before worship of cows, on this day, the goushala (cowshed) is also ceremoniously cleaned. On this day, a triangular shaped image of Bali, made out of cow-dung is placed over a wooden plank designed with colourful Kolam decorations and bedecked with marigold flowers and worshipped. ¹

Bali Pratipada is also known as Barlaj in Himachal Pradesh. Barlaj is corruption of word Bali Raj. Vishnu and his devotee Bali is worshipped on this day. Bali, the grandson of Prahlada is believed to visit earth on this day. Folk songs of Vamana are also sung this day. ¹

The text above is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Balipratipada”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. ¹

Balipratipada is 4th day of Diwali festival, according to the structured record cited below. This entry was generated automatically from that record and has not yet been reviewed by a person familiar with the tradition. ²

The source record links this tradition to 1 external register, which can be verified through the citation. ²