Poli Swargam

The last day of the Karthika Month is an auspicious day known as "Poli Swargam".The 2010 date of Poli Swargam is on December 6th ,Monday.Every Women and girls wake up before dawn and being heading to the nearest water body for a holy dip bustling with high energy.

Equipped with the puja paraphernalia and sheaths of banana tree, they light diyas that illuminate the entire stretch, and place them on the banana sheaths before releasing them in the water. Chanting holy scriptures, all the women & girls  take a holy dip in the river, while their minds do a quick rewind of the legend Poli Swargam - the chronicled account of how the diyas released by the virtuous Poli, a harried daughter-in-law, showed her the light to the path leading to heaven.

I remember during this day ,lot of devotees throng at Durga Ghat,on the banks of the river Krishna at Vijayawada.Women descend in groups on the bustling Durga Ghat.It was not just to be a part of the scenic splendour at the break of the dawn but a dedicated gesture made on their part in a divine atmosphere.Women with their young children tucked in their arms and heads and ears covered with the pallu of their saris to escape the winter chill came in droves to complete the rituals associated with the occasion.

 Completely at peace with their inner selves, they were equipped with a sense of strength and commitment. There were absorbed faces all around, soaking in the divinity that pervaded every corner of the bathing ghat. This is the time of the year when devotees infuse their minds with pious thoughts and let the spirit of tranquillity spread around.

I came to know observing this day as "Poli swargam" from the Mother.She used to light the cotton threads (Deeparadhana votthulu) count of 33 and been saying the 31 threads are for the whole Karthika month and the remaining two are for that day lighting diyas. My mother explained the story of the lady "Poli" and it is very interesting to hear by every Women and girls .One more thing also being done by the women at home ,they lit the cotton threads on the top of the Gooseberry (amla,Usiri) placing 33 on the betel leaves in front of the God.The day before will be seen very busy near the temple streets ,vendors selling the Plantain leaves,diyas,gooseberries.Even I remeber at my child-hood,neighbours used to buy and  share the Plantain (Arati doppa) .

You can have a look towards my small Pooja platform of the day here.

Kolam drawn by using the Rice Flour,Turmeric & Kumkum

One more procedure the women follows  on the last day of karthika masam is,they take a big vessel of water and after the routine puja they leave deepam in the water asking her to go swargam,they call this as poli swarganiki velladam.They place diya, in banana (plantain) trees,they call it as arati doppa.they take it from banana tree trunks upper layer a thin layer it will be like a cardboard,they lit diya in it.   It is a belief that ,If we light the diyas today before the dawn ,the light shows the path to Heaven and this is the real Karthika Deepam May the lights of light illumine all of us & May Lord Shiva bless us with Light and to merge this supreme light and to attain the eternal adobe of bliss and immortality.

Here goes about the Poli Swargam Story Part -1 & Part-2 in the telugu Version.