Beautify Yourself on Roop Chaudas

Diwali marks a hectic schedule of cleaning up the house, making sweets and other festivities, shopping and preparing for the grand celebration. Many, especially women are left with no time to look after themselves and their looks. This day of Roop Chaturdashi is dedicated to beautifying and preparing oneself for the special day of Diwali.

Roop Chaturdashi or Roop Chaudas is celebrated a day before the Diwali festival. ‘Roop’ represents beauty and ‘Chaturdashi’ marks the fourteenth day of the scared month of ‘Kartik’ in the Hindu Lunar Calendar. It is also known as Narak Chaturdash and Kali Chaturdash in some parts of the country. Goddess Kali is worshipped on this day. There are many stories associated with this auspicious day. It is believed that goddess Kali killed the powerful demon Raktabiga.

According to the Hindu mythology it is believed that on this day Lord Krishna slay the mighty demon Mahisasur and freed the people from the cruelty and brutality of the demon. Yamraj and Chitragupt are also worshipped on this day.

People get up before dawn, they take bath by applying special scented oils and traditional health products. Women apply special gram flour mixed with herbs known as ‘Uptan’ to clean and beautify themselves. Hindus undertake beauty treatments in order to look their best on Diwali day. New clothes are worn after the ‘Chaturdashi’ bath and special prayers and puja are performed.

This day marks the destruction of evil and the arrival of new light. Earthen lamps (diya’s) are lit on this day. People pray to Lord Yama for the removal of fear of Narak (hell). It also believed that lord Yamraj will protect them from the perpetual hell. Special diya’s are lit and put on this day in front of the house and doorway.

Kali Chaturdashi observed as Roop Chaudas in Rajasthan is a very important day of the five day celebration as it is celebrated with lot of zeal and enthusiasm. Everyone feasts on the special preparations of different types of sweets and spicy eatables like ‘sev’ and ‘chakli’.

Roop Chaudas

Roop Chaudas is a festival associated with Diwali, which is celebrated a day before Diwali. Diwali is the Indian festival of Lights. In ‘Roop Chaudas’, Roop represents Beauty and Chaudas represents the date 14.On this day, women beautify themselves. Roop Chaudas pooja is performed mainly by women to gain beauty or to enhance their beauty.
On Roop Chaudas Hindus undertake beauty treatments so as to look their best on Diwali day. According to the legends, the demon Narakasura was also slain on this day by lord Krishna and Satyabhama. They fought very aggressively and beheaded the demon on this day. Narak Chaturdashi marks the destruction of evil in the world and arrival of new lights. So, the earthen lamps are kept burning for several days. Since the demon Narakasura was slain on this day, it is celebrated as Naraka Chaturdashi or Kali Chaturdashi. It falls on the fourteenth day (Chaudas) of the fortnight of the Krishna Paksha, in the Hindu month of Kartika. There are two independent significances of this day. One is that it is traditionally used to beautify oneself before the major part of the coming festivities. The other is that it was that, on this day, lord Krishna killed the demon,Narakasura.

Kali Chaudas

Kali means Dark (evil) and Chaudas - Fourteenth. Thus, celebrated 14th day of Ashwin, Kali Chaudas is the day allotted to the worship of Maha-Kali or Shakti and is believed that on this day Kali killed the wicked Raktavija. Also referred to as Narak-Chaturdashi, Kali Chaudas is day to abolish laziness and evil which create hell in our life and shine light on life. The strength to protect others is referred as Kali, and if its used for God's work it is called Mahakali.
Kali Chaudous is also attached to the legend of Lord Hanuman. Hanumanji as a baby was very hungry. Whilst lying down he saw the sun in the sky and thought it was a fruit and went to pick it. He flew into the sky and put the whole sun in his mouth causing darkness throughout the entire universe. Lord Indra requested that Hanumanji return the sun. When Hanumanji refused, Lord Indra unleashed his vajra and knocked Hanumanji down to earth releasing the Sun.
On this day we offer poojan to Hanumanji as our Kuldev to protect us from Evil. The poojan is performed with oil, flowers, chandan and sindur. Coconuts are also offered to Hanumanji and prashad of Sesame seed, ladoos and rice with ghee and sugar.
The rituals of Kali Choudas is strongly suggestive of the origin of Deepavaali as an harvest festival is performed. On this day delicacies are prepared from pounded semi-cooked rice (called Poha or Pova). This rice is taken from the fresh harvest available at that time. This custom is prevalent both in rural and urban areas especially in Western India.
On this day, a head wash and application of kajal in the eyes is believed to keep away the kali nazar (evil eye). Some say that those who are into tantra, learn their 'mantras' on this day. Alternatively, people offer Nived (food) to the goddess that is local to where they are originally from. This goddess is called their 'Kul Devi', in order to cast off evil spirits. Some families also offer food to their forefathers on this day. The second day of Diwali is known as Kali Choudas in Gujarat, Rajasthan & few part of Maharashtra. This reverence is called "Kali Chaudas or Kal Chaturdasi". 

May you all have a very beautiful and delicious ‘Roop Chaudas’.

 JAI MAHAKAL