At Varanasi’s Assi Ghat, Pradeep Kumar is busy decorating his bajda, a big boat. For the last few years, his bajda has outshone all the others. And Kumar wants to ensure his bajda stands out this year too. It is, after all, Dev Diwali, a night Varanasi eagerly awaits.
On this day, most boatmen earn within a few hours what would otherwise take them months. Pradeep’s boat usually earns him around Rs 3,000-6,000 per ride. But on Dev Diwali, his prized bajda is booked for as much as Rs 1,80,000 for a three-hour period.
Pradeep plans to use this year’s earnings to buy a new engine for his boat. He shares his enthusiasm with the rest of Varanasi, with everything from the ghats and mutths to shops and hotels all decked up for the festival.
But what is the importance of Dev Diwali, and what is it that makes Varanasi impatiently wait for the festival every year?