The day that Asoka the Great embraced Buddhism is called Asoka Vijay Dashmi (AVD). Centuries after the first celebration of AVD, the Brahmin Dharma festival of Dussehera started being celebrated on the same day. Eventually AVD was almost forgotten until the revival of Buddhism in India during the 20th century.
It is said that when Asoka discovered that the great monk Bhante Moggallana, also known as the left hand chief disciple of the Buddha, was murdered on the day of Karthik Amawassiya, he decided to pay annual tributes to the venerable monk by lighting lamps on Buddhist historical sites and his own edicts. He was in no way CELEBRATING the murder of the great Bhikkhu. The day of Karthik Amawassiya became a day of REMEMBRANCE called Deepdan Diwas.
However, after the decline of Buddhism, centuries later, this day was replaced with the Brahmin festival of Diwali and the REMEMBRANCE DAY became a CELEBRATION DAY. Today many Indian Buddhists are beginning to realise that for centuries they have been duped into celebrating the day of murder of the great Bhikkhu who served the Buddha.
Asoka Vijay Dashmi and Deepdan Day began during the days of Asoka the Great. Dussehera and Diwali came after the creation of Sanskrit centuries later. These Brahmin festivals replaced AVD and Deepdan Diwas.
Question faced by today’s Buddhists is, should they CELEBRATE Deepdan Day or not?
The obvious answer is an emphatic NO. They must recognise it ONLY as a day of REMEMBERANCE and paying tributes, just as the followers of Babasaheb Ambedkar do annually on 6th December, on the death anniversary of their beloved Babasaheb. Such days are not for celebration. Buddhists don’t celebrate death.
Just for the record: There is no record of Dr. Ambedkar ever celebrating Deepdan Day, yet he encouraged celebration of Asoka Vijay Dashmi. He obviously knew that Dusshera and Diwali are related and so are Asoka Vijay Dasmi and Kartik Amawassya (on which Deepdan Diwas and Diwali fall).
Hence, Deepdan Diwas is NOT an “utsav”. So please don’t send “Happy” Deepdanutsav greetings.
Thank You
