Two traditions mark Naraka Chaturdashi: the morning Abhyanga Snan and the evening Yama Deepdan. It’s also called Choti Diwali, and for many families it’s actually the more ritually involved day compared to Diwali itself. For the date and muhurat, see the Naraka Chaturdashi muhurat article.
The story behind this day comes from the Bhagavata Purana. The demon Narakasura had terrorized the three worlds and held 16,100 women captive. Lord Krishna, along with Satyabhama, defeated him on this Chaturdashi. The pre-dawn bath (Abhyanga Snan) symbolizes washing away the taint of Naraka (hell), and the evening lamps celebrate the victory of light over the darkness Narakasura brought.
Samagri
- Sesame (til) oil, ubtan (a turmeric-sandalwood paste, traditionally made with besan, haldi, and a touch of sandalwood powder)
- A four-wick clay lamp (the Yama Deepak)
- Mustard oil for the lamp
- Wheat or maida dough to shape the lamp if you can’t find a ready-made one
- Fresh flowers, roli, and akshat for the evening puja
Steps
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Abhyanga Snan (before sunrise): This is the key ritual, and the timing is strict. Wake before sunrise, apply sesame oil generously to the body, then rub in the ubtan paste. Let it sit for a few minutes. The turmeric in the ubtan is considered purifying, and the sesame oil is specifically associated with Yama, the god of death. Then bathe with warm water. The belief is that this bath, done before the sun rises on Chaturdashi, frees one from the cycle of Naraka.
For families abroad where sunrise might be at 7:30 AM or later (especially in northern cities during November), this is actually easier to time than in tropical India. You don’t need to wake at 4 AM. Just make sure you’re done bathing before sunrise in your local time zone.
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Evening Yama Deepdan: Light a four-wick lamp facing south just outside the main door. The four wicks represent the four directions, and the southward facing is deliberate: south is Yama’s direction in Hindu cosmology.
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While lighting the Yama Deepak, offer a prayer to Yamraj for protection from an untimely death. The traditional prayer asks Yama to accept the lamp and grant long life to the family.
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Light diyas in every corner of the home to mark Choti Diwali. This is the night the house begins to glow, setting the stage for the main Diwali celebrations the next day.
Why the Yama Deepak faces south
The Yama Deepak always faces south. This is the only day of the year a lamp is deliberately lit in that direction. In Hindu tradition, south is the direction of death and the abode of Yama. On every other day, lamps face east or north. Naraka Chaturdashi inverts this rule as a direct offering to Yama, asking him to keep death at bay. If your front door doesn’t face south, place the lamp on the south side of your entrance or at the nearest south-facing window.
Celebrating abroad
The Abhyanga Snan works identically anywhere. Sesame oil and turmeric are available at any Indian grocery store, and besan (gram flour) is the base of the ubtan. If you can’t find sandalwood powder, the turmeric-besan combination alone is traditional enough. The Yama Deepak can be a small clay diya with four cotton wicks, nothing elaborate.
Timing it right
Check your city’s exact sunrise time on the muhurat page to make sure your Abhyanga Snan finishes before the sun comes up. That’s the one timing constraint that really matters on this day.