Nowadsys we have a very common sight all around my village. This is the time of the year, where you will find many people making small groups of 4-5 persons and playing card games either sitting under a tree or sitting in the fields. It is not a normal card games played for fun but there are alwsys something in stake.
These group of people were busy in gambling. There is age old tradition of playing cards (Jua) or gambling during Diwali in many regions of India by several communities. The festival of Diwali known as festival of lights stands for wealth and prosperity. People of all ages belive that playing card games would bring luck and wealth during Diwali.
(my own image shot this evening)
The things which starts on the night of Diwali will continue for few more days. Being a rural area the stake of money is not huge, but still many people get over the limit. One of the guys next door won Rs.80000/- ($1000 approx) on the night of Diwali.
Tradition of Diwali Gambling
Many people assume that Diwali is the festival of Lights. Diwali is associated with many traditions and customs that are celebrated even today. From decorsting homes, to bursting crackers to exchanging gifts and sweets. Apart from all these common tradition, the tradition of playing cards during Diwali is very popular at many places. The game is not a regular games but it involves something at stake something in monetory terms. The tradition of playing cards on Diwali night has an interesting stoty behind it.
The age old Diwali belief is that Goddess Parvati played dice with her husband, lord Shiva on the night of Diwali. In this game, the Goddess decreed that whosoever gambled on Diwali night would prosper throughout the coming year.
Now Gambling and Games of chance are a major part of the festivities of Diwali. This gambling tradition in the form of "flush and rummy" with stakes on offer on this particular day continues even in today's modern culture.
(my own image shot this evening)
Another angle that people finds excuses is that Diwali is a festival when indians worship Goddess Lakshmi, who is asociated with wealth and prosperity. So Indians giving a new dimension to the aged story. It is now being said that if people gamble during Diwali, it is hoped that Goddess Lakshmi bestows and grant some of her good fortune. Whosoever plays this game on the night of Diwali would reap benefits.
This is probably the reason why, the trend of playing cards is prevalent till today. One more reason is that it is all about checking your luck. Playing of cards and gambling are seen as an attempt to know how the luck going to be during the coming year.
Words of Caution:
Playing cards for fun by family members and friends during festivals does not cause much damage. Playing of cards by betting money is a bad precedent and should be discouraged. Many a times in search of trying their luck on auspicious day, they get above their limit. The craze in villages is such that people play card game with borrowed fund.
They keep betting one after another game in the hope of winning a game, and in process they lose much than their limit, causing financial burden. Card game is played for fun, even if you want to yry luck, keep a specific amount in pocket so that , you do not get carried away. The moment you lode all better to return home than losing everything.
@steemflow