Balipratipada

, also called as Bali Padyami, Padva, Virapratipada or Dyutapratipada, is the fourth day of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. It is celebrated in honour of the notional return of the daitya-king Bali to earth. Bali Padyami falls in the Gregorian calendar months of October or November. It is the first (or 16th) day of the Hindu month of Kartika and is the first day of its bright lunar fortnight. In many parts of India such as Gujarat and Rajasthan, it is the regional traditional New Year Day in Vikram Samvat and also called the Bestu Varas or Varsha Pratipada. This is the half amongst the three and a half Muhūrtas in a year. This is celebrated as the New Year's Day according to the "Vikram Samvat". The Balipratipada is an ancient festival. The earliest mention of Bali's story being acted out in dramas and poetry of ancient India is found in the c. 2nd-century BCE Mahābhāṣya of Patanjali on Panini's Astadhyayi 3.1.26. The festival has links to the Vedic era sura-asura Samudra Manthan that revealed goddess Lakshmi and where Mahabali was the king of the asuras. The festivities find mention in the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and several major Puranas, such as the Brahma purana, Kurma purana, Matsya purana and others. Balipratipada commemorates the annual return of Mahabali to earth and the victory of Vamana – one of many creative incarnations of Vishnu and the fifth incarnation in the Dashavatara list. It marks the victory of Vishnu over Mahabali and all asuras, through his metamorphosis into Trivikrama. At the time of his defeat, Bali was already a Vishnu-devotee and a benevolent ruler over a peaceful, prosperous kingdom. Vishnu's victory over Mahabali using "three steps" ended the war. According to Hindu scriptures, Mahabali asked for and was granted the boon by Vishnu, whereby he returns to earth once a year when he will be remembered and worshipped, and reincarnate in a future birth as Indra. Balipratipada or Padva is traditionally celebrated with decorating the floor with colorful images of Bali – sometimes with his wife Vindyavati, of nature's abundance, a shared feast, community events and sports, drama or poetry sessions.