Festivals are days we celebrate with our friends and family and enjoy lavish delicacies. It allows everyone to come together and have a good time celebrating, playing, and devouring good food. One such festival is Diwali. Known as the festival of lights, on this day people dress up in vibrant attire. They adorn their houses and doorways with oil lamps, colourful rangolis, and flower garlands. The day celebrates the return of Ram, Sita, and Lakshman after the 14-year-long exile and the vanquishing of the demon king Ravana. To commemorate the triumph of good over evil and the return of Lord Ram, people light diyas and burst firecrackers.
Among the several traditions that come with Diwali is another interesting tradition of playing cards, particularly ‘Teen Patti.’ It comes as a surprise that otherwise considered immoral, we consider gambling with stakes on the night of Diwali as auspicious. This is because playing a game of cards involving stakes has a deep-rooted meaning. The trend of Diwali card parties is not just a means of getting together and having fun.
It is believed that on the evening of Diwali, goddess Parvati played dice with her husband Shiva. She thoroughly enjoyed the game and declared that whoever plays dice on this particular day, will prosper. However, over time, the celestial game of dice has turned into a game of cards. Therefore, people beleive that staking money on the chances of a deck of 52 cards on the night of Diwali attracts abundance and prosperity. Moreover, during Diwali, people take up all money-related activities- buying gold or silver, major acquisitions, and others. People believe that indulging in money-related activities during Diwali attracts riches. Notably, people revere Maa Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and luxury on the festival of Diwali.
Also Read: Why do we revere goddess Lakshmi and lord Ganesha during Diwali?
Additionally, a humorous belief is that whoever does not gamble by playing cards on Diwali is born as a donkey in their next life. The saying has now become a running joke among people sending out card party invitations.
The tradition of playing cards during the festival has been a generational one that is socially sanctioned. With the festival around the corner, get a pack of cards as you gather with friends and family. It is imperative to note that the belief applies only for the day of the festival and does not recommend habitual gambling.