Bali Padyami or Bali Pratipada is the third day of Diwali festival. It is celebrated on the day after Deepavali Amavasya. Bali Chakravarty who was the King of Patala Loka is worshiped on this day.
Bali was a king in Tretayuga, who was immensely generous. Many people used to visit him for several reasons. Whatever visitors would ask for, King Bali used to give it to them without thinking. Though generosity is a good virtue, it sometime becomes a defect when used in excess or incorrectly. There is a saying "Offering must be made to the deserving; not to the undeserving. When an undeserving person obtains this wealth he becomes arrogant". Bali disregarded this principle and continued to give people whatever they asked for. This created havoc in the world, as people started misusing this. Lord Vishnu came to know about this and he decided to teach a lesson to Bali.
So Lord Vishnu incarnated as Vamana (a small brahmin boy), he approached King Bali and asked for land which covered three of his footsteps. Unaware of who Vaman was, the king agreed to fulfill Vamana's wish. Immediately Vaman assumed a gigantic form and covered entire earth with one footstep. With the second footstep, he covered entire sky. Then Vamana asked Bali "I have completed everything with my 2 steps where do i place my 3rd step?". So Bali told him to place the third footstep on his head. Vamana put his foot on King Bali’s head and sent him to Patala Loka.
On Bali’s request, Lord Vishnu gave him a boon that he can visit the earth once in a year. This day is celebrated as Bali Padyami.Most of the people celebrate this day by decorating the floor with rangoli (pattern) and lighting Deepa (Earthen Pot).
Bali Padyami is one of the half muhurta among the three and a half auspicious muhurtas in a year. There is no need to look for a auspicious time on this day and there is a popular belief that whatever is gifted on the day will be returned to us manifold with the blessings of Lord Vishnu. It is an occasion for spiritual exhilaration, a lighting up of all darkness.
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