Also Chhoti Diwali — marks Krishna's defeat of the demon Narakasura, who had held thousands captive. An early bath before sunrise is kept to wash away impurity ahead of the main night.
कार्तिक कृष्ण चतुर्दशी · दिन २
In South India, this day rather than the following one is often treated as the primary Diwali, observed with the pre-dawn oil bath and firecrackers, marking the festival's peak there rather than Lakshmi Puja.
An ubtan — a fragrant oil-and-paste bath before sunrise — is the central ritual, especially in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.