Navrathri -- The Rituals (Some Tamasik thers Sattvik)

10-08-2002, 12:32 PM

Navrathri -- The Rituals
Source: Sify Festivals

According to the Hindu calendar the ninth day of the month of
Ashvina is considered the most auspicious day of the year.
Navrathri, the nine-day festival starts from the new moon day of
Ashvina. Hindus celebrate it in different names all over India.
Every region has its own myths and reasons to explain this.

Nine different aspects of Devi are worshipped over the nine days.
The most popular forms under which she is worshipped are; Durga,
goddess beyond reach; Bhadrakali, the auspicious power of time; Amba
or Jagdamba, mother of the world; Annapurna, giver of food and
plenty; Sarvamangala, auspicious goddess; Bhairavi, terrible,
fearful, power of death; Chandika or Chandi, violent, wrathful,
furious; Lalita, playful and Bhavani, giver of existence.

The tenth and final day is called variously Vijayadashmi, Dushehra
or Dassain when people in most parts of the country burn effigies of
Ravana, Meghanatha and Kumbhakarna. The ninth day in this month is
also celebrated as Ramanavami.

On the first day of the Navaratras, a small bed of mud is prepared
in the puja room of the house and barley seeds are sown on it. On
the tenth day, the shoots are about 3 - 5 inches in length. After
the puja, these seedlings are pulled out and given to devotees as a
blessing from god. The seedlings are placed on their caps, behind
their ears, and inside books to bring good luck. Some people fast on
all the nine days by just having fruit and milk dishes. Some fast
only on the eighth or ninth day. On the eighth or ninth day many
people invite over nine young girls from the neighbourhood and treat
them as the goddesses. People ceremonially wash their feet, worship
them and then offer food to the "girl-goddesses".

A type of sundal is prepared as offering to God. In the evening,
people invite the neighbours and offer Thamboolam with the sundal,
clothes, coconut or some token gifts.

Gurkhas and other hill tribes sacrifice an animal on the eighth day.
This blood sacrifice is a form of thanksgiving to the goddess for a
wish that has been granted. People often sacrifice a buffalo
symbolic of the killing of Mahishasura by Durga.

In Bengal, this period is celebrated as Durga Puja. In Gujarat, this
is the time of Garba and Dandia dances and people pour out at night
to participate in this festival. In Tamil Nadu, the first three days
of the festival are dedicated to Lakshmi, the next three to Durga
and the last three to Sarasvati.