Tulsidas / Navratri

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Navratri Festival

 

 

Festivals in India epitomise the

religious, cultural and social aspirations of the people, and are

occasions to reaffirm one's gratitude and allegiance to one's family.

Most Hindu festivals are a soul-purifying experience for the believer.

and festivals are instrumental in diluting the humdrum of everyday

life by adding their special touch to it.

 

 

¤ Navratri Celebrations

 

Navratri Festival coincides with the end of the rainy season. This

season is considered to be an auspicious one as it is generally

associated with the sowing of seeds, and watching new seeds sprout - a

sign of prosperity and abundance. Most people consider it the best

time of the year to undertake or start new ventures.

 

 

¤ Durga- The Holy Deity

 

The Navratri festival is dedicated to the Mother Goddess. Known by

other names such as Durga, Devi, she occupies a special place in the

Hindu pantheon. She represents Shakti, the cosmic energy that animates

all beings, and is also considered to be prakriti (nature), the

counterpart of purusha. Together, they are responsible for the

creation of the world according to the Puranas and Vedas (ancient

Hindu Scriptures).

 

 

¤ Worshipping of Diverse Goddess

 

This nine-day festival is celebrated in a unique manner. A different

form of the Mother Goddess is worshipped on each different day. On the

first three days, the Goddess Durga (Goddess of Valour) is venerated.

The next three days are spent in the worship of the Goddess Lakshmi

(Goddess of Wealth). and the last three days are a celebration of the

Goddess Saraswati (Goddess of Learning and Arts). Together, the three

goddesses are worshipped as the feminine equivalent of the Hindu Holy

Trinity.

 

 

¤ The Rituals Performed

 

This festival symbolises health and prosperity, and is celebrated in

a very traditional way. People perform yagna (sacrifice offered in

order to procure purification through fire) or havana (symbolic

ceremony involving the purifying aspects of fire). During both the

ceremonies, ghee (clarified butter), paayas or kheer (rice cooked in

condensed milk) and sesame seeds are poured into the holy flames to

the chanting of mantras (holy verses). Each cycle of oblation

culminates with the priest summoning Swaha, the consort of Agni, or

fire. Some believers fast (vrat) throughout the nine days, whilst

others settle for a daylong fast. Fasting is considered to be one of

the most popular means of self-discipline and spiritual development.

On the fifth day, known as Lalitha Panchami, it is customary to gather

the books in the house and place them before a sacred lamp in order to

seek the Goddess Saraswati's blessings. Artisans also lay their tools

at the feet of the Goddess for a more prosperous trade.

 

 

¤ Navratri Celebrations in Different Parts of India

 

Navratri is celebrated in different regions of the country with a lot

of vim and brio.

 

In West Bengal, it takes the form of Durga Puja, an occasion to

celebrate the Triumph of Good over Evil. According to legend, a

vicious buffalo-demon, Mahishasura, had raised hell at the gates of

heaven, causing widespread terror. The Goddess Durga was actualised by

the combined efforts of all the deities to slay him. Thus, Durga

astride a lion, with an assortment of weapons in her 10 hands, slayed

Mahishasura. Durga is also worshipped as Shakti, and beautiful idols

of the Mother Goddess adorn elaborate pandals (marquees) for five days

(starting from the fifth day of Navratri). Believers (and

non-believers) flock to these pandals with gay abandon. On the tenth

day of the celebrations, the idols are carried out in colourful

processions to be immersed (visarjan) in a river or a pond.

 

In the state of Punjab, people usually fast during this period, for

seven days, and on Ashtami, the eighth day, devotees break their fast

by worshipping young girls who are supposed to be representatives of

the Goddess herself by offering them the traditional puris (sort of

deep-fried Indian bread), halwa (a dessert primarily made of flour and

sugar), chanas (Bengal gram) and red chunnis (long scarves). In this

region, the festival is predominantly linked with harvest. This is the

time of the khetri, (wheat grown in pots in the urban context) that is

worshipped in homes, and whose seedlings are given to devotees as

blessings from God.

 

 

¤ Dussehra or (Vijaya Dashmi)

 

The festival of Navratri also coincides with the festival of Dussehra

or Vijaya Dashmi. Vijaya Dashami (literally meaning 'The Day marking

the Triumph of Good over Evil') falls on the day after Navratri, and

is associated with another legend where Lord Rama killed the

demon-king Ravana. In the northern parts of India, Ram Lilas draw from

the epic, theRamayana, to bring the life and times of Lord Rama back

to the common folk through dramatic representations.

 

 

¤ Celebrations in South India

 

In the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra

Pradesh, the festival of Navratri is celebrated in a different manner.

Women adorn their houses with dolls (Bommai Kolu), draw traditional

designs or rangolis (patterns made on the floor by using various

coloured powders and flowers), and light lamps. During this festival

(also known as Kolu in the state of Tamil Nadu), families proudly

display traditional wooden dolls and gather to sing songs and depict

scenes from the various epics, for a period of ten days. Another

runaway hit is the sundal, a special sweet made from lentil and brown

sugar. Families and friends exchange the traditional gifts of

coconuts, clothes and sweets on this occasion.

 

 

¤ Garbha and Dandiya-Rasa-- The Highlights of Navratri

 

The festival of Navratri acquires quite a fascinating and colourful

dimension in the region of Gujarat, and in some parts of Rajasthan and

.. The highlights of the festival are the extremely colourful dances of

Garbha and Dandiya-Rasa during which, both men and women dressed in

the traditional attires of dhoti-kurta (traditional Indian attire worn

by menfolk, comprising a long shirt and a long flowing garment worn

over the lower part of the body), and chania-choli (mirror-work skirts

and blouses), put up stunning performances to the vibrant rhythm of

music. These dances are performed around the traditionally decorated

terracotta pot called the garbi that has a small diya (lamp) burning

inside signifying knowledge, or light meant to dissipate the

ignorance, or darkness, within. Dholak players (drummers) accompany

the dancers, and groups of singers sing songs handed down generations.

 

Today the commercialisation of these dances seems evident, with the

traditional and delicate rhythms being replaced by alternate forms

that are quite far-removed from the original versions.

 

As a dance form, the Garbha is mainly performed by women. The leader

starts with the first line of the song. Other dancers who sway

gracefully, with their arms describing movements in perfect synchrony

to the rhythmic clapping, or beating of sticks then pick this up.

 

Yet another variation of the Garbha is the Goph Guntan, or the string

dance. As the dancers execute the movements, they hold on to one end

of a rope in strands, while the other end of the rope is tied either

to the ceiling or a wooden pole. Gradually, as the dancers weave in

and around each other, a braid is formed. It is quite an interesting

sight as it takes a certain degree of skill and accuracy to intertwine

and untangle the braid without falling out of pace.

 

Another dance form that is popular during the Navratri celebrations

is the Dandiya-Rasa, performed mostly by menfolk forming complex

circular patterns to represent the lotus and other floral designs.

These dancers hold the dandiyas (small wooden sticks with tiny bells

attached at the ends) and dance in complex concentric circles. The

dancers rhythmically beat the sticks even during a series of

complicated moves that they must execute while sitting, standing or

lying down.

 

Different communities have different variations of these dances. and

the heady mix of jubilation and enthusiasm is all-pervasive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.indiasite.com/festivals/navratri.html --------------------------Navratri Festival by Rudra CentreThe

festival of Navratri (nav = nine and ratri = nights) lasts for 9 days

with three days each devoted to worship of Maa Durga, the Goddess of

Valor, Ma Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth and Maa Saraswati, the Goddess

of Knowledge. During the nine days of Navratri, feasting and fasting

take precedence over all normal daily activities amongst the Hindus.

Evenings give rise to the religious dances in order to worhip Goddess

Durga Maa.

The 9 nights

festival of Navratri begins on the first day of Ashwina of the bright

fortnight. Seeds are sown, sprouting is watched, the planets are

consecrated, and on the 8th and 9th days, Goddess Durga, Vijayashtami

and Mahanavami are worshipped. The Devi Mahatmya and other texts

invoking the Goddess who vanquished demons are cited.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Significance

of 9 Nights

1st - 3rd day of Navratri

On the first day of the Navaratras, a small bed of mud is prepared in the puja room

and barley seeds are sown on it. These initial days are dedicated to Durga Maa, the Goddess of power

and energy.

 

4th - 6th day of Navratri

During these days, Lakshmi Maa, the Goddess of peace and prosperity is worshipped.

 

7th - 8th day of Navratri

These final days belong to Saraswati Maa who is worshipped to acquire

the spiritual knowledge. This in turn will free us from all earthly

bondage. But on the 8th day of this colourful festival, yagna (holy

fire) is performed.

 

Mahanavami

The festival of Navratri culminates in Mahanavami. On this day Kanya

Puja is performed. Nine young girls representing the nine forms of

Goddess Durga are worshiped.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What's

in store this Navratri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Durga

Statues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Devi Pujan Kit

 

 

 

 

 

Contents

• Puja Essentials

• Shringar Samagri

• Durga statue/ frame

• Prayer book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9

mukhi Durga bracelet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Durga

Yantra

 

 

 

 

 

Shield

of Durga Kavach

 

 

 

Durga

Chunris

 

 

 

Durga

Shakti Pendant

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Durga Pendants

 

 

 

 

 

 

9

mukhi Rudraksha

 

 

 

 

 

Durga

Bisa Locket

 

 

 

Durga

Statues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jai

Matadi Shawl

 

 

 

 

Sphatik

Mala

 

 

 

Durga

Shakti Bracelet

 

 

 

Durga Lockets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Durga

Frame

 

 

 

 

Durga

Sahasranaama Book

 

 

 

 

 

Navratri

Prayers Book

 

 

 

Durga

Saptshati CD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/navratri.htm