9/24/2014 Mystical Navratri Celebrations Then and Now

http://www.artofliving.org/in-en/mystical-navratri-celebrations-%E2%80%93-then-and-now 1/3
Mystical Navratri Celebrations Then and
Now
By Suma Kumar


During Navratri, offer all anxieties, fears,
worries, negativity into the sacrificial fire
and be rejuvenated with courage, enthusiasm
and knowledge and spread wisdom and light to
the suffering world. Lets bring peace, love, joy
and Happiness to all.


Navratri always brings memories of my childhood, which was so joyful, as we got 10 days of school
holidays, after the quarterly examinations. This was the only time when we were not expected to
do any studies and was only play all the time. In fact our books and pencils were taken off us and
kept in the Puja. I remember the pavements on both sides of the road having mounds of golden
chrysanthemums and garlands of yellow, orange flowers with mango leaves tied together in them.
Also this was the time when we as little girls, my sisters and our friends were often invited by
neighbours, friends and relatives to their homes for a special meal and given gifts, bangles and
plenty of attention by the women folk. I felt we were kind of worshipped and this made me feel very
special and happy. During these holidays we used to grind mehendi leaves to a fine paste and
apply it on our palms and keep it all night, sometimes waking up to see if it is still in place and
adding a few drops of water to places where it was too dry, so that we got the best colouring and
pattern on our hands. We also visited Devi (Mother Divine) temples, and were invited to homes
that had a bommai kolu - display of Devi and Vishnu idols in their many avatars. This was arranged
in 7 or 9 steps or more with lots of lamps, lighting and floral decorations and also kolams (patterns
made of geometrical lines and curves and dots on the floor with rice flour). We the children were
asked to dance or sing bhajans praising Mother Divine and were offered sundal (chick peas and
coconut), puffed, flaked and popped rice with jaggery, sugar cubes, banana and coconut and
kesari (a sweet dish) as Prasad, which we all enjoyed and looked forward to during the nine nights
of Navratri. Many years later and now living in a multicultural environment, I try to bring back that
magic for my daughter. However she needs a lot of explanation for the things we do and it has
been very educational and insightful for me as I share this age old tradition and celebrations with
her and with all of you through this piece on mystical Navratri.
Significance of Navratri
The beginning of spring and the beginning of autumn are two very important junctions of climatic
and solar influence. These two periods are considered as sacred opportunities to worship the
Divine Mother. Navratri thus represents the celebration of the shakti (energy). Mother Divine is the
manifestation of the Divine consciousness as shakti.
Maha Navratri (the Great Navratri) is celebrated in the month of Ashvina. Also known as Sharad
Navaratri, as it is celebrated during Sharad (beginning of autumn, SeptemberOctober), it
9/24/2014 Mystical Navratri Celebrations Then and Now
http://www.artofliving.org/in-en/mystical-navratri-celebrations-%E2%80%93-then-and-now 2/3
commences on the first and ends on the tenth day of the bright half of the lunar month, Ashvina.
This festival is devoted solely to the Mother Goddess known variously as Durga, Bhavani,
Ambika, Chandika, Gauri, Kaali, Parvati, Lalitha, Tripurasundari, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Chamundi,
Mahishasuramardini and her many other manifestations.
Mother is our first Guru, who guides us on the path of righteousness; she is the provider of
nourishment for her children, protector of her family and upholder of dharma and traditions. We
honour and worship these principles and rededicate ourselves to honour and uphold these
principles and human values and to spread joy, peace, love and happiness in the world.
During this period, Hindus observe nine nights and ten days of ceremonies, rituals, fasts and
feasts in honour of the Supreme Mother Divine. It begins with the fast of Navratri, and ends with
the festivities of Dusshera or Vijayadashami.
During this vowed religious observance, a pot is installed (ghatasthapana) at a sanctified place at
home. A lamp is kept lit in the pot for nine days. The pot symbolizes the Universe. The
uninterrupted lit lamp is the medium through which we worship the effulgent Adishakti or Divine
Mother, i.e. Sree Durgadevi. During Navratri, the principle of Sree Durgadevi is more active in the
atmosphere. Pots of water, called kalash, are also worshipped as the Divine energy is absorbed
into the water during the chanting of mantras and yagnas that are performed to invoke the Divine
energy during the period of Navratri.
Nine Nights and ten days of Navratri
"As we take nine months in our mother's womb, before we are born, we take these nine days to go
back to our source. These nine days are to be spent in meditation, satsangs, silence and
knowledge." - Sri Sri
Navratri purifies the individual & universal consciousness, the environment and the creation by
eradicating the misery, sorrow and pain in the world.Navratri is divided into sets of three days to
adore three different aspects of the supreme goddess. To know more about these three aspects,
read Honoring Durga, Laxmi, Saraswati.
Navratri 2014 will be celebrated at Art of Living International ashram,Bangalore.
Unique Navratri Celebrations in Different Parts of India
The last five days of Sharad Navratri is celebrated as Durga Puja in West Bengal, north-eastern
part of India. Devi Durga is shown with various weapons in her hand, riding on a lion. Lion signifies
the dharma, the will power, while the weapons denote the focus and severity needed to destroy the
negativity in our minds. Eighth day is traditionally Durgashtami. Exquisitely crafted and decorated
life-size clay idols of the Goddess Durga depicting her slaying the demon Mahishasura are set up
in temples and other places. These idols are then worshipped for five days and immersed in the
river on the fifth day.
In Western India, particularly in the state of Gujarat, Navratri is celebrated with the famous Garba
and Dandiya-Raas dance. Garba is a graceful form of dance, wherein women dance gracefully in
circles around a pot containing a lamp. The word Garba or Garbha means womb, and in this
context the lamp in the pot, symbolically represent life within a womb. Besides the Garba is the
Dandiya dance, in which men and women participate in pairs with small, decorated bamboo sticks,
called dandiyas in their hands. At the end of these dandiyas are tied tiny bells called ghungroos
that make a jingling sound when the sticks hit one another. The dance has a complex rhythm. The
dancers begin with a slow tempo, and go into frenzied movements, in such a manner that each
person in a circle not only performs a solo dance with his own sticks, but also strikes his partners
9/24/2014 Mystical Navratri Celebrations Then and Now
http://www.artofliving.org/in-en/mystical-navratri-celebrations-%E2%80%93-then-and-now 3/3
dandiyas in style!
The Ayudha Puja is conducted in many parts of South India on the Mahanavami (Ninth) day with
much fanfare. Agricultural implements, all kinds of tools, books, musical instruments, equipments,
machinery and automobiles are decorated and worshipped on this day along with the worship of
Goddess Saraswathy.
The 10th day is celebrated as 'Vijaya Dashami'. It is the day of Vidyaarambam in Kerala, where
young children are initiated into learning. In the southern city of Mysore Dussehra is celebrated
with grand processions on the streets carrying Goddess Chamundi.
In North India, Navratri is celebrated as the victory of Lord Rama over the evil king Ravana. It
culminates in the celebrations of the Ramlila which is enacted ceremoniously during Dussehra.
The effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, are burnt to celebrate the victory of good (Rama) over evil
forces on the 'Vijaya Dashami' day.
These nine days are filled with special pujas, yagnas, homas, fasting, meditations, silence, singing
and dancing honoring Mother Divine, her entire creation- all forms of life, all forms of art, music and
knowledge. She is worshipped as the savior of mankind from ignorance and all forms of evil.