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4 Comments

sunil mehra says:

February 9, 2011 at 1:00 pm

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sunil mehra says:

February 9, 2011 at 1:04 pm

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Akhilesh Singh says:

September 28, 2011 at 1:10 pm

Navaratri is a nine night festival that honors the Mother Goddess in all her manifestations, including Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. It’s a festival full of worship and dance. The festival culminates with Dussehra, the victory of good over evil, on the tenth day.
It’s festival time again! Every year during this time, Hindus observe ten days of ceremonies, rituals, fasts and feasts in honour of the supreme mother goddess Durga
Hindus mark the advent of winter with 9 nights/days of fast and prayer to Durga, the Mother Goddess who embodies all the power of the universe.

When is Navaratri Celebrated:

Usually in late September/early October each year. In 2011, Navaratri starts on September 28 and finishes with Dussehra on October 6. The dates of the festival are determined according to the lunar calendar. Note that it’s only an eight night Navaratri this year, as astrologically Day 2 and Day 3 both occur on the same date (September 29).

Where is Navaratri Celebrated:
The festival is celebrated all over India but in different ways. The most flamboyant and renowned Navaratri celebrations can be seen in western India, throughout the state of Gujurat and in Mumbai. In West Bengal, Navaratri and Dussehra are celebrated as Durga Puja.

How is Navaratri Celebrated:

In western India, Navaratri is celebrated with nine nights of dancing. The traditional dances of Gujurat, known as garba and dandiya raas, are performed in circles with dancers dressed up in colorful clothes. Small, decorated sticks called dandiyas are used in the dandiya raas.

In Mumbai, dancing takes over stadiums and clubs throughout the city. While some of it has retained a traditional flavor, the introduction of disco dandiya has given Mumbai’s Navaratri celebrations a glamorous and modern twist. Nowadays, people unleash their dancing to a fusion of remixed beats and loud Hindi pop music.
What Rituals are Perfrormed During Navaratri:

Over the course of the nine days, the Mother Goddess is worshiped in her various forms — Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.

Each goddess is worshiped for three days in turn, starting with Durga who destroys negative tendencies. Next is Lakshmi who bestows good virtues and fortune, and last is Saraswati, who instills wisdom and spiritual knowledge. The worship, accompanied by fasting, takes place in the mornings. Evenings are for feasting and dancing.

‘Nav’ means ‘nine’ and ‘ratri’ means ‘night’. Thus, ‘Navratri’ means ‘nine nights’. There are many legends attached to the conception of Navratri like all Indian festivals. All of them are related to Goddess Shakti (Hindu Mother Goddess) and her various forms. It is one of the most celebrated festivals of Hindu calendar, it holds special significance for Gujratis and Bengalis and one can see it in the zeal and fervor of the people with which they indulge in the festive activities of the season. Dandiya and Garba Rass are the highlights of the festival in Gujarat, while farmer sow seeds and thank the Goddess for her blessings and pray for better yield. In older times, Navratri was associated with the fertility of Mother Earth who feed us as her children.

The first three days of Navratri are dedicated to Goddess Durga (Warrior Goddess) dressed in red and mounted on a lion. Her various incarnations – Kumari, Parvati and Kali – are worshipped during these days. They represent the three different classes of womanhood that include the child, the young girl and the mature woman. Next three days are dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity), dressed in gold and mounted on an owl and finally, last three are dedicated to Goddess Saraswati (Goddess Of Knowledge), dressed in milky white and mounted on a pure white swan. Sweetmeats are prepared for the celebrations. Children and adults dress up in new bright-colored dresses for the night performances.

In some communities, people undergo rigorous fasts during this season that lasts for the nine days of Navratri. The festival culminates on Mahanavami. On this day, Kanya Puja is performed. Nine young girls representing the nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped. Their feet are washed as a mark of respect for the Goddess and then they are offered new clothes as gifts by the worshiper. This ritual is performed in most parts of the country. With commercialization, the festival has moved on to be a social festival rather than merely a religious one. However, nothing dampens the spirit of the devout followers of Goddess Durga, as they sing devotional songs and indulge in the celebrations of Navratri, year by year..

Navaratri Festival 2011…

Happy Navaratri…to all…@

Akhilesh Singh

Akhilesh Singh says:

September 28, 2011 at 1:26 pm

Navaratri is a nine night festival that honors the MotherGoddess in all her manifestations, including Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. It’s a festival full of worshship and dance. The festival culminates with Dussehra, the victory of good over evil, on the tenth day.
It’s festival time again! Every year during this time, Hindus observe ten days of ceremonies, rituals, fasts and feasts in honour of the supreme mother goddess Durga.
Hindus mark the advent of winter with 9 nights/days of fast and prayer to Durga, the Mother Goddess who embodies all the power of the universe.