NAVRATRI

NAVRATRI(नवरात्रि)

'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 but all of them are related to Goddess Shakti (Hindu Mother Goddess) and her various forms. Though 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. The first three days of Navratri are dedicated to Goddess Durga (Warrior Goddess) dressed in red and mounted on a lion, next three to Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity) dressed in gold and mounted on an owl and finally, last three to Goddess Saraswati (Goddess Of Knowledge) dressed in milky white and mounted on a pure white swan.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 olden times, this festival was associated with the fertility of Mother Earth who feed us as her children. Sweetmeats are prepared for the celebrations and children and adults dress up in new bright-colored dresses for the night performances. With commercialization, the festival has moved on to be a social festival rather than a religious or agrarian festival. In some communities people undergo rigorous fasts during this season that lasts for the nine days of the festival, only to be opened on the tenth day of Dussehra. However, nothing dampens the spirit of the devout followers of Mother Goddess as they sing devotional songs and indulge in the gaieties of the season. This year celebrate Navratra from Oct 14 to 22, 2004

CUSTOMS & RITUALS OF NAVRATRI
The nine days and nights of Navratri are totally dedicated to Mother Goddess and includes fasts, strictly vegetarian diets, japa (chanting mantras in honor of the Goddess Shakti), chanting religious hymns, prayer, meditation and recitation of sacred texts related to Devi Maa (Mother Goddess). Celebrated generally during September or October, the main ritual of this festival consists of placing images of the Goddess in homes and temples. There is a grand ceremony that involves offering of fruits and flowers to the Goddess and singing 'bhajans' (hymns) in her honor. In Gujarat, it is a community event, where people perform devotional songs and dances that are popular by the names of Dandiya Raas and Garba Raas, and observe Jaagran (waking through the night). Bengalis feature worshipping of huge beautifully made idols of the Goddess, perform devotional songs and dances and finally take out grand processions on the tenth day when the idols are immersed in water. The last four days of the festival are most important here. People worship pre-pubescent young girls known as 'kanyas' as embodiments of Goddess. 'Ayudha Puja' is performed on the ninth day where one worships the tools and implements of their livelihood and place it on the altar of the Goddess for her blessings of success and prosperity. It serves to remind one to uphold one's responsibility as a sacred duty to the divine. Even children place their study books and writing tools on the altar and the families spend whole day in contemplation of the Goddess. On the tenth day of Dussehra, devotees perform 'Saraswati Puja' for blessings of knowledge and mental peace and Durga for her victory over the mighty demon-king Mahishasura.

NAVARATRI CELEBRATIONS IN INDIA
North India believes that the war between Ram and Ravana lasted for nine days of Navratri and hence, there is annual depiction of life-story of Rama during these days in rural areas under twinkling stars, which ends with the death of Ravana on Dussehra when huge effigies of Ravana and his demon-brother and son are exploded with fireworks. People often read Ramayana with an aim to finish it in nine days and special puja and decorations are part of the scenery of the season. In Bengal, Navaratri is celebrated in a grand and lavish manner as Durga Puja as huge idols of the goddess Durga posed as killing the demon Mahishasura are worshipped in almost every street. Huge 'pandals' (tents) are set up. Skilled artists prepare idols painstakingly for community and family worship. Bengal, Bihar and Orissa is full of a frenzy as people offer a number of 'saris', flowers, fruits and 'jewelry' to the Goddess. There are music and dance performances everywhere as people buy new clothes, jewellery and sweets. There are grand processions on the tenth day as idols are taken with pomp and show for immersion in rivers, lakes or seas. In Gujarat, painted earthen pots are used to represent the Mother Goodess called 'ghata', which is revered as the abode of the goddess. Devotional Garba dances are performed by the Gujarati women around 'ghata' in circles clapping their hands or decorated sticks to the rhythm of the music of energetic traditional songs. After worshipping and 'Aarti', 'Dandiya raas' is performed in colordul traditional attire of Gujarat as a community dance all through the night. Navratris are considered auspicious for buying jewellery and gold. In Maharashtra, nine days of Navratri are dedicated to Goddess Durga while the tenth day or Vijayadashami is dedicated to Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and learning. On this day, school-going children worship the tantrik symbol of the goddess for her blessing in their studies and it is considered auspicious day to begin education and learn dance and music, buy new homes, performing housewarmings and weddings and start new ventures. In Mysore, Chamundi, the royal deity of the Mysore royalty is worshipped durng Navratri with pomp and pageantry. There is a magnificent procession of elephants, horses, chariots and costumed attendants on the tenth day, when Maharaja goes to worship the hilltop temple of the goddess. In Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, women arrange 'Bommai Kolu', a special placing of dolls in various costumes decorated with flowers and ornaments on specially prepared steps. Nine young 'kanyas' or virgins are offered new clothes and sweets as the goddesses and married women share flowers, kumkum and snacks among themselves. The Hindu minorities of Kashmiri Pandits celebrate Navratri in a subdued manner as all the adult members of the household fast for nine days on water. One important ritual involves a trip to the temple of guardian goddess Kheer Bhawani in the middle of a Sarovar (lake) on all nine days. It is said that deity warns her devotees of a catastrophe by turning the water of the lake black. It is said that water turned black on a day before Indira Gandhi's assassination and before the last war of India and Pakistan. Here, dance and music is shunned as these nine days are supposed to be spent in the contemplation of Goddess here.

DANDIYA RAAS IN NAVRATRI
Dandiya and Garba are the featured dances of Navratri evenings in Gujarat. Originated as devotional Garba dances, which were performed in the honor of Goddess Durga, this dance form is actually the staging of a mock-fight between the Goddess and Mahishasura, the mighty demon-king. The sticks of the dance represent the sword of Durga. Women normally perform it in a graceful and rhythmic manner in a circle as they rotate around the 'mandvi'. The women wear traditional dresses such as colorful embroidered choli, ghagra and bandhani dupattas dazzling with mirror work and heavy jewellery. The dancers whirl and move their feet and arms in a choreographed manner to the tune of the music with lots of drum beats. The main difference between the 'Garba' and 'Dandiya' dance performances is that Garba is performed before

'Aarti' (worshipping ritual) as devotional performances in the honor of the Goddess while Dandiya is performed after it, as a part of merriment. While Garba is performed exclusively by women, men and women join in for Dandiya. Also known as 'stick dance' as performers use a pair of colorfully decorated sticks as props, the circular movements of Dandiya Raas are slightly more complex than that of Garba. The dancers strike the sticks with their partners to the rhythm of the music. The origin of these dance performances or 'Raas' can be traced back to the life of Lord Krishna. Today, 'Rasa' is not only an important part of Navaratra in Gujarat but extends itself to other festivals related to harvest and crops as well.


STORY OF NAVRATRI
There are many myths and legends attached to the Navratras. According to North Indian stories, Mahishasura, the mighty demon with the power to change into a buffalo obtained a boon from Lord Brahma that he could not be killed by any man in the world. Puffed up by the protection of the boon, he Mahishasura set out to conquer the three worlds of heaven, earth and hell and drove away Indra and other deities from their kingdom. To protect the world from his atrocities the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva united their powers to give birth to a female warrior-goddess Durga. Dazzled by the divine beauty, Mahishasura proposed the Goddess for marriage but was instead challenged to a duel that went on for nine days and nights and at last, resulted in the beheading of Mahisa on the tenth. The nine nights came to be known as Navratri, while the tenth day was called vijaya dashami, the tenth day that brought the triumph of good over the evil. In East India, however, the legends suggest that Daksha, the king of the Himalayas had a beautiful and virtuous daughter called Uma, who wished to marry Lord Shiva since her childhood. However, when Shiva finally came to marry her, the tiger-skin clad groom displeased Daksha and he broke off all the relationships with his daugher and son-in-law. The events took such a turn that Uma was so incensed of her father's rude behavior that she immolated herself to the great grief of Lord Shiva. However, she took re-birth and again won Shiva as her groom and peace was restored. It is believed that since then Uma comes every year with her four children Ganesh, Kartik, Saraswati and Laxmi and two of her best friends or 'sakhis' called Jaya and Bijaya, to visit her parent's home during Navratri. These legends and story are part of the history that surrounds the festival of Navratri and are going to be around as long as the festival continues.


SIGNIFICANCE OF NAVARATRI
A deeper meaning of the festival Navaratri suggests the spiritual growth of a person, where one needs courage to stand up for others and protect the weaker and be able to fight the evil and their temptations. This is the first requirement of spiritual growth - to take a firm against the evil and for the good. The second requirement is to fulfill one's needs, treat the guests and help the poor. For this one needs money and the next three days of Navratri are dedicated to the worship of Lakshmi so that she would bless us with the necessary money to be put to good use. Learning virtues and good qualities and upholding one's responsibility as a sacred duty is the next requirement to the spiritual growth. Finally, Goddess Saraswati is worshipped so that she blesses us with power of knowledge and helps us to attain spiritual enlightenment. The 9 nights festival of Navratri begins on the first day of Ashwin of the bright fortnight. The festival comes to an end on the tenth day of Vjay Dashmi or Dussehra, when the idols of the Goddess Shakti are immersed in the river. Dussehra, is thus, considered auspicious for beginning mantra incantation and renouncing the world as 'Sanyasi'. However, Navaratri has a message for people who lead worldly life too. It teaches us to surmount obstacles with the help of Durga, thank and pray to Lakshmi for her blessings and gain knowledge with the blessings of Saraswati. This done, we can find Shakti (power) within ourselves. We must also understand that Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are different facets of a single entity, thus, representing that Mother Goddess bestow us with wealth, prosperity and knowledge and protect us too.