** Our Devi of the Week ** Shri Vana Durga Havan

[Guest guest]

** Shri Vana Durga Havan **

Durga of the forest.

As worshipped by foresters

(Durgasatanama Stotra)

 

N: Hope not disturbing, just want to get your idea who should we put

up as our Devi of the week?

 

M1: Vanadurga. The temples of Vana durga are always open to air. She

is like fire seated on lion

 

N : Is vanadurga one of the ancient or earlier form of Durga, in the

early Bengal. Interesting there are so many forms of durga.

 

M1: Yes ancient from Kerala. A very interesting form of Durga

 

N: The Temple : Chakkulathukavu (28km from Alappuzha) " Goddess

Vanadurga is the presiding diety. Pongala and naree pooja-in honor of

womanhood are the main festivals"

 

M1: She burns like fire. You know what her mantra is?

 

om hrIM dumuthishta purushi, kim swapishi, bhayam me samupastitam

yadi shakyamashakyam tanme bhagawati shamaya swaahaa

 

literally means : wake up!! why are you sleeping? I am afraid please

remove the cause of fear

 

N: In the picture she is holding the ball of fire and her her aura is

firelike

 

M1 :Yes that is what it symbolizes

 

N: Since she is supposedly in the forest so ideally the place of

worshipping her should be in the forest too.

 

M1 : You are supposed to do it in water up to neck with someone to

watch to see that you do not drown that way body does not get heated

up

 

N: It is the energy that is around you that becomes hotter its like

in the hot oven?

 

M1: Yes it was