NAVRATRI -b

[Guest guest]

In Maharashtra there is a custom of presenting

gold to family and friends on Dasra. It too has

historical significance. In the olden days, after a military

expedition, the brave Maratha warriors would invade and

plunder the enemy’s territory and return home with the

booty in the form of ornaments and gold coins. These

victorious brave men would be welcomed home by their wives

or sisters at the doorstep. Then they would offer

one of the gold ornaments from the loot to their wife

or sister. After entering the house the loot would

be placed before the deities in the temple in the

house and offering obeisance to God and elders they

would take their blessings. Nowadays, distributing

leaves of the ‘apta’ tree, symbolising gold,

commemorates this event. <br><br>Dasra is a festival of

courage and triumph. Dash means ten and hara means

defeated. During the nine-day Navaratra, all the ten

directions are saturated with the female deity’s (devi)

energy. That is, there is control over creation and

victory is achieved in all the ten directions. This is

one among the three and a half auspicious moments,

muhurts. Kings and nobles performed special rituals to

commemorate victory. On this day the soldiers of the king

clean their weapons, arrange them in a row and worship

them. Farmers and artisans worship their respective

implements or instruments. As a part of the celebrations, a

lamp is lit and kept burning continuously. Recitations

of verses of the female deity, Chandipath,

ritualistic worship of Lalita (Lalitapujan) and that of

Sarasvati (Sarasvatipujan), fasts, keeping awake as a

ritual and praying to the Goddess are observed as part

of the Navaratri celebrations. <br><br>In the

festival of the first 3 days, the ritualistic worship

(puja) of Mahakali is performed. She is the one who

reduces the tama guna. In the following three days, puja

of Mahalakshmi is performed. She increases the

sattva guna in us. And on the last 3 days, Mahasarasvati

is invoked to increase the raja guna. In olden days,

many different female deities were worshipped in

different areas. All were singularly named as Durga. She is

associated with the one who destroys demons, removes

obstacles, disease, sins and fears. Thus, Durga is

worshipped during the Navaratri in the form of an idol. She

represents the strength of the nation, in the form of

physical, mental and spiritual well-being. She symbolises

these 3 components and is worshipped during

Navaratri.<br><br>Recently there has been a trend to celebrate Navaratri in

cities and villages as a community festival. Many

mandals and organisations have been formed and are

increasing by leaps and bounds every year. Majority of the

people are not aware of the actual science behind

celebrating religious festivals. Nor are they curious to

learn more about it. Because of this attitude the

rituals have gained more importance than the science and

people follow them blindly. This has led to unwanted

rituals being given undue importance. The celebrations to

rejoice the spiritual practice of destroying demons and

evildoers, has slowly allowed the same demons to creep into

the festival. This is really sad.

<br><br>Continue...<br><br>Love<br>Sanatan <br>Glenn-Sampada