Nation Celebrates Maha Ashtami, Most Auspicious Day of Navratri

[Guest guest]

NEW DELHI (Sept 30, 2006): Hindus across the nation celebrated the

Maha Ashtami festival of Goddess Durga from the early hours of

Saturday (September 30), to mark the eighth and the most auspicious of

the nine-day Navaratri festival of the Demon slayer Goddess.

 

In the Indian capital, the devotees were seen thronging the immensely

popular Kalkaji temple and the Jhandewala temple, as well as hundreds

of other smaller ones dotting the metropolis.

 

Devotees who offered flowers, sweetmeats and coconuts, apart from

other offerings to the Goddess of Power brought brisk business to the

hawker who lined the sidewalks.

 

Priests led the chants and rituals to mark the Maha Ashtami Puja while

devotees joined them with all fervour.

 

In Kolkata, devotees marked their most auspicious day of the festival

with elaborate rituals since early mornings at the pandals (makeshift

temples) in their localities.

 

Kolkata, where the festivities are most grandly celebrated and it is

considered utmost important to worship Goddess Durga on Maha Ashtami,

the auspicious eighth day of the annual festival, which culminates in

immersion of the idol on the last day.

 

"The Maha Ashtami Puja that falls on this day of the Durga Puja is the

biggest festival of the Bengalis. This day is the most significant one

for festivities. Everyone in our neighbourhood wakes up very early and

readies for the morning prayers. Devotees line up from the early hours

to offer flowers. After the prayers, the Prasad (sacred and blessed

food) is distributed and no one touches non vegetarian food today,"

said Aradhana, a devotee who had dressed up in traditional finery for

the festival.

 

The day is considered significant as life is "breathed" into the idol

of Durga by priests who perform elaborate rituals amidst chanting of

religious verses.

 

The various pandals that dot the city also wear different looks,

varying from locality to locality, and differing every year.

 

"Special themes have always been a part of the Kolkata Durga Puja

pandals. This year the theme in our locality is the Zamindari (feudal

lords') mansion. We have raised an ambience by decorating the pandal

to resemble a Zamindar's mansion, but we were not replicating any

particular Zamindar of yore, per se. It is just how a typical Bengali

Zamindar lived in the bygone era. Such various themes every year keep

the people impressed and happy," said Parthosarthy Sarkar, a devotee.

 

Across India, for the devotees, the day holds an added significance as

little girls are worshipped as "Kumari" or incarnation of Durga.

Revered and welcomed, the little girls are offered material gifts and

sweetmeats apart from small cash gifts.

 

Goddess Durga is worshipped by Hindus the world over during the month

of October, There is a public display of idols in Pandals and the

idols are immersed in the sea, rivers and lakes on the last day of the

nine-day festival.

 

Prayers, processions and musical programmes mark the festival, which

symbolises the triumph of good over evil.

 

Durga is depicted as a powerful goddess, riding a raging lion, holding

aloft ten weapons of war in her ten hands.

 

Her trident is depicted plunging into the side of a monstrous buffalo,

out of whose body emerges a demon. It is said that the goddess makes

her annual visit to the world during this time and the festivities are

meant to welcome her.

 

SOURCE: Zee News

URL: http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=326314&sid=NAT&ssid=

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

I skipped the Garba and went to the temple to celebrate the Ashtami. I

was glad I did.

 

Attendence was sparse, but the priest asked me to help him and I felt

very honored. I love Durga Maa so much. She is so beautiful.

 

I only wish that I could really learn the aarti for Her. I would sing

it at home in front of Her altar.

 

Blessings,

 

pr

 

, "Devi Bhakta" <devi_bhakta

wrote:

>

> NEW DELHI (Sept 30, 2006): Hindus across the nation celebrated the

> Maha Ashtami festival of Goddess Durga from the early hours of

> Saturday (September 30), to mark the eighth and the most auspicious of

> the nine-day Navaratri festival of the Demon slayer Goddess.

>

> In the Indian capital, the devotees were seen thronging the immensely

> popular Kalkaji temple and the Jhandewala temple, as well as hundreds

> of other smaller ones dotting the metropolis.

>

> Devotees who offered flowers, sweetmeats and coconuts, apart from

> other offerings to the Goddess of Power brought brisk business to the

> hawker who lined the sidewalks.

>

> Priests led the chants and rituals to mark the Maha Ashtami Puja while

> devotees joined them with all fervour.

>

> In Kolkata, devotees marked their most auspicious day of the festival

> with elaborate rituals since early mornings at the pandals (makeshift

> temples) in their localities.

>

> Kolkata, where the festivities are most grandly celebrated and it is

> considered utmost important to worship Goddess Durga on Maha Ashtami,

> the auspicious eighth day of the annual festival, which culminates in

> immersion of the idol on the last day.

>

> "The Maha Ashtami Puja that falls on this day of the Durga Puja is the

> biggest festival of the Bengalis. This day is the most significant one

> for festivities. Everyone in our neighbourhood wakes up very early and

> readies for the morning prayers. Devotees line up from the early hours

> to offer flowers. After the prayers, the Prasad (sacred and blessed

> food) is distributed and no one touches non vegetarian food today,"

> said Aradhana, a devotee who had dressed up in traditional finery for

> the festival.

>

> The day is considered significant as life is "breathed" into the idol

> of Durga by priests who perform elaborate rituals amidst chanting of

> religious verses.

>

> The various pandals that dot the city also wear different looks,

> varying from locality to locality, and differing every year.

>

> "Special themes have always been a part of the Kolkata Durga Puja

> pandals. This year the theme in our locality is the Zamindari (feudal

> lords') mansion. We have raised an ambience by decorating the pandal

> to resemble a Zamindar's mansion, but we were not replicating any

> particular Zamindar of yore, per se. It is just how a typical Bengali

> Zamindar lived in the bygone era. Such various themes every year keep

> the people impressed and happy," said Parthosarthy Sarkar, a devotee.

>

> Across India, for the devotees, the day holds an added significance as

> little girls are worshipped as "Kumari" or incarnation of Durga.

> Revered and welcomed, the little girls are offered material gifts and

> sweetmeats apart from small cash gifts.

>

> Goddess Durga is worshipped by Hindus the world over during the month

> of October, There is a public display of idols in Pandals and the

> idols are immersed in the sea, rivers and lakes on the last day of the

> nine-day festival.

>

> Prayers, processions and musical programmes mark the festival, which

> symbolises the triumph of good over evil.

>

> Durga is depicted as a powerful goddess, riding a raging lion, holding

> aloft ten weapons of war in her ten hands.

>

> Her trident is depicted plunging into the side of a monstrous buffalo,

> out of whose body emerges a demon. It is said that the goddess makes

> her annual visit to the world during this time and the festivities are

> meant to welcome her.

>

> SOURCE: Zee News

> URL: http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=326314&sid=NAT&ssid=

>