Navaraathri

When do we celebrate Navaraathri?

In Indian culture, Navaraathri is celebrated with great fervor both religiously and socially. Navaraathri literally means ‘nine nights’. During this period, Goddess Shakthi or the Mother of the Universe is worshipped. Navaraathri, in fact, is celebrated twice a year. Vasantha Navaraathri is celebrated during Spring (Vasantha Ritu) during the bright half of the lunar month of Chaitra (March-April). The more popular Sarada Navaraathri occurs in Fall (Sarad Ritu) during the bright half of the lunar month of Aswyuja or Ashwin.

How do we celebrate Navaraathri?

The one common theme of Navaraathri is the celebration of the victory of Goddess Shakthi over Mahishasura (the buffalo-headed demon) representing good overcoming evil. She fought for nine days and nine nights before emerging victorious on the tenth day. Goddess Shakti is worshipped during Navaraathri in Her various forms as Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi for knowledge, wealth, prosperity and auspiciousness.

• --On the first three nights Durga is worshipped;
  
• --Lakshmi is worshipped on the following three
  
• --and Saraswathi during the last three.
  

The tenth day is celebrated as Vijaya Dasami – Vijaya means “victory”, the victory over our own minds that can come only after the worship of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi. It is to be noted that, knowingly or unknowingly, we worship the primordial source of energy (Shakti), which manifests in all living and nonliving. Vijaya Dasami is also celebrated as Dussera, particularly in North India, as the day of victory for Lord Rama over Ravana. Dussera could be interpreted as “Dasa-Hara” – meaning the defeat of the ten(headed) Ravana.

Religious worship of Goddess Shakthi during Navaraathri is done by doing Puja for Ambal including archanas with Lalitha Sahasra-naamaavali, Lalitha Ashtothra-naamaavali and Lalitha Trishathi. Sometimes, Chandi Homam is performed at home by devotees. Reciting Durga Sapthashathi (also known as Devi Mahaathmiyam) and Raamaayanam everyday is also very common. Please always consult your family elders and Aacharyas in proper tradition to perform Pujas since many of them Puja rituals require Upadesam from a Guru who is initiated in these manthras. Sweet pongal, paayaasam and chundal (baked lentils) are usually offered as part of the Puja. Reciting Devi Slokas like Soundarya Lahiri, Devi Namaskaram, Lakshmi Ashtothram, Mahishasura-mardhini Slokam etc. and singing songs and bhajans in praise of Devi is a nice way to engage children in the worship of Ambal during this Holy period. Vijaya Dasami is considered a very auspicious day to initiate new activities – particularly in the field of education.

Socially, Navaraathri is celebrated in different ways in different parts of India. (This Article from The Hindu details how Navaraathri is celebrated is various regions of India.).  A very common practice in many households, particularly South India, is the arrangement of dolls of different gods, toys, animals, places and depiction of events. This is called Golu or Kolu or Bommala Koluvu. Women and children are invited to visit the Golu in the evenings and given Thaamboolam and chundal.

Spiritual Significance of Navaraathri

The main theme of our culture as explained in the Vedas is the purification of the mind to remove all negative thoughts and cultivate positive ones; gain knowledge of the Self leading to the union of individual self to the Absolute or Supreme Self. This message is fully reflected in the Navaraathri festival. Goddess Durga is also called Mahishaasura Mardhini. Mahishaa means “buffalo”, and here represents the quality of laziness, darkness, inertia and all evil tendencies. In our quest for the ultimate realization, the first step is to remove all negativities and hence the worship of Durga – the slayer these instincts. Once the negativities are removed, the next step is to cultivate positive thoughts in our mind and make it pure and focused. This is achieved through the worship of Lakshmi. Though Goddess Lakshmi is associated with money and wealth, the wealth of virtue is the real Lakshmi that we all should seek. Our Rishis teach us that in the absence of right values and good qualities all material wealth will be wasted. Victory of the mind can be achieved only through knowledge and understanding. Goddess Saraswathi represents this supreme knowledge of the Self. We pray to Goddess Saraswathi during the last three days of Navarathri to bless us and guide us in our quest for this knowledge of the Self. Thus we invoke Durga to remove impurities from the mind, Lakshmi to develop noble qualities and Saraswathi to impart the knowledge of Self. This is the significance of the three sets of three nights and when all these three are achieved, there will be the day of victory – Vijayadasami.

We celebrate various festivals where the philosophical or spiritual truth is demonstrated in a ritualistic manner, thus couching abstract thought in the form of simple and appreciable activities. This also makes it easier for us to introduce these thoughts in children, provoking them to ask the meaning and significance of the celebrations and rituals. Please encourage everyone in the family, particularly children to participate in the celebration and worship of Universal Mother and their questions. Please let us know if you have any questions or need any guidance.