Navratri celebration -october

dear IL member,

I wish to share some details of celebretion of Navaratri festivals which is to be celebrated in october
in various parts of the our country.

.According to the Hindu calendar Navratri celebration begins from the first day of the bright fortnight of Ashwin.This festival is fully dedicated to the worship of Durga Mata and her nine forms.Navaratri are divided & devoted for the worship of Trinity of God in a female form - three days for Durga (Goddess of Energy) three days for Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth) and three days for Sarswati (Goddess of Knowledge). On the fifth day, it is traditional to worship Sarswati Mata to invoke our sprit and knowledge. The eighth and ninth day, it is traditional to perform Yagna (sacrifice offered to the fire) to honor Durga Mata and bid her farewell. The 10th day, on which the goddess kills Mahishasura, is celebrated as Dusshera or Vijayadashami as the victory of good over evil.
On tenth day, the Vijayadasmi day, colossal effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhkarna and son Meghnadh are placed in vast open spaces. Rama, accompanied by his consort Sita and his brother Lakshmana, arrive and shoot arrows of fire at these effigies, which are stuffed with explosive material. It is significant that the Lord invoked the blessings of the divine mother, Goddess Durga, before actually going out to battle. In burning the effigies the people are asked to burn the evil within them, and thus follow the path of virtue and goodness, bearing in mind the instance of Ravana, who despite all his might and majesty was destroyed for his evil ways. .
The most famous Navaratri celebrations are held on the western states of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:country-region><st1lace>India</st1lace></st1:country-region> (<st1lace>Gujarat</st1lace> and <st1lace>Maharashtra</st1lace>) in the form of Dandiya and Garba dances. In the time of dancing the dancers are moving around in a circle, with different steps around a lamp, which represent the Eternal Light of the Durga Mata. Generally Gujarati women dance around the circles by clapping their hands or decorated sticks to the rhythm of the devotional songs. After worshipping and 'Aarti', 'Dandiya raas' is performed all through the night.

In West-Bengal, Navaratri is the real lyrics of the Bengali life. This festival is essentially religious in nature. It is celebrated with true devotion. In the time of Durga Puja huge idols of the Mata Durga posed as killing the demon Mahishasura are worshipped in everywhere of the state. Huge'pandals' are set up every where to worship Durga Mata (Goddess Durga). The tenth day is devoted to the worship of goddess Durga.. Beautiful idols of the Mother Goddess are worshipped in elaborate pandals for nine days, and on the ninth day, these are carried out in procession for immersion (visarjan) in a river or pond.
In <st1lace>Maharashtra</st1lace>, navaratri celebration is slightly different than other states. Here Navratri are dedicated to Goddess Durga while the Vijayadashami is dedicated to Saraswati, the goddessof knowledge. This day is considered auspicious to begin education, buy new homes, start new ventures, and weddings
.The Dasara of Mysore is also quite famous where caparisoned elephants lead a colourful procession through the gaily-dressed streets of the city. During Navaratri Chamundi, the royal deity of the <st1:City><st1lace>Mysore</st1lace></st1:City> royalty is worshipped with pomp and pageantry
In the Kulu valley in Himachal Pradesh, the hill- folk celebrate Dasara with a grand mass ceremony wherein village deities are taken out in elaborate processions. In <st1lace>Punjab</st1lace>, Navaratri is taken as a period of fasting.
In Tamil Nadu, the first three days are dedicated to the worship of Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth and prosperity, wherein they perform puja, every night and regular cleaning is maintained all throughout because it is believed that Lakshmi would not enter if the place is filthy. The next three days to Saraswati, Goddess of learning and arts and the last three days to Shakti (Durga).
In 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.
Navratri is a festival that combines spiritual ,cultural and frivolous activities for almost a fortnight

 

Dasara celebration in Mysore

Mydear dear IL .

October being the month of celebration Dasara I though it is appropriate tell something about the dasara at palace city Mysore.
The history of Dasara celebration in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:City><st1lace>Mysore</st1lace></st1:City> dates back to the days of Raja Wodeyar in the year 1610. Before that, it was celebrated in Vijayanagar dynasty, which was founded by Hakka and Bukka. Raja Wodeyar came out of Vijayanagar Empire and declared himself as an independent ruler. The Vijayanagar viceroy Srirangaraya gave him the golden throne, which embellishes the turquoise blue- painted Amba Vilas of the <st1:City><st1lace>Mysore</st1lace></st1:City> palace during Dasara.

Raja Wodeyar ascended this throne in 1610 with all pomp and pageantry at Srirangapatna, and inaugurated the Dasara festivities.

The throne is said to have belonged to Yudhishtira of Mahabharata. He brought it from Hastinapura to Anegondi or Hampi, the erstwhile capital of Vijayanagar Empire.

According to historical records, in A D 1327, Kampiliraya fought a fierce battle with Muhammed-bin- Tuglak, and died. However, Tughlak was not able to find the throne. Saint Vidyaranya Tirtha, who was also the pontiff of Sringeri Sharada Peetha, aided him in hiding the throne from the Muslim invaders. It was then given to Harihara (1337-57) of Vijayanagar, who salvaged it.

The throne was in the possession of the Vijayanagar rulers for nearly one-and-a-half centuries, and on the decline of Vijayanagar Empire, its Viceroy brought it to Srirangapatna. It was with Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan from 1761 to 1799 AD and was restored to Krishnaraja Wodeyar III in 1799, after the demise of Tipu.

On the first day of Navarathri, the golden throne is placed in the Amba Vilas. After worshipping the throne, the king circumambulates the throne thrice; bows to the Goddess of the throne, and ascends it amidst Vedic hymns and to the accompaniment of gunfire. The king and the queen observe total austerity for 10 days.

On the 10th day, Vijayadasami, which symbolises the triumph of the righteous over evil forces, the venue for festivities shifts from Amba Vilas to Kalyana Mantap in the morning and in the evening to the palace ground and Bannimantap (Garden stage).

Just below the panel carrying the mural painting of Ayudha puja, weapons like the swords, bayonets and guns are placed against the wall, which is covered with a velvet curtain, and decorated with garlands. The king, seating himself on a sliver chair, performs the puja.

In the courtyard overlooking the Kalyana Mantap on the Northern side, a wrestling combat takes place. Then the king led by his retinue gets into the silver chariot for the procession to Trinayaneswarar temple near the Northern gate of the palace.

In the vanguard of the procession are the golden palanquin carrying the weapons worshipped in Ayudha Puja, caparisoned and decorated elephants, camels and music party comprising 'nadaswaram' and band. After worship in the temple, the procession returns to the palace.

In the afternoon, the procession begins from the Southern gate of the palace and ends at Bannimantap late in the evening. The highlight of the procession is the carrying of icon of Chamundeshwari, the family deity of Wodeyars, in the golden howdah on a caparisoned tusker.

Finally, as the procession peters out, 'Nandi Dhwaja Puja' is performed to Goddess Chamundeshwari in the 'ambari' (howdah), which would be carried by the elephant