This document provides an overview of how Navarathri is celebrated throughout India. It is considered the "Mother of all Pujas" as it is celebrated widely across the country. Navarathri is celebrated differently in various regions - in the South it focuses on goddess worship, kolu displays and Saraswathi puja. In North India it is known as Ramleela. In Gujarat it involves vibrant Garba dances. The document discusses the significance of celebrating different goddesses like Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi during the nine days and the importance of Aayuda puja on the tenth day.
This document provides an overview of how Navarathri is celebrated throughout India. It is considered the "Mother of all Pujas" as it is celebrated widely across the country. Navarathri is celebrated differently in various regions - in the South it focuses on goddess worship, kolu displays and Saraswathi puja. In North India it is known as Ramleela. In Gujarat it involves vibrant Garba dances. The document discusses the significance of celebrating different goddesses like Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi during the nine days and the importance of Aayuda puja on the tenth day.
This document provides an overview of how Navarathri is celebrated throughout India. It is considered the "Mother of all Pujas" as it is celebrated widely across the country. Navarathri is celebrated differently in various regions - in the South it focuses on goddess worship, kolu displays and Saraswathi puja. In North India it is known as Ramleela. In Gujarat it involves vibrant Garba dances. The document discusses the significance of celebrating different goddesses like Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi during the nine days and the importance of Aayuda puja on the tenth day.
This document provides an overview of how Navarathri is celebrated throughout India. It is considered the "Mother of all Pujas" as it is celebrated widely across the country. Navarathri is celebrated differently in various regions - in the South it focuses on goddess worship, kolu displays and Saraswathi puja. In North India it is known as Ramleela. In Gujarat it involves vibrant Garba dances. The document discusses the significance of celebrating different goddesses like Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi during the nine days and the importance of Aayuda puja on the tenth day.
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Panchanathan Suresh
Navarathri The Mother of all Pujas
====================== Kanchi Paramacharya, Sri Chandrasekara Saraswathi Swamigal of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, explains why of all the Hindu festivals and pujas, Navarathri is the one celebrated throughout the length and breadth of Bharat. The Navarathri celebrated in the Tamil month of Purattasi is really sarada navarathri because it comes in the sarad rithu (=autumn) period of the year. Sarada is also a name for Saraswathi, whose puja is an important part of this festival. In Mookapanchasathi, a sloka in worship of Goddess Saraswathi starts with vimalapati, referring to the pure white dress that adorns Her. Sarathchandran, or, the moon during the period of Sarad, because the sky is clear, appears in white splendor. Attainment of knowledge personified in Goddess Saraswathi is facilitated when there is calmness in the surroundings and purity and clarity in the mind. The Navarathri period is one time during the year when there is about the most uniform and temperate climate throughout India. The south west monsoon would have finished battering the western coast and other parts of India, but, the north east monsoon that brings rains to Tamilnadu and coastal east of India is still to set in. The peak summer heat of north and central India is gone, but, the cold winter of Kashmir or north India is still to arrive. If one looks at the weather reports, the maximum temperature of all major cities in India is likely to be within plus or minus 10 of 85F. The climate and external conditions not very hot, not very cold, no rain, low humidity, clear skies, etc., - provide the most conducive time of the year for puja throughout India Different ways Navarathri is celebrated While the navarathri that comes at the beginning of vasantha rithu (or March April) is primarily a temple celebration, the sarad navarathri is celebrated at homes and in temples. While there are various Puranic stories associated with the festival, the most important aspect is the worship of Devi, or mother Goddess, in all her forms. In South India, the tenth day is observed as Aayuda puja, thus extending navarathri into a dassera. Dussera in Mysore is very famous. Chamundi, a form of Durga, is the family deity of the Mysore Maharajas and the annual celebrations, culminating in a procession of elephants, horses, etc., to the top of the Chamundi Hill is a great sight to watch. Chamundeswari is a form of Durga who according to Puranas vanquished the demon Mahisashura. In Bengal, the festival is called Durga Puja and is confined to the last five days of Navarathri but is the grandest festival of the year and culminates, like Ganesh Chathurthi in the West, in the immersion of Durgas idol in holy waters. In the northern India states, UP, MP, Delhi etc., it is also known as Ramleela. According to Bhagavatham, Lord Rama observed Saradh navarathri puja and as a result acquired the power to destroy Ravana. Typically, Ramleela depicts the life Rama for nine days
and on the tenth day the annihilation of Kumbakarna and Ravana.
In the West, particularly, Gujarat, navarathri is celebrated as Garba and DandiyaRaas dance. Because it provides an opportunity for dance, particularly for the youth, this flamboyant version of celebration is the most popular one for Indians outside India! There is a pattern in the rhythm of dancing. The dancers begin with a slow tempo but as the dance progresses go into faster and faster. Ultimately I gets so frenzied that each person performs both a solo dance with sticks but also strikes his or her partners dandias in style!! Navarathri in the South India In the south, in particular Tamilnadu, navarathri celebrations have three parts: first, kolu of dolls; second, devi puja during the nine days, including Saraswathi puja on the navami or ninth day; and third, Aayuda puja on the tenth day. Kolu is really a royal court for Goddess Durga and provides an opportunity to display dolls and figurines on an odd number of steps, maximum 9. While inevitably there will be several images of gods and goddesses, it is usual to include a marapachi or a pair of wooden dolls, Saraswathi and Mahalakshmi and a Kalasam. Tradition dictates the order in which the various dolls are displayed. In recent times, people tend to display their artistic talents in making the display unique and sometimes high-tech. Women and children visit others houses during the evenings during Navarathri. Devi Bhaagavatham sets out the puja procedure. Devi is deemed the ultimate sakti: physical power imbibed in Durga, wealth in Lakshmi and knowledge in Saraswathi. Most commonly, Durga is the focus of worship in the first 3 days, Lakshmi next 3 days and Saraswathi the last three days. While the tradition is to do a puja all nine days, some just offer neivedyam and karpooraharathi the first 8 days but do the elaborate puja on the ninth day as Saraswathi puja. Incidentally, while doing Saraswathi puja, all three Goddesses Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi are invoked. The tenth day is aayuda puja or puja of tools and implements. It is believed that it was on this day, also called Vijayadashami, that Arjuna, the third of the five Pandava brothers, retrieved his weapons of war from the hole in the tree where he had hidden them when he had gone on his forced exile. The Pandavas were victorious in their war. It is believed that the day is auspicious to begin any new venture and professional pursuits. Childrens formal education is usually started on this day. Incidentally, on the Saraswathi Puja day books and musical instruments are placed on a pedestal and included in the puja and not disturbed during that day meant for meditation and reflection. On the Vijayadasami day they are taken out and used. Irrespective of ones profession, intellectual or manual, one needs a divine force to succeed. Navarathri Nayakis Kanchi Paramacharya says: Whether we worship Devi in the three forms of Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi, or
in 330 million forms, ultimately there is only one Sakti Parasakti. In Lalitha Sahasranamam, for example, Devi is at once described the creator (Shrishtikarthee and brahmaupa), the preserver (gopthri, govindaupini) and destroyer (samharini, rudrarupini). In both Lakshmi astothram and Saraswathi astothram, we call Her Brahma-vishnu-sivathmikaaya. Durga, Saraswathi and Lakshmi are one and the same. It is also common to perform kanya pujas during Navarathri. The reason is Lakshmi was born as Sage Brihus daughter hence called Bargavi, and Parvathi as the daughter of Sage Kathyayana hence Kathyayani in Durga suktam. When we worship the Goddess in the form of a child, we celebrate innocence, absence of kama, kroda and dukkam. Indeed the Upanishads asks us to be child. By worshipping Devi as Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi, and as a Kumari, during Navarathri, what we seek is the grace of ultimate power or Sakthi to bestow upon us the strength, wealth and knowledge. ***** From http://www.sisnambalava.org.uk/ Have a Joyous and Blessed Navarathri, everyone!
Goda Kannaiah SUVAASINI AND KANYA PUJA DURING NAVARATRI DAYS
, Yekaikam pujayeth kanyaam yeka vrudhya tadaivacha, dwigunam trigunam vaapi pratyekam navakam tu ch 2. mantraaksharamayeem lakshmim maatrunaam rupa dhaarineem, nava durgatmikaam saakshaath kanyaa maavaahayaamyaham
It is necessary to do puja for suvaasini along with kumaari daily. Married women should be requested especially aged are to be invited, for kumaari puja less than one year child to be avoided. Starting from age two to ten are to be invited. According to sastra we have to worship nine suvaasinees with nine kumaarikas daily but this is a herculean task, otherwise first day one suvaasini with one kumara second day two suvaasinees with two kumaarikaas and so on increasing day by day in the count which is secondary. Least one suvaasini with one kanya per day are to invited and worshipped. If the same is financially not viable, you can invite at least on the ninth day one suvaasini and kumaarika and worship them. Without doing puja to suvaasini and kumaarika the navaraathri puja will not complete and give results. Firstday, the suvaasini and kumaarika should be invoked as kumaarika, second day as tripmurthi, third day kalyaani, fourth day rohini, firthday as kaali, sixth day chandika, seventh day saambhavi, eigth day as durga, ninth day as subhadra and do shodasopachaara puja with the charutyanta naamaani i.e. kurmaaryainamaha avaaha yaami, kumaryainamaha asanam samparpa yaami and so on. It is important to apply turmeric paste to the foot of suvaasinees and apply kumkum and also appy paaraani (mixture of turmeric powder and chuna) While doing upachaara vastram samarpayaami offer cotton saree 9 or 8 yards with
jacket piece separately(do not give single piece stating the jacket is included in the saree itsef and do not tear the jacket piece from the saree also. This is very very important point to be observed). For kumaarikas offer paavada and jackets. While doing neivedya upacharam offer to them the payasam or milk added with sugar directly to every one and in doing the upacharam of taamboolam give betel leaves minimum five betel nuts two turmeric sticks round or lengthy one minimum five, mirror, comb, bangles, kajal, (tamilians will also give maangalya saradu) Finally after having karpooram, give akshatas to every one, and one and all in the family has to go round the suvaasinies and kumaarikaas thrice and bow down to them and get the aseervadam. This is the most important. By doing this, the sin we acquire by making our women folk to weep unnecessarily, and not fulfilling their righteous wishes by which we will acquire sumangali saapa and net result the unity in the family will tarnish. All those sins are warded off easily.
