The nine auspicious nights: Navratri
Festivals are parts and parcels of life. With the
commencement of the festivals, an aura full of energy and creativity spreads
all over. Like every year, this year people will experience happiness in this
Navratri.
“Navratri” has been derived from
two Sanskrit words, Nav means nine and Ratri
means nights. Navratri is observed twice in a year. It is a festival which is
being celebrated throughout India to worship nine forms of Goddess Durga. According to Hindu calendar, this festival
begins on the very first day of month Ashwin. This festival comes to an end
with the tenth day of celebration that is called Dusshera.
Avatars of Maa Durga
1. Shailputri
Goddess Shailputri
is the first among the nine forms and is worshipped in the first day of
Navratri. Shailputri is also regarded as the daughter of king of mountain
Himalaya. She holds Trishul as weapon in her hand and rides on a bull. She
holds lotus in her left hand.
2.
Brahmacharini
She is the
second among the nine forms and is worshipped in the second day of festival.
She is the goddess who performs Tapa.
She is a symbol of love, loyalty and knowledge. She holds japa mala in her
right hand and kamandal in her left
hand.
3.
Chandraghanta
She is the third form of Godess Durga and is worshipped
in the third day of this festival. She is the goddess of knowledge, bliss,
energy and serenity. She posses ten hands and three eyes. She rides on a tiger.
4.
Kushmanda
She is worshipped on the fourth day of Navratri. She is
the controller of the entire solar system. She holds different weapons in her
six hands and rose and lotus in her remaining two hands. She irradiates energy
in all direction as that of Sun. She rides on a lion.
5.
Skand Mata
She is fifth among the nine forms and is worshipped in
the fifth day of the festival. She holds her son named Skanda on her lap that’s
why she has got such a name. It is believed that she has got such a power to
transform an individual into a great source of knowledge. She is regarded as a
goddess of power. She rides on a lion. She holds two lotus flowers in her two
hands.
6.
Katyani
She is the sixth form of Goddess Durga who is worshipped in
the sixth day of this festival. Sage Katyayan observed a penace to get
Jaganmata as his daughter, so Mata blessed him and took birth as a daughter on
the river bank of Yamuna.She has three eyes and four hands. She rides on a
lion.
7.
Kalratri
She is the seventh form of Godess Durga and is worshipped
in the seventh day of Navratri. She is dark as that of night, hence she is
named as “Kalratri”. She is considered as a destroyer of darkness, ignorance
and enemies. She holds a sharp wood in her right hand and rides on a donkey.
8.
Maha Gauri
She is worshipped in the eight day of the festival. She holds
drums, trident and Trishul in her hands. She is more often dressed in a white
sari. She rides on a bull. She is as white as moon. She is a symbol of peace
and compassion.
9.
Maha Siddhidatri
She is the ninth form of Godess Durga and is worshipped
in the ninth day of the festival. It is believed that she provides eight
Siddhis-Anima, Ahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti,Prakamya, lishitva and Vashitva.
She is depicted with four arms. She is seated on a lotus. She is worshipped by
all the sages and devotees who want to obtain religious asset.
There
are lots of memories associated with this festival. In my childhood days,
during Kanya Pujan, I along with my friends would go to the house of people for
Kanya Pujan. We would be given lots of dishes to eat. While returning back to
home, we used to get return gifts.
May goddess durga shower all her mercy upon
her devotees and fill within all, a positive energy to drive away all the odds.
May Goddess empower us and uplift us.
With
this note, I wish everyone a HAPPY DURGA PUJA.
Sweta Sarangi
30.9.2014
