THOUSANDS of Hindus all over the world are celebrating the festival of Navratri this week.
Navratri, which translates to nine nights, started on September 28 and ends on October 6 with Dussehra, marking the victory of good over evil, celebrated the following day. In Hindu mythology, the festival marks the defeat of Ravana by Lord Ram. Diwali marks the return of Lord Ram to his kingdom of Ayodhya, after fourteen years of exile.
Navratri falls on day one of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin. In the Gregorian calendar, it roughly corresponds to dates in September and October. The festival usually coincides with the end of the monsoon season in India. Dussehra or Vijayadashami is the tenth day of Ashwin.
Devotees consider the nine-day period from the new moon day to the ninth day as the most auspicious time of the Hindu calendar. Although it is known by different names, Navratri is celebrated by Hindus all over country.
In Gujarat, Navratri is a community event, and people get together to perform devotional songs and dances through the night to observe jaagran (waking through the night) to please the Goddess Devi.
Painted earthen pots are used to represent the goddess and are these are regarded as Her abode for nine days.
Men and women perform Garba and Raas around the pot, in a circular fashion. Raas traces its origin to the time of Lord Krishna and is associated with agricultural rites. Garba, on the other hand, signifies fertility.
The dances serve to demonstrate traditional stories and gaeity.
During Navratri, millions of devotees worship at the Amba Mata temple in Ambaji, Banaskantha district. Legend has it that a piece of the heart from the body of Devi Sati fell atop the holy hill where the temple is located. Amabaji is among the 51 Shakti Peethas of India.
These nine days are devoted to the trinity of God, worshipped in the female form; three days are meant for Durga (goddess of valour), three days for Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) and three days for Saraswati (goddess of knowledge and art).
According to ancient scriptures, the varied forms of the goddess represent Mother Nature’s secrets and serve as a lesson for devotees.
On the first day, the goddess is worshiped in the form of Shelputri, the compassionate. This form of the divine urges the faithful to protect and conserve nature.
In her second form as Brahmacharini, the goddess represents the high morals and character of the ideal woman as per the scriptures.
On the third and fourth day, her forms as Chandraghat and Kushmanda respectively represent the various facets of a woman. The fifth form of the Goddess is Skandmata, who represents the life-giving gift of motherhood.
On the sixth day, the goddess is worshipped as Katyayani. Legend has it that following the grant of a boon to Sage Katyayan, the goddess was born as his daughter and carried his lineage forward in the absence of a male heir. This form depicts equality between man and woman.
The seventh form is Kalaratri, where the goddess as Kali rules death, representing the destruction of evil. On the eight day, she is worshipped as Mahagauri, representative of the woman as a home-maker and nurturer, who makes life complete for her family.
The ninth form of the goddess is Siddhidatri. It signifies the omnipresence of the divine, representing that not even a leaf can sway without her wish.
According to the scriptures, the goddess must be offered specific items on each of the nine days of Navratri. These offerings are to be later distributed among the poor and needy. It is believed that if a devotee makes these offerings with utmost devotion, then all their wishes come true.
Offering ghee on this first day is said to help rid the devotee of diseases and ailments, and will make them healthy.
Sugar offered on dvitiya (day two) ensures longevity.
Milk is offered on the third day to seek riddance from misery.
Offering malpuas (sweet puris) on chaturthi helps resolve problems.
On panchami, bananas are offered to gain wisdom.
Honey offered on the sixth day represents the evolution of the devotee’s personality.
On saptami, offerings of food made from jaggery keep money trouble at bay, while offering a coconut on ashtami ensures prosperity. Offering grains on the final day of Navami ensures the devotee’s place in heaven.
The Bhaktivedanta Manor in Watford, one of the largest centres of Hindu worship in Britain, will be one of the many temples to celebrate Dussehra in the UK.
Brent in north London comes alive with Navratri festivities given that it is home to one of the largest Gujarati communities outside India.
Earlier this year, Brent Council decided it would be the last Navratri festival to get council funding of £67,000. From next year, the funding will be available only for Diwali.
So this year has special significance for Mahendra Pattni, a spokesman of the Brent Hindu Council (BHC), which is organising Navratri celebrations across 26 locations.
"The celebrations are meant to keep alive traditions which have endured over many years. The instruments and the beats create a meditative and happy environment. We want youngsters to remain rooted to their tradition,’ said Pattni.
In east London, the Lohana community will be marking Navratri with much fervour and joy. For Nalinbhai Raichura, president of the Lohana Community of east London (LCEL), it’s a time when young people look to meet their partners of the future.
"People also use major festivals like this to find prospective matches for their sons and daughters. This is a festive period and everyone is in an excited mood. We like young boys and girls to mingle with each other. Though we don’t pay any special attention, we don’t mind if someone ends up finding their soul mate through celebrations that we organise every year,’ he said.
In Leicester too, there will be many festivities as families gather to mark what is one of the most social times of the year. It is also a prelude to Diwali, the festival of lights, which falls on October 26 this year.
Politicians, local council leaders and other dignitaries, including many non-Hindus, will also be attending functions associated with Navratri and Dussehra.
For information on BHC celebrations, see www.brent.gov.uk; for information on LCEL festivities, vist www.lcel.org.uk/
