Durga Navratri
By Dr Arvind Kumar
4th April marks the inaugural day of the Navratri celebrations. The word ‘Navratri’ literally means nine nights in Sanskrit, the period of eight days and nine nights has its own significance and is divided into sets of three days to worship three different aspects of the supreme goddess. For the first three days the goddess is regarded as a spiritual force called Durga also known as Kali in order to destroy all our impurities. Second three days are devoted to the goddess Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees inexhaustible wealth and final three days are spent in worshipping the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. In order to have all-round success in life, believers seek the blessings of all three aspects of the divine femininity, hence the nine nights of worship.
Some communities worship nine forms of Shakti known as Navdurga during the Navaratris, and the Devis worshipped depend on the tradition of the region. These are Durga, the inaccessible one, Bhadrakali, Amba or Jagadamba, Mother of the universe, Annapurna, the one who bestows grains in plenty, Sarvamangala, the one who gives joy (mangal) to all (sarva), Bhairavi, having the power of death, Chandika or Chandi, the violent and furious, Lalita, the playful, Bhavani, giver of existence. During Navratri, the devotees of Durga observe fasts and offer prayers for the protection of health and prosperity. A period of introspection and purification, Navratri is traditionally an auspicious and religious time for starting new ventures. On the eighth or ninth day over nine young girls from the neighborhoodare invited and treated as the goddess herself. People ceremonially wash their feet, worship them and then offer food to them.
