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The feminine aspect of the Supreme God element in Sanatan Hindu Dharma (which is considered to be a way of living in Bharat Khand or the Indian sub-continent) is being worshipped during the Navratri falling twice in a year during spring and autumn - Vasant Navratri and Sharad Navratri. With Sharad Navratri beginning from October 10 this year in the month of Ashwin this nine day festival is followed by Dussehra (Vijayadashmi) on the 10th day and then Deepavali - the festival of lights in two weeks.
According to the Panchang, this year the auspicious kaal (time) for Ghatsthapana is between 11.36 am to 12 noon only. In Hindu homes, a pot either of clay, copper or gold is placed on a clean space adorned with cow dung, rice grains and flowers. This pot is filled with water and decorated with five green leaves that of a mango tree. On top of this pot another pot with grains (moong) is kept and then a diya of ghee is burnt. Before the puja begins, Lord Ganesh and the Istadevata are remembered and then the Goddess is being worshipped and sweet Prasad offered to her.
It is believed in Hindu ideology that worshipping Goddess Bhagavati Durga during this period is said to be auspicious and beneficiary. Goddess is being worshipped in her nine forms and following certain rituals would bring harmony and bliss into our lives, believes Bhavana Patel who will be keeping a nine-day fast eating one time a day only vegetarian food and fruits. “My entire maternal family in Gujarat, including even the male members, keeps nine-day fast during Navratri with only children below 15 years being excluded from following fasting. If fasting for nine continuous days is, for some reason, not possible due to old age or illness, the person can fast on the first, fourth and eight day of the festival,” says Bhavana who has been living in Goa for the past thirty years.
Navratri is celebrated in a pompous way in states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam, Bihar. Goa too has been celebrating the Navratri publicly and Garba and Dandiya is organised by Gujarati community in cities like Panaji, Vasco and Margao. Men and women dance to the tunes of dandiya circumfering the idol or picture of Goddess Durga.
The pictures or idols of Goddess Durga, Laxmi, Saraswati are placed in the centrally located area of the house and decorated with flowers every day. A jyoti (flame) is being kept alive and burning during the entire festival celebration and chanting of the mantras resonate the atmosphere in the mornings and evenings. Durga Saptashati Paath (reading and listening) is also a part of the ritual in most homes. Some invite pandits to do the same while others do it themselves. The women in the neighbourhood gather to participate in the Paath. Red coloured cotton or woolen cloth is used for the Asana and women dress up in red too as this is the favourite colour of the Goddess. In the morning the Goddess is being offered milk and honey as Prasad which is then distributed among the family members. On the last day of the celebration, Puja is performed of the books, stationery (writing material) and musical instruments. “This year the Goddess Durga is supposed to arrive in a boat,” adds Bhavana.
The nine swarupas (forms) of the Goddess Durga are - Shailpurtri or Hemvati, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandhmata, Katyayani, Kalratri or Shubhankari or Chamunda, Mahagauri or Swetambara, Siddhidatri. Each is revered for her certain quality. In the form of the Goddess nine pre-pubescent girls (kumari kanyas) are invited in homes and after puja are offered special Prasad, gifts and goodies on Asthami (eighth day). Each day a specific colour is worn to receive the best of the energies and blessings from the Devi.
The celebrations vary from state to state. Fasting is common in most families but the days of fasting can vary along with the food consumed. It is not mandatory for only women to fast.
In many families men also keep the fast for nine days. Some eat once a day while others consume only specially prepared meals and still others follow a fruit diet. Certain foods are allowed during the fasting periods. Grains (rice and wheat) are not allowed but buckwheat, water chestnut flour (singhada) potato, sweet potato, rajgira, rock salt, vari rice, sabudana (sago), makhana (fox nuts), peanuts, fruits and dry fruits, milk, curds, ghee and jaggery is allowed.
