Navarathri is one of the most important festivals for Hindus everywhere. It is a festival which can be celebrated by anybody and everybody whatever their Kuladevata or Ishtadevata, because all devatas are associated with a particular aspect of “shakthi” (power) and the Goddess of worship during Navarathri is a sum total of all the aspects of “shakthi”. So observing this festival by worshipping “shakthi” pleases all the devas and devathas. Everybody should observe this all nine days if possible.. If this is not possible one should atleast observe this on the 9th and 10th days .
The festival is called “sharannavarathra” because it is observed for nine nights (navarathra), the first through 9th nights of Ashwin month, bright fortnight in the sharat ritu (fall season) according to the lunar calendar (september-october). Also the 10th day is celebrated as “Vijaya Dashami”, a day of victory or “Vidya dashami” a day of knowledge. Other names for this festival are Durgotsava, Dashaha, Dasara, Dussehra; the last three names referring to number 10. How do we observe Navarathri? The festival is observed in varieties of ways. One common way is to worship “shakti” in the form of Durga for first 3 nights, Lakshmi for next 3, and Saraswathi in the last 3 nights. Another tradition is to worship Durga in 9 forms on nine nights, namely, Yoganidra, Devajataa Durga, Mahishasura Mardini, Shailajaa Durga, Dhumrahaa Durga, Chandamundahaa Durga, Raktabeejahaa Durga, Nishumbhahaa Durga, and Shumbhahaa Durga. These nine forms correspond to forms in which the demons such as Mahishasura, Raktabeeja, Shumbha, Nishumba etc. were killed by Durga according to Devi Mahatyam. Durga may also be worshipped in other forms, which include Balatripura Sundari, Gayatri Devi, Annapoorna Devi, Maha Lakshmi, Lalita Tripura Sundari, and Raja Rajeshwari. How is the Navarathri observance performed? Generally the festival starts on the first day with Kalasha sthapana, an altar for Durga with all decorations. Then for the next 9 days many special events are performed which include reading of Devi Mahatyam, Durga Saptashati, Ramayana as well as pooja of Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Hayagreeva, Ubhaya Bharathi and Durga/Chandika havan. Ayudha Poojas are also performed to tools including books, musical instruments, vehicles, weapons, elephants, horses and trees. In some traditions, dolls are arranged in an altar (‘Kolu’) and prayers are offered. Note that pooja to ishta/kula devata is still performed every day and some or all of the above may be chosen according to ones own tradition. Observing fast, one meal at night are some other disciplines practiced during this time. In some homes Kumari Pooja (pooja to girls between 2 and 10), Suvasini Pooja (pooja to women whose husbands are alive) are also performed. In Kumari pooja, nine young girls are chosen to represent nine forms of Durga namely Kumari, Trimurthi, Kalyani, Rohini, Kali, Chandrika, Shambhavi, Durga, and Bhadra. All these events conclude on the 10th day (Dashami). On the concluding day a pooja is performed to a special tree called “Shamee Tree”. Shamee wood is used in homams/havans and represents “Agni” (Fire) principle. Durga also is of “Agni Principle”. So Pooja to it is seeking the blessing of Durga. In the Mahabharata, the Pandavas hid their weapons on a shamee tree during their one year Agnyathavaasa (living incognito) and is thought to be through Durga’s blessing that they were protected. In Ramayana, Sri Rama before going to war with Ravana, prayed to Shamee tree to receive victory blessings from Durga. What is the significance of observing Navarathri? In all the practices described above, one thing that stands out is the pooja performed almost to everything, humans, animals, objects and plants. All these are considered a form of the Supreme. This is to say that creation, which includes ‘I’, is non-separate from the creator. Knowledge of this is called self-knowledge or moksha and the goal of this ritual is to remind us just that and help us attempt to achieve moksha. This is a step-by-step process and as indicated above we worship the Supreme (“Shakti”) as Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswathi in that order for 3 days each. Durga destroys the demons in us, which include delusion, anger, craving, arrogance, greed, and jealousy. Then Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, blesses us the values into our lives, which include divine love, kindness, devotion, patience, endurance, charity, and non-injury. Now that the divine replaces the devilish qualities, we become qualified to receive the self-knowledge through philosophical study, contemplation and meditation. This is accomplished with the blessings of Saraswathi, the Goddess of knowledge and is the final stage in our spiritual evolution. The 10th day (Dashami) then is the day of celebrating the victory (Vijaya), the achievement of the self-knowledge. Mata Jagran: Here is a story from the Devi Purana, Jagran or jagrata is a tradition where Durga, holy mother, is invoked by singing aloud, devotional songs to bless the gathering and this is generally celebrated all night. A smaller version of this, called chaunki, is celebrated less than full night, normally between 9 pm and 12 am. It is believed that holy mother visits in the form of jyothi (lamp), which is lit before the function starts. The discourse of the story of Maharani Tara Devi is also customary in this function. The story in brief is as below. King Daksha had two daughters Tara Devi and Rukmini who where devotees of Durga. They used to observe fast in every Ekadashi and listen to kirtans in the Mata Jagran. On one Ekadashi night, the younger Rukmini took a meat dish for offering, by mistake. Tara got angry and cursed her to be born as lizard. Rukmini begged Tara to forgive her and she said the sin is pardoned only by sacrifice and service. In the next birth Tara was born as an Apsara (result of good actions) and Rukmini as lizard (result of bad action). Rukmini, now lizard, was looking for an opportunity for special service to someone. When the Pandavas performed the Ashwamedha Yajna, they invited all the thity three crores of Gods. Sage Durvasa turned down the invitation because he did not want to be with the Gods. The Yajna was successfully performed and preparations were being made for the feast. Durvasa, thinking he is being neglected, got angry and decided to punish the Pandavas. He disguised himself as a bird, carried a snake in the beak and dropped it in the kheer. The lizard saw this and waited for an opportunity to save the lives of the people who would eat there. When the kheer was about to be served, she (lizard) herself jumped into the vessel of Kheer, before everybody’s eyes. The people were angry at the lizard and when the vessel was emptied, they found a dead snake and recognized the sacrifice of the lizard. They all prayed for that lizard, that it should attain human form and attain salvation. Later on, in another birth, Tara was born as a girl and married King Harischandra to become queen Taramati. Rukmini was also born as a girl in a King’s family but was thrown into a river in a box because she was professed to be a bad omen to the King. A sweeper who was childless picked up the box and was happy to see the girl. The couple named her Rukko. Rukko got married and her mother-in-law was working at the King Harishandra’s palace. One day, Rukko went to work and queen Taramati recognised her and told her all about their past. They both again started going to Mata Jagran and performed Pooja for holy mother, though some troubles came on the way, and eventually both went to heaven. One who listens to this story of Tara Devi, after Mata Jagran, gets all his/her wishes fulfilled. Om Sai Ram
