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NAVARATRI: The Festival of Nine Nights
Navaratri literally means ‘nine nights’ (Nava – nine, ratri – night). This is a nine-day period from the new moon day to the ninth day of Ashvina (September/October). From Kashmir in the north to Tamil Nadu in the south, and from Gujarat in the west to Sikkim in the east, this festival is celebrated everywhere as the conquest of good over evil. Every region has its own myths associated with this.
The
nine different aspects of Devi are worshipped over the nine days. These
are the most popular forms under which she is worshipped: Durga:
goddess beyond reach; Bhadrakali: the auspicious power of time; Amba
or Jagdamba: mother of the world; Annapurna: giver of food
and plenty; Sarvamangala: auspicious goddess; Bhairavi:
terrible, fearful, power of death; Chandika or Chandi:
violent, wrathful, furious; Lalita: playful; and Bhavani:
giver of existence. The festivities culminate on the tenth day, called variously Vijayadashmi, Dushehra or Dassain when people in most parts of the country burn effigies of Ravana, Meghanatha and Kumbhakarna.
On
the first day of the Navaratri, grains of barley are planted in the puja
room of the house. A small bed of mud is prepared in which barley seeds
are sown and every day some water is sprinkled on it. On the tenth day,
the shoots are about 3 - 5 inches long. After the puja, these
seedlings are given to devotees as a blessing from god. This custom
suggests a link to harvesting. Soon after this festival, the sugarcane
crop is harvested and the winter crops are sown.
According
to one hypothesis, in ancient times, this was a festival intended for
the Kshatriyas. During the four-month long monsoon no
military activity was possible. The end of monsoon was considered a good
time to start afresh on one's conquests. For nine days before starting
on the war journey, kings prayed to the nine different aspects of Devi
or Adishakti. The tenth day was when the journey for the
conquest began.
The
origin of this custom can also be traced to the Ramayana. According to
it, Rama had to pray to the nine different aspects of Devi for nine days
to gain enough power to kill Ravana. He accomplished this on the tenth
day, which was called Vijayadashmi or Victory Day. Since then,
the tradition of praying to Devi for nine days has continued and was
especially common amongst the Kshatriyas who believed that by
doing so, they too would be able to defeat the most powerful enemy. With
the change in social order and the establishment of democracy, the
original significance of this festival is lost. Today, it is celebrated
more for its mythological significance of the triumph of good.
In
Bengal, this period is celebrated as Durga Puja. In Gujarat, this is the
time for the joyous Garba and Dandia dances and people
pour out at night to participate in this community festival. In Tamil
Nadu, the first three days of the festival are dedicated to Lakshmi, the
next three to Durga and the last three to Saraswati. |
