By Pankaj Sinha
THE country of Bharat is famous for indigenous & National festivals. Different-different type of festivals celebrates on every corner of country by many-many customary people in different constructive traditional way in whole country. Any festival is connected with own-own GOD & GODDESS of traditional people. The Durga Puja festival is connected with Sanatan Dharmi People of Bharat. This festival is also famous in the name of DUSSEHRA, NAVRATRI & VIJAYADASHMI.
This festival is a triumph of good over evil. There are two myths. The myths are from very ancient times regarding traditional and National beliefs. Being a grand traditional and National festival, this festival involves the great legends and great myths which one need to aware. We are enlightening the great myths behind the celebration of Navratri festival. It is said that when Lord Shiva empowered the demon, Mahishasura, with powers of eternity, he set off to conquer all the earth. To stop him, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva combined their divine powers to create Goddess Shakti who fought rigorously with Mahishasura (buffalo faced demon) for nine days, beheading him on the tenth. These nine nights of the battle between the two are celebrated as Navratri and the tenth day of the victory is called Dussehra or Vijaydashami mean victory day after nine days war.
This festival signifies the triumph of good over evil. on this day lord Ram, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu killed 10-headed demon Ravana . Navratri is one of the traditional and National festival, celebrated with immense enthusiasm across the country. There are many popular legends associated with the history of Navratri. The name of these legends are Maa Durga (Goddess Durga), Lord Ram and Uma, the daughter of King Daksha.
There are various mythological myths behind the celebration of Navratri festival and these stories revolve around these three God and Goddess.
Another legend goes that when Uma, Daughter Of King Daksh of Himalay,wedded Lord Shiv against the will of her father, King Daksh conducted a Yagna where he insulted Lord Shiv.Unable to bear this. Uma jumped into the agnikund (fire well), this is why she is also known as Sati. In her rebirth, she married again Lord Shiv and peace was restored between her and parents. It is said that every year Sati comes to stay with her parents for 9 nights and this time is celebrated as NAVRATRI.
According to epic Ramayan, another legend of Navratri is Lord Ram of Ayodhya. Demon King Rawan had abducted Lord Ram’s Dharmpatni (wife) Sita. Ram instructed to release from clutches of Demon Rawan. He denied. Rawan get the blessing of Goddess Durga and Shakti before beginning the war with Ram, he received blessing nine aspects of Goddess Durga for nine days and power. The battle continued for nine nights to collect strength and these nine nights known as NAVRATRI and on tenth day Lord Ram killed Rawan., came to known as VIJAYADASHMI OR DUSHEHARA.
These are the few myths which tell more about legends and navratri ancient history of our lovely Bharat. These days are also for giving up all the bad habits and deeds.Victory on the Dashmi (the 10th day of the Bharatiya calendar). Other than Bharat, It is also celebrated in other countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, Sumatra, Japan and Java etc. Many events and fairs are organized in the most of the parts of Bharat during Dussehra festival. Shastra puja is also one of the rituals, which has been performed during this time. Dussehra is a festival for sacrificing ego, anger & evils and to adopt calm & good behavior.
Navratri is one of the biggest National festivals, celebrated in the months of Chaitra and Ashwin with the names Chaitra Navratri and Sharad Navratri respectively. In many parts of Bharat, People keep fast during navratri days to purify the mind, body and soul, as it is one of the rituals of Navratri festival. Navratri fasting helps in other ways also, it improves the immune system and make you healthier.
During Navratri, the markets are laden with navratri fast materials, Puja materials as well as decoration items for beautifying the place of worship. The sweet stores stock huge quantities during these festive days as the devotees offer daily Prasad to the Goddess. Below we have described about Navratri fast, navratri fasting rules, vrat procedure, navratri recipes that you can make at home and types of fasting.
Sacrificing personal interests is also considered as a part of praying to the almighty. Thus, many men and women observe navratri fast during the span of the festival. The process of fasting during the Navratri is believed to be explained by the divine Goddess herself to an ardent devotee of hers. It is believed that proper fasting during the Navratri brings success and prosperity to individuals and their families. People who exercise fasting are known to have better metabolism in their routine lives and make healthier as well.
Navratri, which literally means “nine nights”, is one of the major festivals for the Traditional custmory communities, celebrated with utmost devotion and fervour all over Bharat. These nine days are dedicated to Goddess Shakti and her nine incarnations as Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri. The thought behind Navratri celebration is refinement of our own spirit through fasting, chanting, rituals and prayers. Devotees follow many rituals during Navratri puja, fasting and celebrations to get blessing of Maa Bhagwati.
Nine Goddess are worshipped on each day during Navratri festival. Most of the Goddess of Navratri has been dressed with different color. Every goddess wear different ornaments, has different posture and different procession (Sawari). Some goddess has two hands while some have four, eight or ten hands and some goddess have three eyes.
Each goddess of navratri has different powers, shaktis even duty too. In her hands, she is holding the weapons and some hands are in the pose of Abhay Mudra (Protecting) and Var Mudra (blessing). For 9 goddes of navratri, there are different mantras, shlokas and stutis, which devotees recite every day after the worship of each days of goddess. Generally the Pooja procedure is the same for all the goddess, except from first day and last day of navratri. Each day is dedicated to a one different goddess and a different story is there behind worshipping these nine goddess of navratri.
From the first day to ninth day devotees worship one Goddess on each auspicious day, one by one and also get wisdom, power, richness and success in this life.
Dandiya was originally performed by men and was known to be a practice of swords, which were actually done with long sticks in hands. It is a form of dance originating from another dance known as the Garba. Dandiya is a dance specific for the festival Navartri, a festival in which Goddess Durga is worshiped.
A pot is decorated and has holes in it. It is kept in the center of the dancers and all the dancers revolve around it. The sticks represent the Goddess sword.
The historical links are found about the Dandiya dance in the ‘Natyashastra’ by Bharata Muni somewhere around 1000 BC. It was performed with a drummer who stood inside the circle of dancers and all the dancers going in a circle around the pot and the drummer.
