Navratras- Durga Puja: Religious Significance & Celebration

Navratras- Durga Puja- Vijayotsav

"May Maa Durga strengthen you

To fight all evils,

May Maa Durga bestow

You and your family with nine forms of blessings

Fame, Name, Wealth, Prosperity, Happiness,

Education, Health, Power and Commitment."

 

Durga Puja:

One of the most auspicious festivals of the year Durga Puja was celebrated with divine feelings. The celebration begins with pomp and grandeur and is followed by four days (Shashthi, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Dashmi) full of mirth and splendour. Durga Puja celebration means new clothes and varieties of new dresses are worn by ladies amongst which saree definitely overlaps every other dress.

This year, the festival of Navratri has begun on October 15, 2023, and it will end on October 24, 2023. As per the Hindu Panchang, the Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami will be observed on Tuesday, October 24, 2020. But, in some regions, Navami celebrations will be observed on October 25, 2023.

 

Significance of Navratra (Durga Puja):

Satogan, Rajoguna and Tamoguna - all the three types of gunns are inside our consciousness. The celebration of this consciousness with nature is called Navratri. In these 9 days, the first three days Tamoguni worships nature, the second three days Rajoguni and the last three days Satoguni worships nature.

 

Mother worship:

Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati is worshipped in three forms. Mother is not just located somewhere in the sky, it is said that

"You Goddess Sarvabhuteshu Chetanatyabhidhiyate"

("Mother / Goddess you are situated in the form of consciousness in all living beings")

Navaratri is a festival to observe and celebrate different forms of Goddess/Mother. Just like a child stays in his mother's womb for 9 months, similarly, we have the importance of being in a transcendent nature in ourselves - to be engrossed in meditation. When you come out from there again, the creation of creativity starts coming to life.

In a way, understand that we recharge our batteries. Every person gets tired of doing whatever work in a lifetime or a year, so to get rid of it, in these 9 days, purification of the body, purification of the mind and purification in the intellect, purification of Sattva takes place--

To do this type of purification, the festival of consecration is Navaratri.

Last day of Navratri – Vijayotsav:

On the last day, we celebrate Vijayotsav again because we fall into a three-fold state beyond all the three qualities. Celebrate victory by denying all the demonic tendencies like Kama, anger, attachment, matsar, greed etc. This festival is celebrated for improving the purpose and ideals of life by removing the mind which is trapped in everyday life.

‘May the divine mother empower you with her blessings on this Durga Puja’.

Durga Puja, also called Durgotsava, is a six day long Hindu festival of India observed from the sixth day of Navratri to Dussehra.

The worship of Goddess Durga takes place on a magnificent scale, huge and artistic pandals, magnificent idols of goddess Durga, people dancing on the beats of drum and evenings surrounded with the divine tunes of Goddess Durga aarti, colourful fireworks and mouth watering food delights are the main features of every Durga Puja celebration.

The theme of the online school assembly was ‘Navratra Pooja’. The aim of the school assembly was to highlight the religious significance of the Hindu festival with a special focus on the mythological story associated with it, presented in a creative and interesting way.  The drama ‘The Unfathomable Power’ covers the killing of the demon, Mahishasura by Goddess Durga. The victory of good over evil was the message given to the students. The dances and the grand celebration of the festival brought to light, the authenticity, spirit and vibrancy of the festival. The fervour, enthusiasm, spirit of oneness and happiness in people were beautifully depicted in the assembly. 

"Life has ups and down. Some days be rough

But Maa Durga will give you the courage

And the ability to be tough."