Dussehra: Hindus end Navaratri, celebrate the victory of righteousness

September 30, 2017 by Leave a Comment

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30: The nine-day Navaratri festival ends and celebrations commence today for Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami. Legend has it that a war raged between Lord Rama and demon king Ravana for 10 days, and that on the 10th day, Lord Rama killed Ravana. It’s believed that Lord Rama killed Ravana and also reclaimed his wife, Sita, from the clutches of the demon. Today, the victory of goodness over evil—of virtue over wickedness—is commemorated.

Did you know? Dussehra is also known as Vijayadashami, the celebration of yet another victory involving goodness over evil: Goddess Durga’s defeat of the demon Mahisasura. According to this legend, Mother Goddess Shakti incarnated in the form of Goddess Durga. As the festival of Navaratri—which honors Goddess Durga—comes to a close, devotees venerate her victory over Mahisasura.

In many parts of India, towering effigies of Ravana and his brothers are filled with firecrackers and exploded. Citizens cheer at the blast and dance, sing and feast. The burning effigies are also seen as a cleansing ritual, as they encourage onlookers to burn inner evil and follow the path of righteousness. In India, gratitude is expressed for the end of a scorching summer season and the approach of cooler days.

As part of the autumn harvest season, Dussehra is a time when many Hindus ask the Mother Goddess to renew the soil. Some devotees submerge statues of Goddess Durga into the water for further symbolic cleansing of water for the soil.

DUSSEHRA: ACROSS INDIA TODAY

Vijayadashami has become known as a type of Labor Day in India, and for the occasion, buses and factories are gaily decorated. In northern India, effigies are burned and a chariot holding devotees costumed as Lord Rama and Sita rolls down the streets. In southern India, homes are decorated with lamps and flowers.

EXTRAS

Which Dussehra festivals are the most noteworthy? NDTV reports on six exceptional Dussehra celebrations across India.

Interested in explaining Dussehra to children? Get the scoop on how to explain the significance of this holiday at IndiaParenting.com.

Navaratri: Hindus fast, pay homage to Durga & femininity during ‘Nine Nights’

October 01, 2016 by Leave a Comment

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1: For the first time in 16 years, Hindus celebrate an exceptional religious festival for 10 days, celebrating legends and femininity during Sharad Navaratri. (English spellings vary; the name often appears without the middle “a.” Read more on the astrology of this year’s determination here.) An ancient festival that emphasizes the motherhood of the divine, Navaratri is usually observed for nine nights; this year, the Hindu calendar so falls that the festival will last an extra day, and include two weekends, as well.

Each night during Navaratri, Hindus worship a different form or characteristic of the Mother Goddess Durga, who is regarded as being manifested in cosmic energy and power. In general, Sharad Navaratri is the celebration of good over evil, though many aspects of this tradition vary by region in India and around the world.

Did you know? The key term, Navaratri, literally refers to nine nights (“nava” and “ratri”).

Navaratri in its basic form takes place five times per year, but it’s Sharad Navaratri—this festival, at the beginning of autumn—that takes precedence over any other. Sharad Navaratri culminates on a final day known as Dussehra.

Legends related to this observance differ: Some indicate that Shiva gave permission to Durga to visit her mother for nine days, while others describe Durga’s victory following a nine-day battle with the demon Mahishasura. Life-size clay figures depicting this battle are commonly seen in temples during Navaratri. But there is a universal theme to this tradition, too: All Hindus aim for purity, avoiding meat, grains and alcohol—and usually installing a household pot that is kept lit for nine days. Some devotees fast, and others consume only milk and fruit for nine days.

NIGHTTIME DANCING AND ADORNMENTS

In India, Navaratri brings out orchestras and community-wide singing; nighttime dances in the streets combine with bountiful feasts and shrines are elaborately decorated. In Saraswat Brahmin temples, statue figures are adorned with flowers, sandalwood paste and turmeric. In some regions of India, it’s believed that one should try to envision the divinity in the tools used for daily life—whether books, computers or larger instruments—and decorate them with flowers and other adornments, in hopes of both humbling themselves and bringing auspiciousness upon the items that aid them in livelihood.

NEWS: DOMINO’S GOES VEGETARIAN, INDIA REVS UP FOR FESTIVITIES

In preparation for the food restrictions of its Indian customers during Navaratri, approximately 500 Domino’s pizza outlets in 248 cities across India will go all-vegetarian during the Hindu festival, reports the Free Press Journal. That’s not all: the chain’s participating locations will also intend to feature no onions, garlic or wheat during the days and nights of Navratri, according to news reports.

Fasting is an integral part of Navratri, and this article from NDTV suggests 10 basic staples to have in the kitchen in preparation for the length of the festival.

What are the trends for Navratri 2016? Times of India offers tips and the latest news from Mumbai, including fashion trends, sought-after products and more.