With the rising cost of living, other Indian festivals may seem to have lost sheen, but nine auspicious days known as Navratris have retained the spirit and both the old and the young participate in the festivities with equal devotion and fervour. Rather the enthusiasm for the Navratris has been growing each passing year. Haridwar, the holy city, is no exception.
‘Shakti’ in the form of Goddess and its nine forms is the primordial source of energy which sustains the cosmic creation and the Mother is worshipped during the nine auspicious days in her myriad forms. As part of the traditions, small girls are worshipped as emanations of the goddess. The day reminds the society of the exalted place the women enjoy in the hoary Hindu scheme of things. Navratris remind us ‘yatra naryastu pujyante, ramante tatra devta’, meaning wherever womanhood is worshipped prosperity reigns.
‘Ashtami’, the eighth day of Navratris, has been observed with devotion and joy on Wednesday. The martial side of the Mother is remembered on this day. On Ashtami, the weapons which the Goddess carries are worshipped as part of the traditional Astra Puja. A priest presiding over the rituals in a famed temple in Haridwar said that the tradition signifies the fact that the Mother embodying infinite kindness for one and all in her created cosmos can turn terrible if the situation so warrants.
Navratris are celebrated across the barriers of castes, creeds and languages. This has become an inclusive festival which encompasses all and leaves none. Even the Indians settled across the world celebrate the occasion with the same enthusiasm the people in India do. ‘Dandiya’ and ‘Garbha’ dances have become popular all over the world and during Navratris, the people dance together as part of the festivities.
‘Rangolis’ with colour on the entrances of the homes adds to the spirit of the festivity. “Indians and foreigners both now celebrate the Durga Puja, transcending the geographical barriers. I have observed this during my trips to Oxford. As such dance and music unites all which is the common thread in all the Indian festivals,” shares Sarabjeet Banwait of Gol Gurudwara Colony.
“Navratris are days when we buy new clothes and do shopping for the year,” says Gaurav Chopra, an entrepreneur. “Each day we wear new clothes as a mark of devotion to the Goddess. New clothes reflect the joyousness of the occasion. Children in the families wait for whole year for Navratris. The women members of the family love to spend a lot of time in the kitchens for the preparation of festival’s special cuisine. On Vijay Dashmi, delicacies especially Jalebis (sweet meats) are shared,” he added.
“Durga Puja is the time when we take annual leave from work and go to our hometown to connect with our own people,” said wife of a Haridwar-based industrialist Mukta Mukherjee over phone. “I keep saving my holidays to be consumed during this time of the year. It gives us a chance to share with our loved ones the feelings of joy. In West Bengal, Durga Puja is special, gaudy and joyous. Pandal hopping along with the family members and friends brings a rare joy. The roads are illuminated and the pandals and the idols are works of art,” she added.
The joy of feasting during the festivals is ever new, shared another resident Namrata Mishara. “From the health point of view, when the seasonal changes occur, one must reduce one’s cereal diet. People observe fasting for nine days, restricting diet only to fruits and milk and abstain from consuming non-vegetarian food, alcohol and even onions. They even eat different cereal than the usual wheat-stuff. After cleansing of body by fasting comes feasting which gives the real joy. Body is toned up to receive different delicacies which are prepared on the ninth day and given as offering to little girls as manifestations of the Mother Durga (the feminine divine). Change of diet is a must when winter is yet to set in and summer is saying goodbye.
“Earlier, it was confined to West Bengal and a few other states like Gujarat and Bihar. But now it is a festival of every State. My wife also observes fasting and we make ‘Puri’ and ‘Halwa’ prashad on the Ashtami day as an offering to the Goddess,” said an educationist Mahendra Kukreja. “Festivals should not be religion-specific. They are meant to deepen family and social bonds, enjoy together, share and care for all in the society and beyond,” he added.