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Mona elucidates the symbolism of Navratri (Nine Nights), split into three parts, each of three nights. These represent Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati in an exclusive Special Feature for Different Truths.
Navratri, the festival of nine nights of dancing, is on, but what’s it all about? Beyond the merrymaking, Hindu festivals are replete with opportunities to press the reset button on life. Every festival, regardless of its origin, agricultural or astronomical, offers an excuse to reflect, detox, refresh and strengthen oneself…physically, mentally and spiritually.
One can choose to celebrate each festival in its pop form with food, song and dance or understand its significance and make it meaningful with meditation and fasting.
Every Hindu festival boils down to one purpose: celebrating the triumph of the Good over Evil.
Every Hindu festival boils down to one purpose: celebrating the triumph of the Good over Evil. The Evil being our infinite weaknesses and the Good being our greater Consciousness which, like the sun blocked by the clouds, is blocked by the disturbances of our body and mind.
It takes enormous effort to shed the crusted layers of our ignorant mind and hardened body for our Consciousness to shine through.
It is no coincidence that our ancestors designed rituals and customs, which on the surface, appear to be just fun and frolic, but they also force us to pause and take stock.
The Nine Nights (Navratri) are a time to shed our suffering and be free systematically!
The first three nights are meant to shake off our inertia.
Everyone knows the benefits of fasting these days. It helps to give the gut a break and revitalise our enzymes.
Everyone knows the benefits of fasting these days. It helps to give the gut a break and revitalise our enzymes. Another benefit is that it helps shed sluggishness and inertia. Durga is the Goddess of Strength and Courage within us. For the first three days and nights, we invoke our Durga to awaken the power of determination to overcome the buffalo-like demon (Mahesh-asura) of inertia, laziness and procrastination within. In our home, Durga is presented as a brightly illumined glass bowl, showing the Light within and Her face is our reflection in the glass
bowl. It is essential to know, “I am Durga!”
The next three days and nights are devoted to knowing our inner abundance. Only when we feel vibrant and awake when our lethargy has been annihilated can we begin to count our blessings! This is when we invoke the Goddess of Abundance, Lakshmi, within. Lakshmi shines when we start to see that our pot is full. The greater our sense of contentment and completeness, the more “wealth” we shall draw from the Universe.
Lakshmi holds a pot where we drop little pieces of paper that list all our blessings in our home.
Lakshmi holds a pot where we drop little pieces of paper that list all our blessings in our home. Her face, too, is our reflection. Another way for us to realise our fullness is “I am Lakshmi!”
The last three days are for awakening.
Having shed our inertia and with a renewed feeling of contentment, we spend the last three days pursuing our spiritual goals, upon which we have long procrastinated. Through meaningful discourse and enquiry, we hope to attain wisdom.
It is understood that our subtle energies within, Durga Shakti courage, Dhan Lakshmi abundance and Saraswati Vidya wisdom are most accessible at this time of the year, so Hindus avail of this Divine opportunity with vigour and devotion.
Happy Navaratri!
Pictures by the author
