Navratri 2017

Navratri, the time of the year when I get transported to another world, a world that’s full of hope, love and peace (I believe so!) In the past couple of years I have been dedicating a post on my blog to Maa, Goddess Durga. This year too let me touch another aspect of my life that revolves around Maa.

This is the festival dedicated to the worship of Maa Shakti, Maa Durga, Maa Parvati as she is lovingly called by her beloved devotees.  The word Navratri means 9 nights in Sanskrit. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Maa Durga , are worshiped.  It is believed that Maa Durga visits earth during these pious days. The 10th day is celebrated as Vijayadashmi or Dussehra. 

The nine forms of Maa Durga invoked during the festival 

First day of Navratri we pray to Maa Shailputri

Second Navratri is dedicated to Maa Brahmacharini

Third Navratra is devoted to Maa Chandraghanta

Fourth one is to pray to Maa Kooshmanda

Fifth Navratra is for Skandmata 

Sixth Navratra one prays to Maa Katyayini

Seventh Day of the Navratri is dedicated to Maa Kalratri (Maa Kali)

Eighth day of the holy period is devoted to Maa Mahagauri

The Ninth day is for the 9th form of Maa Shakti, Sidhidatri 

The festival is celebrated all over the country in many different ways 

In the Northern part of India, these days are celebrated by way of fasting for 9 days and worshiping the different forms of Maa Gurga. In Gujarat and Maharashtra it is celebrated by having the Garba and dandiya for the 9 nights. In Eastern part of India especially among the Bengali community, It is celebrated as the Durga Puja. The festivities here are for 5 days and they are community celebrations. The idols are huge and exquisitely crafted. They adorn the huge pandals (Shamiana) where they are worshiped and then the idol is immersed in water on the 5^th day. In the Southern part of India Bomma Kolu (Golu) in Tamil, Bommala Koluvu in Telugu, Bombe Habba in Kannada. They do a doll and figurine display in their homes, it is customary in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh .

I look forward to the celebration of the Navratri each year like a lot of other women. Mumbai women have over the years developed their own style of celebrating this festival. They follow the colours for these nine days. Each day there is a different cololur, the list is published in the Maharashtra Times. Among the career women, who rush to their work places by the local trains hardly dress up in their traditional finery. 

Just the other day, I received a Whatsapp message titled ‘Colours of Navratri’ sent by a colleague to all the ladies working in the office. Following this list we’ll be wearing our traditional sarees or salwar kameezs in those colurs. Every office here in Mumbai has a similar story, all women whether married or not will be trying their best to adorn the colour of the day. Some may even buy outfits that they don’t have in their wardrobes. Come Navratri, the moment we step out of our homes we’ll find the women wearing the colour of the day. On reaching the local train station it’s certainly a beautiful sight to see the women adorning the colours of the day and dressing up in their best sarees. Some of them don’t even wear footwear for the entire period of the Navratri.

Evenings are generally the time to visit the local dandiya ground. Where, the dandiya begins in the evening around 7.30 pm with Arti of the Devi and then playing the favourite music, an old classic or just the flavor of the season.

Children look forward to the daniya nights celebrated in their housing societies. They are among the first dancers on the floor. Mumbai is different during the Navratri, dandiya fever is in it’s peak. In fact one gets to hear the music much before the first Navratra, as the bands comprising of college students and working people, practise each evening preparing for the festival. For them it is also a way of enjoying the festivities as well as making some good bucks!

At the Dandiya venues the people generally wear the Gujarati style chaniya cholies and men wearing the trational outfits. It’s fun to see how couples come colour co-ordinated. The jewelery is generally the oxidized one. The young girls pick their jewelry as well as the outfits for the 9 days from Gujarat, or in Mumbai, places like Bhuleshwar Market.

So Navratri is round the corner and I am looking forward to welcome the Devine Mother in my home. We begin the festival with keeping the kalash and sowing  barley in an earthen pot (which will grow till the tenth day and this will be used for the Dussehra puja at home). The Mandir (temple) at home will be decorated with the best of flowers; will light the akhand jyot (the oil lamp) which will be glowing for the next 10 days. Will have a kirtan at home in the afternoon, where we invite all the ladies and they sing the bhajans of Maa Durga and other deities. This will be followed by the Arati and distribution of prashad to all the ladies. Most of the women fast during this period so prashad generally consists of fruits, dry fruits and milk. The women also get the ‘Suhagi’ (bindi, sindoor, mehendi, nail polish, glass bangles tied together with a red ribbon) and anything else the lady of the house wants to give to the women attending the puja.

This year Navratri will be celebrated all over the country from  21st to 29th September 2017. It's the time for fasting and feasting and pleasing Goddess Durga and seeking her blessings! 

Colours for Navratri 2017 

1

Navratri Day 1

September 21, (Thursday)
Navratri color of the day - 

Yellow

2

Navratri Day 2

September 22, (Friday)
Navratri color of the day - 

Green

3

Navratri Day 3

September 23, (Saturday)
Navratri color of the day - 

Grey

4

Navratri Day 4

September 24, (Sunday)
Navratri color of the day - 

Orange

5

Navratri Day 5

September 25, (Monday)
Navratri color of the day – 

White

White

6

Navratri Day 6

September 26, (Tuesday)
Navratri color of the day - 

Red

7

Navratri Day 7

September 27, (Wednesday)
Navratri color of the day - 

Royal Blue

8

Navratri Day 8

September 28, (Thursday)
Navratri color of the day - 

Pink

9

Navratri Day 9

September 29, (Friday)
Navratri color of the day - 

Purple

Wishing everyone a very happy and blessed Navratri.

PS: pictures are taken from Google

Colours of Navratri 2013

The festival of Navratri is here and can see all are gearing 
up for the 9 days of festivities. This year Navratri will be celebrated all over the country from  5th to the 13th of October 2013. It's the time for fasting and feasting and pleasing Goddess Durga and seeking her blessings! 


The mantras generally chanted during the Navratras are:

Devi Mantra 1

Sarva Mangal Mangalye
Shive Sarvartha Sadhike

Sharanye Tryambake Gauri

Narayani Namostute

Meaning of the Mantra:

Oh Mother, you are the source of auspiciousness.
And the support of Shiva.
Possessing the third eye of enlightenment,
O Gauri, O Narayani, I surrender to you.

Devi Mantra 2

Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Maa rupena samsthita 

Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Shakti rupena samsthita 

Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Buddhi rupena samsthita 

Ya Devi Sarva Bhutesu Laxmi rupena samsthita 

Namestasyai  Namestasyai  Namestasyai Namo Namah 

Meaning of the Mantra:

To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of universal mother

To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of energy

To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of intelligence

To the Divine Goddess who resides in all existence in the form of true wealth

We bow to her, we bow to her,  we bow to her

This year the Colours for Navratri are:

Pratipada - October 5, 2013 (Saturday) - Grey
Dwitiya - October 6, 2013 (Sunday) - Orange 
Tritiya - October 7, 2013 (Monday) - White
Chaturthi - October 8, 2013 (Tuesday) -Red 
Panchami - October 9 (Wednesday) - Blue 
Sashti - October 10 (Thursday)  -  Yellow
Saptami - October 11 (Friday) - Green
Ashtami - October 12 (Saturday) - Peacock Green
Navami / Vijayadasami - October 13 (Sunday) - Purple

So everyone, Enjoy the festivity and celebrate the spirit of the festival with these colours. Be seen in clothes that have the mentioned colour of the day... to office, to college or to the dandiya grounds. . In Mumbai its a festival of harmony not just the festival of Hindus but a festival of the city.. roads are converted into dance floors in the evenings for the 9 days. The dancing goes on till the wee hours on certain days. So if you are not in Gujarat which is known for its Navratri celebrations with Garba and dandiya during the festival be sure to enjoy the Dandiya in Mumbai.

Happy Navratri to All! 

To know about the significance of the festival and ways to worship Goddess Durga, please read my earlier post http://laxmitodiwan.blogspot.in/2012/10/colours-of-navratri.html

Colours of Navratri

Nine Forms of Maa Durga

Navratri is a festival dedicated to the worship of Maa Shakti, Maa Durga, Maa Parvati as she is lovinly called by her beloved devotees.  The word Navratri means 9 nights in Sanskrit. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Maa Durga , are worshiped.  It is believed that Maa Durga visits earth during these pious days. The 10th day is celebrated as Vijayadashmi or Dussehra. The festival is celebrated all over the country in many different ways.The nine forms of Maa Durga are:

First day of Navratri we pray to Shailputri
Second Navratri is dedicated to Maa Brahmacharini
Third Navratra is devoted to Maa Chandraghanta
Fourth one is to pray to Maa Kooshmanda
Fifth Navratra is for Skandmata 
Sixth Navratra one prays to Maa Katyayini
Seventh Day of the Navratri is dedicated to Maa Kalratri (Maa Kali)

Eighth day of the holy period is devoted to Maa Mahagauri

The Ninth day is for the 9th form of Maa Shakti, Sidhidatri 

In the Northern part of India, these days are celebrated by way of fasting for 9 days and worshiping the different forms of Maa Gurga. In Gujarat and Maharashtra it is celebrated by having the Garba and dandiya for the 9 nights. In Eastern part of India especially among the Bengali community, It is celebrated as the Durga Puja. The festivities here are for 5 days and they are community celebrations. The idols are huge and exquisitely crafted. They adorn the huge pandals (Shamiana) where they are worshiped and then the idol is immersed in  water on the 5^th day.

I look forward to the celebration of the Navratri each year like a lot of other women. Mumbai women have over the years developed their own style of celebrating this festival. They follow the colours for these nine days. Each day there is a different cololur, the list is published in the Maharashtra Times. Among the career women, who rush to their work places by the local trains hardly dress up in their traditional finery. 

 Just the other day, I opened my official email box to find an email titled ‘Colours of Navratri’ sent by a colleague to all the ladies working in the office. Following this list we’ll be wearing our traditional sarees or salwar kammezs in those colurs. Every office here in Mumbai has a similar story, all women whether married or not will be trying their best to adorn the colour of the day. Some may even buy outfits that they don’t have in their wardrobes. Come Navratri, the moment we step out of our homes we’ll find the women wearing the colour of the day. On reaching the local train station it’s certainly a beautiful sight to see the women adorning the colours of the day and dressing up in their best sarees. Some of them don’t even wear footwear for the entire period of the Navratri. Evenings are generally the time to visit the local dandiya ground. Where, the dandiya begins in the evening around 7.30 pm with Arti of the Devi and then playing the favourite music, an old classic or just the flavor of the season.

Children look forward to the daniya nights celebrated in their housing socities. They are among the first dancers on the floor. Mumbai is different during the Navratri, dandiya fever is in its peak. In fact one gets to hear the music much before the first Navratra, as the bands comprising of college students and working people, practise each evening preparing for the festival. For them it is also a way of enjoying the festivities as well as making some good bucks!At the Dandiya venues the people generally wear the Gujarati style chaniya cholies and men wearing the trational outfits. It’s fun to see how couples come colour co-ordinated. The jewelery is generally the oxidized one. The young girls pick their jewelry as well as the outfits for the 9 days from Gujarat, or in Mumbai, places like Bhuleshwar Market.

So Navratri is round the corner and I am looking forward to welcome the Devine Mother in my home. We begin the festival with keeping of the kalash and sowing the barley in an earthen pot (which will grow till the tenth day and this will be used for the Dussehra puja at home). The Mandir (temple) at home will be decorated with the best of flowers; will light the akhand jyot (the oil lamp) which will be glowing for the next 10 days. Will have a kirtan at home in the afternoon, where we invite all the ladies and they sing the bhajans of Maa Durga and other deities. This will be followed by the Arati and distribution of prashad to all the ladies.  Most of the women fast during this period so prashad generally consists of fruits, dry fruits and milk. The women also get the ‘Suhagi’ (bindi, sindoor, mehendi, nail polish, glass bangles tied together with a red ribbon) and anything else the lady of the house wants to give to the women attending the puja.

A line from a bhajan comes to my mind,

‘Layi Layi main do phool gulab ke, Meri Maiyya ke nau din bahar ke’

The  Navratri colours for 2012 are:

 Pratipada - October 16, 2011 (Tuesday) - Red 

Dwitiya - October 17, 2012 (Wednesday) - Sky Blue 

Tritiya / Chaturthi - October  18, 2012 (Thursday) -Yellow

Panchami - October 19 (Friday) - Green

Sashti - October 20 (Saturday) - Grey

Saptami - October 21 (Sunday) - Orange 

Ashtami - October 22 (Monday) - White

Navami - October 23 (Tuesday) - Pink

Vijayadasami - October 24 (Wednesday) - Blue

Happy Navratri to all !

These pictures are taken from various websites, they'll be promptly removed in case the owner has any issues with the use of the pictures.

Updated in 2013 : http://laxmitodiwan.blogspot.in/2013/09/colours-of-navratri-2013.html