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Devi Sarannavarathrulu / Navaratri / Vijaya Dasami
According to the Telugu calendar, the first nine days of ‘Aswyuja Masam Sarath Ruthuvu’ is called ‘Devi Sarannavarathrulu’. The tenth day of that month is called ‘Vijaya Dasami’. ‘Navaratri’ means ‘Nine nights’. Nights provide rest and rejuvenation.
During the night time, people sleep and feel relaxed. When they wake up in the morning, they feel reinvigorated. Similarly, Navaratri or the nine nights are like the nights of deep rest and rejuvenation.
Fasting, meditation, penance and prayers in these nine days connect our mind and soul to the eternal source of energy in the universe and imbibe the positive vibrations destroying the negative traits like laziness, pride, obsession, aversions, desires, arrogance and stubbornness. When our inner strength increases, our outward stress is reduced and feel very relaxed.
Saluting the Mother Goddess
During the Navaratri days, people honour the Mother Goddess as She is the creation. Mother Goddess is the energy of the ‘Tri-Devathas’ namely Goddess Parvathi, Goddess Maha Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswathi. The ‘Tri-Murthis’ namely Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Maheswara also invoke Her before accomplishing their tasks.
It is said in the Puranas that Lord Rama Chandra invoked the Goddess before declaring war on the wicked Ravanasura. Similarly, Pancha Pandavas appealed to the Goddess while moving into ‘Ajnathavasam.’ Rukmini Devi sought the blessings of the Goddess to gain the affection of Lord Krishna.
Parasa appears in different forms
During ‘Navaratri,’ Adi Parasakthi appears in different forms on those nine days and eventually on the tenth day, She regains her peaceful and pleasant form.
In some places of India, the Goddess is worshipped as
- ‘Shailaputri’ on the first day,
- ‘Brahmacharini’ on the second day,
- ‘Chandraganta’ on the third day,
- ‘Kushmanda’ on the fourth day,
- ‘Skandamata’ on the fifth day,
- ‘Katyayani’ on the sixth day,
- ‘Kalaratri’ on the seventh day,
- ‘Mahagauri’ on the eighth day and
- ‘Siddhidatri’ on the ninth day.
In Southern states, Goddess Parasakthi or Goddess Durga is adorned in different ‘avatars’
- as ‘Bala Tripura Sundari’ blessing the childless women,
- as ‘Kaumari’ blessing the unmarried girls,
- as ‘Vaishnavi’ creating co-ordination between Siva Kesava,
- as ‘Mahalakshmi’ producing Ashtaaishwaryam,
- as ‘Saraswathi’ providing knowledge,
- as ‘Durga’ reducing the difficulties of the destitute,
- as ‘Mahakali’ chopping the heads of the evil and finally appears
- as ‘Rajarajeswari Devi’ on the Vijaya Dasami day.
Navarathri in India
In Northern India, Navaratri is celebrated as the victory of Lord Rama over the wicked king Ravana. People in Northern India burn the effigies of Ravana and Kumbhakarna to commemorate the victory of the good over the evil. They distribute sweets commonly to all the people.
In Western India, Navaratri is celebrated with the famous Garba and Dandiya Raas dance. Garba is the most famous dance in Gujarat where women dance gracefully in circles around a pot containing a lamp. In West Bengal and North East places, Devi Durga is shown with various weapons in her hand riding a lion.
The lion signifies the energy and power while the weapons denote the concentration needed to destroy the evil and to establish peace and harmony all over the place. The idols are worshipped for nine days and on the tenth day, the clay idols of Goddess Durga are immersed in the river.
Bommala Koluvu
In Southern India, during Navaratri, women place an exhibition of various dolls and figurines. They invite their neighbours, friends and relatives to look at the exhibition of various dolls. This kind of exhibition is called with various names in different states. In Kannada, this exhibition is called ‘Bombe Habba’, ‘Bommala Kolu’ in Tamil, ‘Bomma Gullu’ in Malayalam and ‘Bommala Koluvu’ in Telugu. In Telangana, it is celebrated as ‘Bathukamma Panduga.’
Women create flower stacks in a time-honoured style using local flowers for the worship of the Mother Divine. Unmarried girls join the communal worship to seek a spouse of their choice and married women seek the bliss for children. In Kerala, on the tenth day, after nine nights, 108 Durga temples are decorated.
In Andhra Pradesh, Mysore and most of the states. Goddess Durga is decorated in various forms and on the tenth day, She is taken into the river with a grand procession and gaiety.
The Significant Pujas performed during Navaratri
One of the most significant Puja is ‘Bala Puja’. Girls are worshipped as Goddesses. Two-year-old girl as Kumari and three to ten-year-old girls are called with varied names like Trimurthy, Kalyani, Rohini, Kalika, Chandika, Sambhavi, Durga, and Subhadra. During nine days from Day 1 to Day 9, Puja is performed daily to one age group to receive the blessings of the Mother Goddess.
On the day of ‘Mula Nakshatram’. Mother Goddess is decorated as Goddess Saraswathi and on the tenth day i.e., Vijaya Dasami day as Rajarajeswari Devi. These two days are predominantly selected for ‘Aksharabhyasam’ for children having three years to get blessings from Mother Goddess.
On the eighth day, people perform ‘Ayudha Puja’ placing books, stationery, machines, vehicles and other things and requesting Her to bless them with knowledge, wealth, health and courage. The ninth day is called Maharnavami. It is the last day of ‘Sarannavarathri’. It puts an end to all the nine-day processions with ‘Purnaahuthi.’
It is believed that the flames that come from ‘Purnaahuthi’ kill the evil and weakness of human beings and fill the mind and spirit with happiness.
The ‘mantras’ that are chanted loudly spread a cool ambience and bless the people with prosperity and health. On the tenth day, after nine nights people perform puja to ‘semivruksha’ (shami tree) and keep the leaves at home safely. It is the belief that it reduces sin that is committed, removes fear and improves cordial relations among the relatives and the neighbours.
Goddess Kanakadurga in Vijayawada, A.P.
The Vedas, the Puranas and the Shastras say that a teacher shows the path of knowledge. Mother is the first teacher of a child. Similarly, the Mother Goddess is the first teacher of the entire universe. It is impossible to compare the greatness of Mother Goddess who is the sole cause of this creation.
She is the energy of three Goddesses. Among the Tri-Goddesses, the first Goddess is Parvathi who stopped ‘Kalakuta Visham’ (poison) in the throat of Lord Shiva when Lord Shiva had drunk for the welfare of the universe.
The second Goddess is Mahalakshmi. She is the reason for the whole wealth concentrated in the universe. The third Goddess is Saraswathi who is the abode of knowledge. The energy of these three Goddesses is concentrated as one is called Durga. She got consecrated on the hill Indrakeeladri with the river Krishna flowing on its sides. Vijayawada is the place where Indrakeeladri is located.
It is one of the most famous temples in India. She is the consort of Lord Malleswara Swamy.
Pleased with Andhra Pallava Madhava Varma for his selfless deeds and ‘dharma,’ Goddess Durga blessed him with wealth. From then onwards, She has been called ‘Kanaka Durga’. She blesses her people with wealth and health, protects them from enemies and removes their difficulties.
It is said that Arjuna of Pandavas during their ‘Vanavasa’ did penance, pleased Lord Maheswara and possessed ‘Pasupathasthram’ from Him on the hill. People from distant places visit Durga temple and receive her blessings. During Saranavaratri, the temple glows with lights all over, devotees everywhere expecting Darshan and the chants of ‘Mantras’ all over the temple spreading pleasant ambience.
On the nine days, Goddess Durga appears in nine different forms and on the tenth day i.e. Vijaya Dasami, She appears as Rajarajeswari Devi in a pleasant mood. She is taken in procession in the river Krishna on a boat specially decorated for Her.
