Navarathri ,Golu Essential Details.

[P.J.]

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Navarathri ,Golu Essential Details.

Navaratri

Navratri in 2015.

Navratri Day 1 – October 13, 2015 – Ghatsthapana – Navratri Begins
Navratri Day 2 – October 14, 2015 – Chandra Darshan (Tithi is repeated)
Navratri Day 2 – October 15, 2015 – Sindoor Tritiya
Navratri Day 3 – October 16, 2015 – Varad Vinayak Chaturthi
Navratri Day 4 – October 17, 2015 – Upang Lalita Vrat – Lalitha Panchami
Navratri Day 5 – October 18, 2015 – Saraswati Awahan
Navratri Day 6 – October 19, 2015 – Saraswathi Puja (western parts of India)
Navratri Day 7 – October 20, 2015 – Saraswathi Balidan – Maha Lakshmi Puja (western parts of India)
Navratri Day 8 – October 21, 2015 – Mahashtami – Annapoorna Parikrama – Saraswati Visarjan
Navratri Day 9 and 10 – October 22, 2015 – Mahanavami and Dasami. The tenth day is celebrated as Dasara or Vijaya Dashami.

Note – Navratri day 9 and 10 are marked on same date in many calendars.

South India

In South India, Goddess Durga is worshipped during the first three days.
Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped during the next three days
Goddess Saraswathi is worshipped during the last three days.
The Navratri commences on the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashwin. The festival is celebrated for nine nights once every year during the beginning of October, although as the dates of the festival are determined according to the lunar calendar, the festival may be held for a day more or a day less.




Durga Lakshmi Saraswathi.jpg.

The Five Navaratri.

Navarathri is celebrated five times a year. They are Vasanta Navaratri, Ashadha Navaratri, the Sharada Navaratri, and the Paush/Magha Navaratri. Of these, the Sharada Navaratri of the month of Puratashi and the Vasanta Navaratri of the Vasanta kala are very important.

1. Vasanta Navaratri: Basanta Navaratri, also known as Vasant Navaratri, is the festival of nine days dedicated to the nine forms of Shakti (Mother Goddess) in the spring season (March–April). It is also known as Chaitra Navaratri. The nine days of festival is also known as Raama Navratri.

2. Gupta Navaratri: Gupta Navaratri, also referred as Ashadha or Gayatri or Shakambhari Navaratri, is nine days dedicated to the nine forms of Shakti (Mother Goddess) in the month of Ashadha (June–July). Gupta Navaratri is observed during the Ashadha Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon).

3. Sharada Navaratri: This is the most important of the Navaratris. It is simply called Maha Navaratri (the Great Navratri) and is celebrated in the month of Ashvina. Also known as Sharad Navaratri, as it is celebrated during Sharad (beginning of winter, September–October).

4. Paush Navaratri: Paush Navaratri is nine days dedicated to the nine forms of Shakti (Mother Goddess) in the month of Paush (December–January). Paush Navaratri is observed during the Paush Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon).

5. Magha Navaratri: Magha Navaratri, also referred as Gupta Navaratri, is nine days dedicated to the nine forms of Shakti (Mother Goddess) in the month of Magha (January–February). Magha Navaratri is observed during the Magha Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon).

• Durga, the inaccessible one
• Bhadrakali
• Amba or Jagadamba, Mother of the universe
• Annapoorna devi, The one who bestows grains (anna) in plenty (purna: used as subjective)
• Sarvamangala, The one who gives joy (mangal) to all (sarva)
• Bhairavi
• Chandika or Chandi
• Lalita
• Bhavani
• Mookambika.

• First three days
  
  The goddess is separated as a spiritual force called Durga also known as Kali in order to destroy all our impurities.

• Second three days
  
  The Mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees inexhaustible wealth, as she is the goddess of wealth.
• 
  Final three days
  
  The final set of three days is spent in worshiping the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati.
  
  
  
  In order to have all-round success in life, believers seek the blessings of all three aspects of the divine femininity, hence the nine nights of worship.
  
  
  
  
  Kolu-Golu
  
  Golu .
  
  
  
  During the festival of Navratri in South India, it is customary in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, as well as in some Tamil communities within Sri Lanka, to display a “Kolu” (also Golu, or Bombe Habba or Bommai Kolu or Bommala Koluvu). This is an exhibition of various dolls and figurines in odd (usually 7, 9, or 11) numbered tiers (“padis”).
• 
  
  When people come to a person’s house to see the Kolu, usually they are given prasad (the offering given to God that day), kumkum and a small bag of gifts. These are only given to girls and married women. In the evenings, a “kuthuvilakku” (small lamp) is lit, in the middle of a decorated “kolam”(Rangoli), before the Kolu and devotional hymns and shlokas are chanted. After performing the puja, the food items that have been prepared are offered to the goddesses.
  
  Kolu is adorned with dolls – predominantly with that of the gods and goddesses depicting mythology. It is a traditional practice to have at least some wooden dolls. There should also be a figurine of a boy and a girl together called ‘Marapacchi’ Bommai.[1] Some photos taken during Kolu of Navratri 2007 & 2010 are displayed at a home situated at Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India & at a home in Walldorf, Germany respectively are shown below. On the 9th day (Saraswati Puja), special pujas are offered to Goddess Saraswati – the divine source of wisdom and enlightenment. Books and musical instruments are placed in the puja and worshipped as a source of knowledge. Also, tools are placed in the pooja as part of “Ayudha Pooja”. Vehicles are washed and decorated, and puja is performed for them.
• The 10th day, “Vijayadasami” – is the most auspicious day of all. It was the day on which evil was finally destroyed by good. It marks a new and prosperous beginning. New ventures started on this day are believed to flourish and bring prosperity. Kids often start tutoring on this day to have a head start in their education.
• 
  In the evening of “Vijayadasami”, any one doll from the “Kolu” is symbolically put to sleep and the Kalasam is moved a bit towards North to mark the end of that year’s Navaratri Kolu. Prayers are offered to thank God for the successful completion of that year’s Kolu and with a hope of a successful one the next year. Then the Kolu is dismantled and packed up for the next year.
• ​
  Citation.
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navratri
  Related;
  https://ramanan50.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/what-is-navaratrihow-to-perform-pooja/
  
  

 

[P.J.]

The significance of Navaratri celebrations

The significance of Navaratri celebrations


Navratri is traditionally celebrated in honour of Devi, the Divine Mother. The Divine Mother is symbolic of energy, a manifestation of the Divine itself. Each day of Navratri we honour specific qualities of divinity with different homas and with different intentions. It is this energy, which helps God to proceed with the work of creation, preservation and destruction. Shakti means strength, power and energy, the womb for all creation, expressed as the mother aspect of the Divine. Shakti is the seed for all dynamism, radiance, beauty, equanimity, peace and nourishment.

Shakti is the life-force. There are five aspects of creation: Asti, is-ness; bhati, knowledge and expression; Preeti, love; nama, name and rupa, form. Matter has two aspects, name and form. Consciousness has three aspects, asti, bhati and preeti. Maya is ignorance or delusion, not being aware of the three aspects of consciousness and getting caught up in name and form. Different functional aspects of the divine energy, Shakti, have different names and forms. The “i” (ee) in Shakti is energy.

Without the “i”, “Shiva” becomes “shava” which in Sanskrit means lifeless. There are seven centres of energy or Shakti in the body called chakras in Sanskrit. In the Saktha system of worship, there is focus on all the energy centers. The Sri Chakra is thought to represent the whole body with the Devi in different forms, residing in different chakras. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, has spoken in detail about the chakras. He says, “Different emotions are linked with each of these energy centres.

” The first chakra, muladhara, is located in the base of the spine. Here, the energy manifests as inertia or enthusiasm. The Devi residing in this chakra is five-faced representing the five sense organs. Musical instruments are also associated with these energy centres. Sound vibrations produced by bass drums are connected to this chakra. The second chakra, swadhistana is the sex centre just four inches above the base of the spine. Here energy manifests as pro-creativity or creativity. Here, the Divine mother has four faces representing the four Vedas.

The third chakra, manipura, is the navel centre where energy manifests as four emotions: Generosity, joy, greed and jealousy (two positive and two negative emotions). Here, Devi has three faces representing srishti (creation), stith (maintenance) and laya (dissolution). Wind instruments like trumpets and clarinets are connected to this energy centre. The fourth Chakra, anahata, is located in the chest region where energy manifests as three emotions- love, fear and hatred. Devi is represented with two faces, signifying inward and outward focus.

This energy centre is influenced by the sound vibrations of string instruments like the violin and harp. The fifth Chakra, vishuddhi, is located in the throat region where energy manifests as two emotions – gratitude and grief. In the vishuddhi chakra, Devi’s form has a single face. She is beyond all duality. The melody of the flute connects with this chakra. The sixth Chakra, ajna, is located between the eyebrows where energy manifests as anger and alertness. Here, Devi is six-faced, representing the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste) and the mind.

Cymbals, chimes and bells connect with this energy centre. The seventh chakra, sahasrara, is located on the top of the head where energy manifests as bliss. It is also called brahmarandhra. Devi is represented as a fully blossomed lotus of a thousand petals. All the qualities in creation belong to her and are blossomed to their complete potential. The conch is the musical instrument connected with this energy centre.


By Bhanumathi Narasimhan, Art of Living Foundation.

 

[Janaki Jambunathan]

https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&r...V7UK-A1tDVNPNZA4w&sig2=YssUL--h0x5GzwJb0X8SsA

This is the 5 year the Mylapore Trio are organising Kolu in Madurai temple ! Simultaneouly they have done it in Sri Rangam temple as well ! These kolu are huge attraction and in fact there was a writ in Madurai bench Of madras Highcourt that this should be organised in Aadi veethi which can cater to the huge crowd instead of the usual inner Pragaram!Smt Sumuki Rajasekaran is my cousin on whose name the trust is organising cultural activities She was teacher in lady sivasami Iyer school and the Trio are her adopted children These pictures are from my file taken in my homeMore about their activities in their Web Sumuki Rajasekaran Trust

 

[Janaki Jambunathan]

https://www.google.co.in/url?sa=t&r...2bEzvY6YnXzGE7Rrw&sig2=JMnik0Bso48wwRhLNNHx_w


This is their link