Srirasthu Subhamansthu Avignamansthu
Navaratri Celebrations at Viswa Sai Mandiram
Dear Sai Devotees,
The Tenth day of the bright half of the lunar month of Aashwayuja is Dussera, also known as Vijayadashmi,which follows nine days /Navrathri. This year Navarathri is begining from 19th Sep 09. So Lets all get together to celebrate and take the blessings of Sri Sai Durga.
Here is the schedule for Navarathri Celebrations in Viswa Sai mandiram. Every day there will be Vinayaka Pooja, Devi Ashtotram Pooja with turmeric and kum kum, Chanting of Lalitha Sahasranama, Lakshmi Ashtakam, Ashta Lakshmi Stotram and Annapoorna Stotram. Check the table below for the schedule of Devi Alankaram. Please bring your own Pooja thali to perform Kumkum Pooja.
Pooja Thali - Kumkum, Turmeric, Akshanthallu (turmeric coated rice grains), Flowers. (optional-Devi pic, Agarbathi, Camphor, Lailitha sahasranam book).
If anyone wants to prepare the Prasadam of the Day / Naivedyam as mentioned in the table please let us before thursday 17th Sep 09. We will be posting the list of devotees who would be preparing Prasadam for each day of Navarathri on 18th Friday.
Also,we all know that Sri Sai Baba has taken Samadhi on Vijaya Dasami. We are planning to conduct Sri Sai Satya Vratham on Vijaya Dasami/ Dussera at 5:30 PM ( 28th Sep 09).
Navrathri Alankaram Schedule
Sno | Thidhi | Alankaram | Color | Flowers | Prasadam |
1 | Padyami | Bhuvaneshwari Alankaram | Maroon | Red Flowers / Ganneru | Rava Kesari |
2 | Vidhiya | Bala Tripura Sundhari Alankaram | Yellow | Gold Flowers - Chamanthi | ChakraPongali |
3 | Thadhiya | Gayatri Devi Alankaram | Dark Green | Kanakambaram | Kattu Pongali |
4 | Chavithi | Annapoorna Alankaram | Yellow | Chamanthi | Daddojanam |
5 | Panchami | Lalitha Alankaram | Maroon | Thamara ( lotus flower) | Pulihara |
6 | Shashti | Lakshmi Alankaram | Green | Maruvam /Damanam | Laddu,Senagallu, Bellam Paravannam |
7 | Sapthami | Saraswathi Alankaram | White | White Chamanthi or Kaluva | Bellam Paravannam |
8 | Ashtami | Durga Alankaram | Red | Hibiscus | Pulihora |
9 | Navami | Mahishasura Mardhini Alankaram | Red with Blue Border | Chamanthi & all types of flowers | Vadallu |
10 | Dasami | Raja Rajeshwari Alankaram | Maroon | Red Ganeeru | Pulihara |
Every year during the lunar month of Aswayuja / Ashwin (September-October), Hindus observe ten days of ceremonies, rituals, fasts and feasts in honor of the supreme mother goddess. It begins with the fast of “Navaratri”, and ends with the festivities of “Dusshera” and “Vijayadashami.” Navratri is a very important and popular festival of India. While the way of celebrating the occasion might be different in different regions of the country, but the thought among all remains the same - to praise the goddesses and seek their blessings. Nav-Ratri - The festival of nine nights are dedicated to the three main goddesses of Hinduism - Parvati, Lakshmi and Sarasvati.
Nine Days Navaratri Celebrations
Navaratri is separated into sets of three days i.e. into three sets. These sets are made in order to adore different facets of the supreme goddess. On the initial three days, the Goddess is invoked as the supreme powerful force called Durga. Goddess Durga is meant to all our contaminations, evils and defects. On the next three days, she is worshipped as the mother of spiritual wealth, Goddess Lakshmi, She is the one who is considered to have the power of showering on her devotees with the blessings of never-ending wealth. In the final set of three days, the Goddess is worshipped as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. The one is responsible for spiritual enlightenment and overall success in life.
Navaratri Story
The story associated with Navratri can be found in various Hindu religious texts like Markandeya Purana, Vamana Purana, Varaha Purana, Shiva Purana, Skanda Purana, Devi Bhagavatam and Kalika Purana. The story of Navratra is the symbolic message of the fact that however glorious and powerful the evil become, at the end it is the goodness that wins over all of the evil. The story is associated with Maa Durga and Mahisasura, the buffalo headed demon.
The story begins from the life of two sons of Danu called Rambha and Karambha who performed austerities by to gain extreme power and authority. When their prayers became deeper and austerities became exceptional, the King of the heaven God Indra got perturbed. Out of fear, he killed Karambha. Rambha, who came to know about his brother’s death, became more stubborn to win over the Gods. He increased the intensity of his austerities and finally got several boons from gods like great brilliance, beauty, invincibility in war. He also asked a special wish of not being killed by either humans or Gods or Asuras.
He then considered himself immortal and started freely roaming in the garden of Yaksha where he saw a female-buffalo and fell in love with her. To express his love, Rambha disguised in the form of a male-buffalo and copulated with the female buffalo. However, soon after that a real male buffalo discovered Rambha mating with the she-buffalo and killed him. It was due to Rambha’s inflated ego that killed him, out of which he has not asked his death to be spared from the wrath of animals. As the pyre of Rambha was organized, the female-buffalo, who was copulated with him jumped into the funeral pyre of Rambha to prove her love. She was pregnant at that time. Thus, demon came out of the with the head of a buffalo and human body and he was named Mahisasura (the buffalo headed demon).
Mahishasura was extremely powerful. He defeated the gods and the demons and acquired power over the entire world. He even won over the heaven and threw devtas outside it. He captured the throne of Indra and declared himself to be the the lord of the gods. The gods led by Brahma approached Vishnu and Shiva and evaluated them of the situation. In order to save the Gods, the three supreme deities emerged a light of anger, which combined to the take the shape of Durga. All the gods then granted this Goddess of power with all the supreme weapons they had. This is why; Durga is called the brilliance of all the Gods.
When the goddess was seen by Mahishasura, he was mesmerized by her beauty. Her then fell in love with her and proposed to marry her. The goddess said she will marry him, if he defeated her in the battle. Then began a scary and terrible battle between both of then which continued for nine days. Finally, on the last day, Durga took the form of Chandika and stood over the chest of Mahishasura and smashed him down with her foot. She then pierced his neck with her spear and cut off his head off with her sword. It is the day when Vijayadashmi is celebrated.
Goddess Durga temples are flocked by devotees, where they offer prayers, perform aarti and chant mantras. Talking about Navratri mantra, it is chanted during the puja by the devotees, to protect themselves from evil. In the following lines, we have given Navratri mantra.
Mantras For Navaratri
Ya devi sarva bhutesu, shanti rupena sansthtia
Ya devi sarva bhutesu, shakti rupena sansthita
Ya devi sarva bhutesu, matra rupena sansthita
Namastasyai, namastasyai, namastasyai, namo namaha!
Sarva mangala maangalye shive sarvaartha saadhike
Sharanye trayambake Gauri
Narayani namosthute
Namoh devyai mahadevyai shivayai satatam namah
Namah prakrutyai bhadraayai niyataah pranataahsma taam
Annapoorne sadapoorne shankarah praanavallabhe
Njana vairaagya sidhyardham bhikshaam dehi cha parvati
http://festivals.iloveindia.com/navratri/navratri-customs.html
Hope U all have a great Festival Season !
Happy Dussera !
Sai Ram
Asha Tayi
