If you love bright colored saris, music and drumming day and night, dancing people, glitter and glam, happy smiles and loads of tasty Indian food... - and if you have been in Mumbai the last week or so - then my guess is that you are still walking around with a smile on your face?! Because the Navrati festival (9-nights-festival) has all that - and so much more! And you are also maybe a bit exhausted?
Yes, dear reader, another big festival! For 9 days and 9 nights the divine mother Shakti in all her 9 forms has been celebrated....thoroughly! The 3 first days is for goddess Durga/Kali, remover of evil, suffering and imperfection, and then goddess of healing, wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi is worshiped, while the last 3 days is for Saraswati, goddess of creativity, wisdom and knowledge.
9 days, 9 nights, 9 forms of the goddess - and 9 colors: one for each day! Just imagine how gorgeous and vibrant this festival is?! People dress up in their best and most colorful clothes and put on jewelry. They bring flowers, fruit and other offerings to Shakti, asking for strength and blessings. Cars and rickshaws are decorated with flower -garlands, and there are parties going on constantly, all with a lot of food - a huge variety of dishes! And - then the Dandiya dance with sticks(which symbolize the swords of goddess Durga). The dance itself symbolize the fight between Durga and the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. We went to see the dance done by professionals:
And we popped in on a neighbor-hood party - lots of dancing going on...
And just when I took a deep breath, and thought it was all over, it was straight on to the next festival! Always starting with Navrati, on the tenth day - Dussehra is celebrated! The great celebration of the victory of good over evil! It symbolize the triumph of goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura, and Lord Ramas victory over demon Ravana (with the 10 heads) is celebrated all over India, including setting huge dolls of Ravana on fire. Pujas are performed and the evenings end with fireworks.
So, we celebrate the victory of good over evil - who is not in favor of that?
Yes, dear reader, another big festival! For 9 days and 9 nights the divine mother Shakti in all her 9 forms has been celebrated....thoroughly! The 3 first days is for goddess Durga/Kali, remover of evil, suffering and imperfection, and then goddess of healing, wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi is worshiped, while the last 3 days is for Saraswati, goddess of creativity, wisdom and knowledge.
9 days, 9 nights, 9 forms of the goddess - and 9 colors: one for each day! Just imagine how gorgeous and vibrant this festival is?! People dress up in their best and most colorful clothes and put on jewelry. They bring flowers, fruit and other offerings to Shakti, asking for strength and blessings. Cars and rickshaws are decorated with flower -garlands, and there are parties going on constantly, all with a lot of food - a huge variety of dishes! And - then the Dandiya dance with sticks(which symbolize the swords of goddess Durga). The dance itself symbolize the fight between Durga and the evil buffalo demon Mahishasura. We went to see the dance done by professionals:
And we popped in on a neighbor-hood party - lots of dancing going on...
And just when I took a deep breath, and thought it was all over, it was straight on to the next festival! Always starting with Navrati, on the tenth day - Dussehra is celebrated! The great celebration of the victory of good over evil! It symbolize the triumph of goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura, and Lord Ramas victory over demon Ravana (with the 10 heads) is celebrated all over India, including setting huge dolls of Ravana on fire. Pujas are performed and the evenings end with fireworks.
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| indiatimes.in |
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| 123greetings.com |
And it goes on - the wonderful festival of lights - Diwali - is coming up - just some weeks away...
All best wishes to you, dear reader. Thanks for following:-)
All best wishes to you, dear reader. Thanks for following:-)
We just went and played dandiya the other night. My daughter loves dressing up in the traditional Indian wear. So much fun!
ReplyDeleteYes, I can imagine:-) And they lovely outfits the girls put on! So many happy faces:-) best to you, Asmita:-)
DeleteΑγαπητή μου Eli, καλωσόρισες!!!
ReplyDeleteΧαίρομαι πολύ που σε γνωρίζω!
Ευχαριστώ για τα καλά σου λόγια!
Και το δικό σου blog έχει πολύ ενδιαφέρον! Υπέροχες οι φωτογραφίες σου από το πολύχρωμο φεστιβάλ!
Σου στέλνω πολλούς χαιρετισμούς και σε βάζω στα αγαπημένα μου για να τα λέμε.
Πολλά φιλάκια
Να εισαι καλα, Μαγδα! Χαιρομαι παρα πολυ που σου αρεσει το blog μου, και που σε βρικα - ! Πολλα φιλια σε σενα και στην Ελλαδα μας..
DeleteLove it! Festival season :) Love the dandiya dance!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah! Nothing like the festival season in India! Crazy! Hope you get to do lots of dancing and stuff over there:-) Have a lovely day, Alexandra:-)
DeleteDear Eli, this is one of the superb blog dedicated to India and Indians ! Thanks :-)
ReplyDeleteAwe:-) Thank you so much Paresh for kind and encouraging words. I so appreciate it:-) Best to you
Delete