Gayatri Sankar
It’s that time of the year when the sounds of
dhol and the clapping of
dandiya sticks
are heard and feet tapping music gets you grooving to some of the most
delectable numbers from Bollywood. Decked up in colourful
desi attires one gets to feel India within - a nation which celebrates Navratri (meaning nine nights) amidst much pomp and show.
Though
these festive nine days are dedicated to Shakti or the nine forms of
Goddess Durga, people across the country have their unique way of
celebrating the festival. While the celebrations in the metropolitan
cities have a very commercial feel to it, the traditional way of
celebrating Navratri is a very different and far more spiritual.
It
wouldn’t be possible for an individual to visit the length and breadth
of the country during the festive season to experience the fervour of
Navratri in ways that are region specific, but this piece can make one
go places virtually! Here’s taking a look at how the different states of
India celebrate the auspicious nine nights of Navratri:
Tamil Nadu
This
Dravidian state adds a religious touch to the celebrations by
dedicating the nine special nights to Goddess Durga, Goddess Lakshmi and
Goddess Saraswati.
Women belonging to the Iyer community invite
married women to their homes in the evenings and gift them with
accessories like bangles, earrings and other items that are symbolic of
their marital status. These are suggestive of prayers for their husbands
and their long lives. A coconut, beetle leaves and beetle nuts, and
money are also given as gifts to these women. A special recipe called
‘Sundal’ made of lentil seeds and pulses is made on each day and served
to the guests.
Some people also display a `Golu` at their homes.
`Golu` is an arrangement made on a make-shift staircase with nine
stairs. Each stair symbolizes each day of Navratri. Decorative items,
idols of Gods and Goddesses are placed on the stairs. In most cases, the
dolls that are used for the ‘Golu’ are handed over from generation to
generation.
Andhra Pradesh
`Batukamma
Panduga` is celebrated during Navratri in Andhra Pradesh, especially in
the Telangana region. `Batukamma Panduga` means `Come Alive Mother
Goddess`. These nine days are dedicated to Shakti and are celebrated in a
very unique way.
Women prepare `Batukamma` which is actually a
beautiful flower stack, arranged with seasonal flowers, in seven layers.
It is made to look like a pot made of flowers. Batuku in Telugu means
life and Amma, as we all know, means mother. So, this festival is
devoted to celebrating universal motherhood. Women wear silk sarees and
gold ornaments and make the most of these nine days to dig a hole in
their husband’s pockets!
After preparing their respective
Batukamma’s, women gather in the evening for the ritual. They place them
in the centre and dance around them by singing folk songs dedicated to
Goddess Shakti. Then they march towards a lake or any other water body
and set afloat their Batukammas.
Kerala
Unlike
Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, Kerala celebrates only the last three
days of Navratri. Ashtami, Navami and Vijaya Dashmi are of utmost
importance for the Keralites. This South Indian state that tops the
literacy rate in the country, considers these three days as the most
auspicious time to initiate learning. They place books, musical
instruments (if any) in front of Goddess Saraswati’s idol on the day of
Ashtami. The books are worshipped and people pray to the Goddess for
granting them wisdom and knowledge. On the tenth day, the books are
taken out for reading.
Karnataka
Karnataka
will be celebrating its 402nd Navratri this year. Karnataka’s way of
celebrating Navratri dates back to the times of Raja Wodeyar in the
1610. The way people spend these nine nights are absolutely historic in
nature, for they follow the same trend which was followed by the great
Vijayanagara dynasty. It’s called `Naada Habba’ in the state. However,
the basic reason for the celebrations remains the same - victory of
Goddess Durga over demon Mahishasur, who happened to be a resident of
Mysore. The celebrations include procession of elephants on the streets.
Fairs and exhibitions of handicrafts and artifacts are common feature.
West Bengal
The
East Indian state of West Bengal celebrates Navratri as Durga Puja with
much pomp and glitter. Starting from the seventh day until the tenth,
Poshchim Banga looks drenched in bright and vibrant colours as Maa Durga
descends from the heaven to visit her maternal home on Earth. She is
received with much love and warmth and her arrival and departure are
overwhelming, for she departs only to return the following year.
Beautiful
and extravagant pandals are constructed and Maa Durga and her sons -
Kartika and Ganesha - and Goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswati are sculpted
in different forms much before the festive season starts. For the Gods
and the Goddesses, pandals become their temporary abode and their sight
mesmerises one and all. A literal visit to the capital city during Durga
Puja is `a must watch` in one’s lifetime.
Gujarat
A
clay pot symbolizes the garbha or the womb which is the source of life
on earth. It is a prominent feature during Navratri celebrations in
Gujarat. Women in vibrant and grand costumes dance around the pot which
is filled with water, a betel nut and a silver coin. A coconut is placed
on the top of the pot. The folk dance form of Garbha derives its name
from the iconic clay pot around which women whirl and dance. Even men
play Garbha along with women. Dandiya Raas is another important
attraction in Gujarat during the festive season. Sticks of equal length
are used for the dance and the only difference between this form of
dance with Garbha is that the sticks are used for clapping instead of
hands.
Maharashtra
For
the Maharashtrians, Navratri is an auspicious time to initiate new
beginnings, buying a new home or a car. Women invite their female
friends to their homes and gift them with a coconut, beetle leaves and
beetle nuts. They put haldi and kumkum on the foreheads of the married
women as a gesture of `Saumangalyam` (remaining the wife of her husband
until her last breath). The Navratri celebrations in Maharashtra,
especially in Mumbai, bear resemblance to Gujarat owing to its
geographical proximity to the state. Each and every locality has its own
garba and dandiya nights celebrations and the whole family drenches
itself in the festive spirit.
Himachal Pradesh
The
beautiful state of Himachal Pradesh celebrates Navratri with utmost
devotion. Navratri is a time when people meet up with their relatives to
collectively pay their respect to the Almighty. It is the most
important festival for the Hindus of Himachal. The tenth day of this
grand festive season is called Kullu Dusshera in the state. Unlike other
states, the festival begins in Himachal when it ends elsewhere. People
mark this day to rejoice the return of victorious Lord Rama to Ayodhya.
Songs and dance are common ways to express devotion and exhibitions of
various items are set-up. On Dusshera or Dashami, the deities from the
temples of the village are taken out in processions.
Punjab
The
Punjabis have a unique way of paying obeisance to Goddess Shakti. Most
of the people in Punjab go on a fast for the first seven days. They also
organize a
jagraata (keeping awake whole night by singing
devotional songs dedicated to the Goddess). On the eighth day or
Ashtami, the fast is broken by organizing a
bhandara for 9 young girls (Kanjika). A
bhandara means a feast that includes puris and halawa chana. The girls are also gifted with a red chunri.
