Jai Mata Ji! Happy Navratri!

[DeviChaaya]

Happy NAVRATRI everyone! Today is the first day of this most sacred of festivals and is in honor of Ma Shailaputri. Or if you follow the Chandipath the first three days are dedicated to Maha Kali Ma.

Jai Mata Ji!

What will the other forum shaktas be doing on these most auspicious days and nights? My vow is to go to temple every day and to wear a sari every day. I am even posting this from my temple! Mataji looks as if She is smirking; I think it's possible she Iis just as excited as we are!

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Jai Mata Di!

I will be attending temple for 7 days, as I am away from home visiting my first temple and catching up with my good friends where my Journey into Hinduism started. I went to the morning Durga Murti Sthapanam - made a special flower mala for the occasion and then came back in the evening for a Devi Puja.

Tomorrow evening is Lakshmi Puja and Garba. I will be participating in the puja and then stumbling around in a circle attempting to "dance".

:camp:

 

[Sumit]

Jay Mata Di, Happy Navaratri to all. May Devi Maa illuminate the path of our lives.
Here is my one of favorite Bhajan, It's regional song but you will still enjoy it.

[youtube]2Y52zMyrSqA[/youtube]
Nareni Durga Bhawani - YouTube

 

[JaiMaaDurga]

Namaste & Shubh Navaratri!

I have been instructed not to give details, but this year is a special one

JAI MATA DI

 

[Maya3]

Happy Navaratri!

I will do small pujas at home and at least visit the temple once or twice.
I love Navaratri, this is also a very tranfsormative time for me personally.

Maya

 

[Aupmanyav]

Sumit's temple in winter (Surkanda Devi):

Jai Mata Ki.
(Nav Durgas visit us today)

 

[ShivaFan]

Our Local Goddess! Jai Mata Ji!

 

[Aupmanyav]

I think it's possible she Iis just as excited as we are!

Which woman would not be, visiting her people after a break of one year?

 

[Jainarayan]

I would like to do even a little something to honor Mother, but I'm not sure what. Going to temple is out of the question; I may be able to fast for a day or three during the time, but I don't physically react well to fasts. I don't know how to do a puja, nor would I attempt it. While I feel that anything done with love for God(dess) is accepted with love, even I feel that some things should be done "properly". I could light a 7-day and then a 2-day candle and keep them burning continuously, but the idea of leaving a candle, even placed in a bowl of water, gives me high anxiety. So I may just light a small candle or deepa in the evenings letting it burn completely, and make a daily votive offering: light, incense, fruit and nuts, water. That's what I did last night, for a different reason, not knowing that maybe I was doing it for Mother.

 

[Sb1995]

happy nivratri

 

[Poeticus]

Which woman would not be, visiting her people after a break of one year?

I'm reminded of a folk-tradition (something that my grandmother used to tell me):

Devi Umiya Ma is quite a stubborn one. She's always up in the front of the tribe doing a whole lot of can whooping on people and dark forces that seek to do harm upon the kula. With her swords unsheathed, an arrow nocked on point on one of her elongated recurves, a golden mace that probably has more mass than the largest known black hole; Devi Umiya Ma can be a terrifying sight to behold. Yet, she has to be invited---a day off from jealously guarding the kula, she has to take. So every now and then, at the most twice a year and not too often because she kind of gets upset by having to take a break from the battlefield, the parents, and uncles and aunties and dadi-s and dada-s, host a homecoming party inviting Devi Umiya Ma to take some time off from can whooping and rakshasa-slaying and chillax in the crib. When she comes, there's a whole lot of food awaiting her. Also, there are a throng of people chanting her name and singing songs. We placate her, cunningly manipulating her to stay some longer (which she dislikes because all she wants to do is go back out there and whoop some more butts---imagine Kali-Durga going apesh*t and intensify that by ten thousand), through the offering of ghee and the lighting of numerous diya-s. But then onwards she swiftly leaves to partake in glorious Rakshasa-whooping on the ethereal battlefield, her duty of defending the kula being desirously primordial.

Moral of this story: Jai Mata Di & Happy Navratri.​

 

[Aupmanyav]

So I may just light a small candle or deepa in the evenings letting it burn completely, and make a daily votive offering: light, incense, fruit and nuts, water. That's what I did last night, for a different reason, not knowing that maybe I was doing it for Mother.

When you do not know what to do, just bowing to the mother is enough. You did more than that. Do not do anything which gives you anxiety. Deities do not demand it.

 

[Jainarayan]

Exactly, simple is best. That's why I felt good about doing what I did and will continue to do just that. Oh, and maybe a sloka or two.

 

[Maya3]

I would like to do even a little something to honor Mother, but I'm not sure what. Going to temple is out of the question; I may be able to fast for a day or three during the time, but I don't physically react well to fasts. I don't know how to do a puja, nor would I attempt it. While I feel that anything done with love for God(dess) is accepted with love, even I feel that some things should be done "properly". I could light a 7-day and then a 2-day candle and keep them burning continuously, but the idea of leaving a candle, even placed in a bowl of water, gives me high anxiety. So I may just light a small candle or deepa in the evenings letting it burn completely, and make a daily votive offering: light, incense, fruit and nuts, water. That's what I did last night, for a different reason, not knowing that maybe I was doing it for Mother.

To clarify what I mean by puja, my husband and I chant OM, burn incense, offer sweets, water and flowers, wave a candle and araati, that is it.

Do what feels genuine and heartfelt, if you want if not that is fine too.

Maya

 

[DeviChaaya]

Today is the second day of the most holy nine nights. Today and tonight we offer our humble obeisance to Shri Brahmacharini Mata ji. This is the form of Mata ji who observed sever penance to gain Shri Shiva as Her consort.

Lost in Mataji's divine Maya Shiva could not see that She had returned to him as Parvati and so She set about stripping him of Her Maya. This is a beautiful leela!

 

[Fireside_Hindu]

Last night was Lakshmi Puja an Garba. I was even brave enough to speak a few words in Hindi with my friends. Garba was fun and it only took me a few minutes to figure out the steps again.

Tonight at our temple is a ceremony called "Pushpanjali". I know the word means to offer flowers, but I don't know the details of the ceremony. It will be interesting to attend. =)

:camp:

 

[Aupmanyav]

Nava Durga (note the iconography):

 

[Aupmanyav]

Unfinished Ravana effigies lining the road (But I think the structural design needs a huge improvement).
There would be thousands of Durga visarjans in Delhi on Navami and thousands of Ravana effigy burnings in Delhi on Vijauadashami.

 

[Vinayaka]

Here's hoping all will have a enjoyable festival, with successful prayers.

 

[DeviChaaya]

Yesterday was the third day of Navratra and we paid our obeisances to Ma Chandraghanta, She with the Moon in Her Hair. Today is the fourth day of Navratri and we pay our obeisances to Kushmanda Ma, whose name means World Egg. It is only because of her smile that existence burst into creation.