Navrathri

                           NAVRATHRI

Nararathri refers to the nine nights starting from the first day of the month of Asveeja.  During these nine nights,  all the three goddesses, namely, Lakshmi(Goddess of Welath),  Saraswathi (goddess of Education) and Durga or Shakthi (Goddess of Power) are worshipped.

In the southern states, namely,  Karnataka,  Tamilnadu,  Andhra and some parts of Kerala, it is customary to arrange dolls on steps specially designed for such an occasion.  This arrangement of dolls is called Kolu.   The traditional dolls include those of various gods like Krishna,  Rama,  Saraswathi,  Lakshmi, etc. Sometimes  people display dolls depicting a theme,  such as Dashavathara (the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu), Krishna Leela (the pranks played by Krishna when he was a child),  etc.

In addition to these themes,  some people select themes such as
parks,  a circus arena or a zoo garden. There are also dolls
of animals such as dogs, cats, elephants, tigers, lions etc;     But  a prominant place is given to a pair of dolls called Pattada Bombegalu (a man and a woman).  These dolls occupy the central place and are dressed up  like a bride and a bridegroom.  These dolls are carved out of wood and are handed over from generation to generation.  The dolls in the picture alongside are almost a hundred years old!

On these nine days,  women and children are invited to see the dolls. It is fun time for kids and women.  Sometimes kids are dressed up as Krishna and Radha;  women show their talents by singing songs  or doing kolattam(Dandia raas) and there is great rejoicing.  The lady who has invited the women and children offers prasadam to everyone - a sweet or some savoury item such as murukku or some sundal (cooked chickpea or green gram tempered with seasoning and garnished with coconut scrapings and chopped coriander leaves.)

On the seventh day Saraswathi Puja is performed.  On this day, school and college text books are kept in front of the Saraswathi Idol  and prayers are offered to the goddess for getting good grades in the examinations.  Students who learn  to play musical instruments   also worship Goddess Saraswathi for making them excel in the arts.(Goddess Saraswathi is always depicted as holding a Veena).

 The 8th  day is Durgashtami  and goddess Durga is worshipped on this day. The 9th day is referred to as Mahanavami or Maranavami.  It is also called Aayudha Puja day. In the olden days, Kings and warriors worshipped their weapons and prayed God to give them strength to vanquish their  enemies.  Now it has become customary to do puja to all household gadgets, cars, scooters, bikes, etc.  Navraatri is followed by Vijayadashami,  the tenth day of the month of Asveeja.  Vijayadashami is also referred to as Dussehra in Northern India.  This day signifies the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura.  Dussehra celebrations start on the Sapthami (seventh day of Navratri) .  Idols of Durga are installed and worshipped with great fervour mostly by Bengalis. These idols are immersed in water (visarjan) on Vijayadashami day.
Vijayadashami is also  significant  because it is on this day that Rama,(the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu) along with his brother Lakshmana  killed the King of Lanka,  Ravana  who had  abducted Rama's wife Sita.  In New Delhi,  huge effigies of Ravana,  Meghnath(Ravana's son) and Kumbakarna(Ravana's brother) are made and they are filled with fire crackers,sparklers,  etc,   These are set on fire by aiming lighted arrows at the effigies. The effigies burn  down signifying the victory of Rama over Ravana. These celebrations take place in many of the northern indian cities,  the most famous one being the one in the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi where dignitaries like prime ministers, or presidents set fire to the effigies by aiming lighted arrows.  Huge crowds throng the maidan to watch the celebration!

In Karnataka too, Vijayadashami marks the culmination of the navratri festivities.  It  is considered to be a very auspicious day. Children are made to learn  the alphabet  for the first time by spreading rice or sand on a plate and BY making them write the first letters of the alphabets on it.  This is known as Aksharabhyasa which means "learning of the Alphabet".   Those who want to learn the fine arts such as music  (both instrumental and vocal) start their lessons on  this day.  Those who are already learning music pay their respects to the Guru(teacher) by offering them gifts.    After the festivites come to an end the dolls are kept away safely for future use.
The most popular prasadam offered during Navratri is the Sundal or Usli and among the sundals the most popular is the one made with Chana.
Ingredients:
1.  Chick pea(whole chana or Bengal gram)   2 cups or any one of the following:
 chana dal  ( bengal gram dal), or Moong(green gram), or  black-eyed pea(Karamani or alasandi), or sprouted moong
2. Scraped coconut ----1/2 cup
3. Green chillies --------2(cut lengthwise)
4. Red chilles-----------2(cut into pieces)
5. Turmeric-------------1/2 tsp
6. hing or asafoetida----a pinch
7. curry pattha----------1 sprig
8. coriander leaves
    (chopped fine)-------1/2 tblsp
9.cooking oil------------2 tblsps
10.Mustard-------------1/2 tsp
11.salt to taste.

Usli using Chana:  Soak the chana  overnight in warm water. ( We can either use the ordiary black chana or Kabli chana).  Cook the soaked chana  in a pressure cooker.   After three or four whistles  put off the flame  and bring the  the cooker   to room temperature.  Open the cooker, add salt to taste and cook the chana in an open cooker till all  the water is  absorbed.  

 Heat the oil   in a kadai and add the mustard to this oil.  After the mustard has spluttered, add  red chillies, and hing   followed by green chillies and curry leaves.  Saute for 1/2 a minute. To this add the cooked chana and mix thoroughly.  Garnish with scraped coconut and chopped coriander.

Bengal gram dal does not require soaking overnight.  It can be cooked directly in a pressure cooker taking care that it does not get overcooked.   In case of moong and black-eyed peas,  it is first dry-roasted till it gives out a fine aroma and then cooked in the pressure cooker.  In case of sprouted moong ,  it is steam-cooked.; rest of the procedure is the same as for chana.

Sweets such as Mysorepak, cashew burfi,  coconut burfi, pedha, almond burfi, sonpapdi are also offered as prasadam.  Many of these sweets are available in the sweet shops.

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Let Goddess Durga bestow power, Goddess Lakshmi Wealth and Goddess Saraswathi Education on all those who worship them during the Navratri.