Lalitha Sahasranamam & Navaratri !!!

Many of us would be aware of Visnhu Sahasranamam  which is the chanting of the one thousand (sahasra) names of Lord Vishnu. It is said that Bheeshma while lying on his death bed taught Vishnu Sahasranamam to Yudhishtra.

Though it is called Sahasra Nama (1000 names) in fact it contains only 901 distinct sounding names. Eight hundred and fifteen names are repeated once, Seventy-five of these names are repeated twice, nine of these names thrice and two of these names four times. The acharyas have attempted to give different meanings to the same word in different places successfully. (Ref: Hindupedia).

Lalitha Sahasranamam ? How many of you know??

Lalita Sahasranamam contains the thousand names of the Hindu mother  Goddess Lalita Devi, considered to be a manifestation of the Divine Mother (Shakti) or Goddess Durga (Parvati, Mahakali). The names are organized as hymns (stotras). It is the only sahasranama that does not repeat a single name.

Lalita sahasranama is said to have been composed by eight vaag devis (vaag devatas) upon the command of Lalita. 

These vaag devis are Vasini, Kameshvari, Aruna, Vimala, Jayani, Modini, Sarveshvari, Kaulini. The sahasranama says that "One can worship Lalitha only if she wishes us to do so".

@ Sobha Palladian…..

The tradition of chanting Lalitha Sahasranamam every Friday evening was set in motion by Ahila & Venki as soon as some of us early settlers moved into Sobha Palladian. And within a few months families volunteered and took turns to host this chanting in their house . And this practice has been continuing uninterrupted for more than two years.

Once the group got proficient in reciting one set of sholakas, they would start learning a new set and thus a lot more sets of shlokas got added to the main chanting practice

Last year, this group decided to have the chanting session each day of the Navaratri season – during the 10 days of Dusssehra festival. And each day was hosted in one household.

And the ladies decided to wear a different colored saree each day.

Thus adding some zing &  a good dose of glamour to their godliness!!

This year , the number of families have increased and hence the group decided to have two chanting on some days , so that every house got the chance to host.

And they chanted a variety of songs & verses including Lalitha Sahasranamam, Mahishasura Mardhini, Lakshmi Ashtothram, Saraswati Ashtothram, Sri Suktam & Medha Suktam and a Thirupugazh for Aarthi (nadha vindu kaladi namo namah..)

And here is a chronology of the 10 day event.

Day 1, Sunday 29 Sept’19.

Color theme :  Bright Orange signifying the break of dawn/start of a new era!!

@ Ahila & Venki’s

Prasadam :  Shakarai Pongal & Payaru Sundal
and

@ Seshambal aunty, Prabha & Hrishi’s

Prasadam :  Kesari & Pattani Sundal.

Trivia :  A Navaratri story as told by my Patti .. 

Our country, Bharatavarsh was rich and prosperous. Everyone was happy and making merry and wallowing in their wealth. And they totally neglected acquiring knowledge and investing in reading the vedas and improving their mental faculties.

Goddess Lakshmi became very angry. In order to teach them a lesson, she took the form of a giant white horse and started rampaging the fields every evening.

The elders and rishis recognized this challenge and advised the people to appease the goddess and invest in reading &  learning.

So every evening the people made Sundal (made from boiled grams/pulses) and offered to this white horse. For nine days continuously they made sundal from nine different pulses (nava daniyam) and offered to Goddess Saraswati. On the ninth day they made the horses’ favorite Kothhu Kadalai (Black gram) sundal and celebrated that day as Saraswati Puja, The day of learning.

In south the next day, Viajaya Dashami, also marks the initiation of young kids to school & learning.  And in Vellore I have also joined a bunch of kids led by  Nadaswaram and Taval musicians and gone on a parade to the nearby school where our teacher took my hand and guided me to write  (A) and  !!  and I wrote on a slate with a balabam kuchhi. (a wooden-framed black shale tile and a sharpened piece of thin hard calcified pencil)

Those were the days !!!

Day 2, Monday 30 Sept’19.

Color theme :  White.  It represents purity, cleanliness, peace and knowledge. The goddess of knowledge, Saraswati is always shown as wearing a white dress, sitting on a white lotus..

@ Saroja aunty, Nirmala & Raghu’s.

Prasadam : Sakkarai Pongal & Karamani Sundal!!!

Nostalgia : In Dehra Dun, every year, religiously, my dad would take all of us to Ram-Lila maidaan, which was near the famous Paltan Bazaar & Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower). A huge dusty ground where huge effigies of Raavan, Kumbhakaran & Meghnath were erected. Stuffed with firecrackers and decked in brightly colored  glittering paper, Raavan, in he center , sported a huge mustache that went all the way on both sides to both the ends of his 10 heads!

And as the evening & the crowd grew, the place became dustier and filled with smoke. Wonderful smelling aroma from the frying Bhuttas. (corn on cob) Smoke from the shakkar gandhis (sweet potato) sizzling and roasting on hot coals and the ubiquitous thick smoke billowing from the hot earthen pots placed on top of that huge mound of Moong Falis (un-shelled peanuts). And along with that were the standard big glass jars containing Revadis & Gazaks made from freshly  harvested til (sesame seed)!!

And we would watch all the the effigies burn one by one as the loudspeaker blared with Jai Shri Ram and other chants. Dehra Dun, that time was predominantly a Jan Sangh stronghold. So you can imagine the fervor with which all such events were managed.

Jan Sangh was the predecessor to Janata Dal and BJP.

And we would return home after buying the mandatory set of teer-kamaan (bow & arrow), a Hanuman mask and bright colored bangles & scarfs for my sisters.

Those were the days !!!

Day 3, Tuesday 1 Oct’19.

Color Theme: Red. Signifying energy, wealth and celebrations. Goddess Durga & Lakshmi are depicted wearing red.

@ Baby aunty & Bhuvana’s

Prasadam : Mysore Pak, Karuppu karamani thitheeppu sundal (sweet black beans) and paan-beeda

@ Jayanthi & Krish’s

Prasadam : Karamani (lobia/black eyed beans) Sundal.

Trivia : The Navratri Golu depicts scenes from ancient times - celebrated Indian stories that have been passed on from generation to generation like the Ramayana, Puranas, and the Dashavataram. This is the time of the year that you revisit those precious lessons from timeless, age-old stories. The steps may also be interpreted as the evolution ladder that we are all traversing in the journey of life.

Checkout the wonderful Golu Display @ Sukanya & Mohana’s.

Day 4, Wednesday 2 Oct’19.

Color Theme : Royal Blue, the third primary color. It spiritually signifies the Healing Power of God. It is the most sublime color which represents, bionically, the Word of God. .. ( Ref. Google)

@ Lalitha aunty, Jayashree & Nataraj’s.

Prasadam : Aval Kesari (poha keasti) & Karamani Sundal.

Trivia :  Navratri is a celebration of Goddess Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura. A victory of good over evil. To end the atrocities of the demon, the Gods created Durga. Mahishasura wanted to marry her as he was fascinated by her beauty. Durga agreed on the condition that he defeats her in battle first. The battle went on for nine days and nine nights. On the tenth day, Durga emerged victorious as she killed the evil, buffalo-headed demon.

Listen to this wonderful recital of Mahishasura Mardhini that was recorded live by Nataraj!!

Day 5,  Thursday 3 Oct’19

Color Theme : Yellow.. Has stood for wisdom and intellect throughout the ages. It aids logic, memory, concentration, will - power and communication. Yellow is full of creative and intellectual energy. (ref Google)

@ Sukanya & Ashwin’s.

Prasadam : Kesari & Konda-kadalai Sundal (Kabuli chana)

Trivia :  Worshiping the nine planets: To propitiate the nine planets for a life of happiness and plenty, in some parts of Western India, ladies plant nine different kinds of food grain seeds in small pots during the nine days of Navaratri. The young saplings are then offered to the Goddess.

Day 6, Friday 4 Oct’19.

Color Theme : Green.  The color of life. Of rebirth and renewal!

@ Padma & Venkateshwaran’s

Prasadam :  Payaru Sundal  & Aravana  payasam (made of red rice, jaggery, ghee, cashew, coconut pieces, cardamom & dry ginger)

Aravana payasam was delicious and out of this world !

@ Sridevi & Ramesh’s

Prasadam : Semia Payasam & Konda Kadalai Sundal

Trivia :  The Saundarya Lahari (Sanskrit: सौन्दर्यलहरी) meaning "The waves of Beauty" is a famous literary work in Sanskrit believed to be written by sage Pushpadanta and Adi Shankara. ... Its hundred and three shlokas (verses) eulogize the beauty, grace and munificence of Goddess Parvati / Dakshayani, consort of Shiva. (ref: Wiki)

Day 7, Saturday 5 Oct’19.

Color Theme: Grey . Calmness & detachment. It is the color of balance and neutrality. 

@ Sangeeta & Mahadevan’s

Prasadam : Coconut-Besan burfi and coconut rice.

Trivia :  Here is another not well know story on Golu and Dussehra. Could be a modern ‘creative spin’ on the whats App. But nevertheless, interesting.

Goddess Durga is the 'Shakti' created by God Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh in order to curb the powers and kill the demon king Mahishasur, who had grown extremely powerful after getting a boon from Lord Shiva.

And the Goddess needed tremdndous power to fight the fierce and prolonged battle. So all the Gods and Goddess transferred their powers to Durga and they all stood still as statues all thru the nine days & nights of the battle. 

Hence the prominence of Gods & Goddess in Golu !!

Kind of neat explanation , is’nt it ??

It is also believed that Goddess Durga visits her mother with her children Ganesh and Kartik on the day of Durga Puja and returns to God Shiv on Dussehra.

Day 8, Sunday 6 Oct’19

Color Theme : Purple.  The color of royalty. The color purple stands for independence and liberation of one's mind and feelings.

@ Lalitha aunty, Jayashree & Srini’s

Prasadam : Ashtami Prasada Thali offered as Samardhanai.

(poori,halwa, til-coconut-peanut-jaggery laddu,rajgeera sweet, sweet potato-potato subji,fruit,coconut & a lifafa!!)

Jayashree and Srini had just returned from Char Dham viz., Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. And as per South Indian tradition the  devotees would perform a ‘Smaardhanai’ after  completing such an arduous journey. (Over a period of 15 days trekking over 3,00,000 steps, over 160 KM.)

Samaradhanai is a general prayer to all forms of the Almighty, offerings and feasting with the congregation. Samaradhana means thanksgiving to the deity and is celebrated with prayers and feasting with all friends and families in togetherness. (Ref. Google)

Day 9, Monday 7 Oct’19.  Ayudha Puja, Saraswati Puja !!

Color Theme : Peacock Green (Bluish Green or Greenish Bllue). Signifies Vision & spirituality. The Peacock is associated with Goddess Lakshmi who represents patience, kindness and luck.

@ Sudha & Kumar’s

Prasadam : Semia Payasam, Burfi & Pachha Pattani Sundal (Green Peas Sundal)

Trivia :  Ayudha (implements & tools) Puja - Worshipping computers & cutlasses: On the ninth day of Navratri in Tamil Nadu & Karnataka, implements used to earn a livelihood are worshiped. In some places even weapons are worshiped. For most of us it was Computers, CDs and software, books and musical imnstruments.. Of course, vehicles, machinery, rifles, machetes and cutlasses are also worshipped. And you can see Buses and Autos and Trucks beautifully decked with flowers, banana fronds tied to the grills and splashed with sandal paste and kum-kum!!

My car too sported a pair of banana fronds, triple stripes of vibhuti and a few splashes of Sandal paste!!

Checkout this beautiful live recording of Lalitha Sahasranamam

Day 10, Tuesday 8 Oct’19.Vijayadashami !!
Color Theme : Pink : Represents universal love for everyone. Pink represents friendship, harmony, affection and inner peace!

@ Mohana’s

Prasadam : Fruits Custard & Rajma Sundal

Trivia :  Lord Rama was a worshiper of Devi Bhagwati, the supreme power. He worshiped her for nine consecutive nights to emerge victorious over Ravana in the Dharm Yuddh. On the ninth day, Lord Rama proved his devotion to the devi and it was on the tenth day he emerged victorious after killing Dashanan (Ravana). Since then different incarnations of Devi Bhagwati are worshiped and it is on the tenth day Vijaya Dashmi is celebrated.

The end of Navratri, or the tenth day, marks Dusshera. 

And the ten hectic days came to an end @SP.

A Big Thank You to all the hosts and the enthusiastic participants.

And especially to all the senior ladies who attended regularly without a single break.

And to Seshambal aunty for teaching the first 50 shlokas Soundarya Lahiri so patiently and with so much dedication.

And most importantly  to the many new-comers and other invitees and guests for participating so eagerly and wearing the theme colors!!

Krish & Jayanthi.