Navarātri

A short introduction to Navarātri

Navarātri (a.k.a Dusshera or Durga Pūja) is a part of the Indian culture and tradition [1]. This Katham article tries to give the general public from all parts of India and NRI, few key information of the significance of this festival so that they can be in touch with their lost roots in the coming years. Navarātri, translates as “9 nights”. The festival is considered as a celebration of the Supreme goddess, who is revered as “Devi”, “Ambā”, etc. Adding the 10th “Vijayadasami” (Vijaya-Sanskrit- Success, Skt. Dasami-number 10) makes it Dussehra. It is said that Rām returned to Ayodhya on the 10th day and this day was considered the day of success of good over evil. Nevertheless, the day was already significant and had a definite relationship to the legend of the battle between Durga and Mahiṣāsura. Typically, Navarātri begins on Prathama thithi (First lunar day) after Amāvāsya (New moon). The number 9 as such is revered divine in south as the 9 days are split into 3 parts. The first 3 days are dedicated to Durgā (another form-Kali), the next 3 to Lakṣmī and the last 3 to Sarasvatī. Durgā is associated with courage and valour, Laksmī is associate with wealth and prosperity, Sarasvatī is associated with knowledge and wisdom. The trinity concept does not apply only to male deities in the Bhārath. Some people say that in ancient times there were 4 navarātris every year- The first two coincides with Śarada (Skt. Autumn) and Vasanta (Skt. spring) ṛthu (Skt. season). These might have to do with astronomy as well, as they coincide with equinoxes! Āshāḍha and Śyāmalā navarātrīs happen in Ādi and Thai months of lunar calendar,respectively [2]. Śyāmalā navarātri is associated with Madurai Mīnakṣi and festivities still happen in Thai month [3]. Carnātic listeners should recollect the nottuswara composition ‘Śyāmale Mīnakṣi|‘. Śarada navarātri is nowadays, referred to as navarātri. During this time the Čamundeṣvari temple in Mysore will be complete festive mood.

Religious approach

In Tamilnādu, where I hail from, the festival is organized by the woman of the house. The men of the household create using wood or metallic fitting 9 steps and cover it cloth and toy figurines will be arranged on it as shown in the attached figure. This is called a Kolu (Golu) [4]. Traditionally, these were made of mud or wood. One can see in olden households some of these traditional ones.

Nowadays, porcelain toys are then arranged in a particular order. Of importance is the dasāvatārā toys and the Aṣtalakṣmī (The 8 consorts of Viṣnu) in separate stairs. If you ask elders, how the toys ought to be  arranged, they might reply, “start with plants, trees in the first step, followed by birds, animals and finish with goddess in the last step depending on the intelligence of life-form”. A Kalaśa (metallic pot filled with water) resides on the ground. A coconut marked with Sandal and Saffron is kept on the top. A special chant is done to bring in the deity into this water to make it holy. This water is where the people believe to be god. This was be considered as a reverence to nature. This should be compared with the way people around the world misuse/pollute water in 21st century. Relatives, women from neighboring houses are invited. Children who know traditional Carnatic music can sing Kṛtīs (ballads) on Devi. As a token of appreciation, they will get a Sundal (boiled groundnut or chickpeas). Women children, especially, are gifted a new dress, as they are revered as the Goddess herself.   Boys or men are considered less important during these 9 days. Indian feminism is deep rooted than western feminism, which stops with Wonder Women. In temples of villages and town, huge processions with musical artistes playing the traditional instruments of the region can be seen. All 9 days in a village is considered a Vaibhavam (Days of festivities)

The Carnatic connection

 Several pre-independence composers of 18th and19th centuries have composed 9 kṛtīs on the supreme goddess [5]. The most notable of them are Ūthukādu Venkata kavi, Śyama Śastri, Muthuswāmi Dīkṣitar and Swāti Thirunal [6]. Many point that only the Travancore king Swāti Thirunāl created it specifically for the occasion of Navarātri celebration at Thiruvananthapuram palace and hence, are called Navarātri kṛtis [7]. Ūthukādu, a predecessor to all the composers, composed the Kāmākṣi Navāvarnams. Dīkṣitar was a genius in Sanskrit prosody, astrology, astronomy and geometry. His set of nine gems are said to have deep intellectual significance and were called Kamalāmba Navāvarnams [8,9]. Śyama Śastri, who was a temple priest, apart from being a composer, begged to goddess like a child similar to Rāmakṛiṣṇa Paramahamsā’s devotion to Kāli. His Navaratnamālika stands testimony to that. Some people also associate a specific Rāga (Skt. Indian music scale) to each day and sing an elaborate ālāpana (Skt. Melodic sequence) every evening of Navarātri. 

As one can see that even though India undergoes rapid changes in science, it keeps intact it’s cultural remnants as the oldest surviving civilization. The other old civilizations became extinct or were replaced by colonial settlers. As pointed out ‘Science without Religion’ has perils as it lacks morality and positivity. World war-II and current COVID-19 era stand testimony to this point. Indian civilization, the significance of festivities in this land, the moral basis on which it is built upon, can act as guidance to a prosperous world. As the freedom fighter Mahākavi Subramanya Bhārathi from Tamilnadu points out- ‘It is Śakti (or energy) which sustains life. I love life and hence, I pray to her. [10]