Durga Navratri, or the nine (nava-) nights (-ratri) of Durga, are celebrated in the first 9 days of the bright half of the month (starting from the day after Amavasya) of Aswayuja/Asvina in the Indian lunar calendar (usually in end of September or early October). This period of nine days is the beginning of the festival season in all parts of India as the period of Navratri concludes with Dasehra (or victory day or Vijaya-Dashami) on the tenth day of the festival. The nine-day festival honors the role of three prinicipal female Goddesses in the Hindu pantheon – Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati.
Chaitra Navaratri or the nine (nava-) nights (-ratri) of Durga, are celebrated in the first 9 days of the bright half of the month of Chaitra (starting from the day after Amavasya). According to the Indian lunar calendar, this usually in late March or early April. This period of nine days heralds the onset of spring and also marks the beginning of the new year for the hindu calendar in most parts of India. Read more…
Pandit Jasraj is one of my favorite classical singers. he has the ability to make you close your eyes and transport you to the land of peace and meditation. I share with you one of my favorite compositions – a simple, slow, moving, yearning call to the Goddess Durga.
He has taken these few simple lines and transformed them into an incredibly powerful call or invocation to the Goddess.
“I have only one desire – please come and show me your face – dear mother, why don’t you come – this boy is lost without seeing you – I have no desire of any other vision!”
merI ek a.Ntar abhilaasha, pUro mayyaa, begI aavo, darasa dikhaa,
mayyaa merI, kyo.N nahI.N aavata, bichha.Daa baalaka ro ro pukaarata,
mujhe auro.N se nahI.N aasa..
मेरी एक अँतर अभिलाश, पूरो मय्या, बेगी आवो, दरस दिखा,
मय्या मेरी, क्योँ नहीँ आवत, बिछड़ा बालक रो रो पुकारत,
मुझे औरोँ से नहीँ आस..
“I have only one desire – please come and show me your face – dear mother, why don’t you come – this boy is lost without seeing you – I have no desire of any other vision!”
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