Post on 13-May-2015
Fest In - Vol 5 RC Zenith
Fest In - Vol 5 RC Zenith
Voice Of EditorAs a fest-In editor, sorry learner, I would like to wish my Rotary Family Apy Navarathri.
We are coming up with our 5th volume ‘Navarathri’ edition. To talk about this edition
we are having more than one story why we are celebrating Navarathri. Few stories are
really surprising and new to me, even for many. Here I like to thank my co-editor and the
‘fest-In’ chairman Rtr. Premalatha for allowing me to learn new myths, scenes, stories
and histories. As a reader we might skip things and shift to our interested area in any of
the magazine, but as an editor I suppose to go through each and every line of ‘fest-In’.
So there is no way to leaving things and shift to my interested area. I personally request
rotaractors to go through each and every topic of ‘fest-In’ especially “Idhu Namma Area”
to taste the full essence.
Regards,
Rtr.Saravanan,
‘fest-In’-Editor.
IPP SpeaksDear Rotaractors,
Warm Rotaract Greetings,
It gives me immense pleasure to pen my message for fest - In magazine, that to on
the Navarathri edition. Navarathri is one of my favourite festival for the Golu special,
Dhandiya nights, n those yummy sundals (he he).
First I would like to congratulate Rtr. Premalatha and the team for bringing such wonderful
magazine. Its not just an easy task to bring out a magazine, as i have expierence on it.
And I thank Rtr. Premalatha for giving me an opportunity to design this edition after a
long gap. Not only designing, i also enjoyed the myths about navarathri. Topics like idhu
namma area, kitchen zone, find out and G.K adds colors to the magazine. On behalf of
fest In team, I thank Rtr. Subbalakshmi, Rtr. Meena, Shanmugam and Sriram for sharing
their Golu Pictures.
Regards,
Rtr. IPP Swathi Sujir,
Rotaract Club of Zenith
sponsored by
Rotary Club of Madras North East,
Rotary International District 3230.
Fest In - Vol 5 RC Zenith
NavaratriNavaratri is celebrating with fun and
religious fervor by Hindus across India.
There are many stories (belief) why we are
celebrating Navaratri every year.
War against MahishasuraAccording to a very popular legend,
Mahishasura, the mighty demon worshipped
Lord Shiva and obtained invincible power.
Soon, he started killing the innocent lives
on earth and set out to win the seven
lokas. He acquired the swarglokas. Nobody
could save the living creatures from his
tyranny. Even the three mighty gods of the
Hindu Trinity - Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu
and Lord Shiva were unable to defeat
him. Therefore, all the gods, including the
Hindu Trinity, united their supreme powers
and created a divine named Ma Shakti or
Durga, the Warrior Goddess. With all the
accumulated power and the weapons
given by the gods, Goddess Durga set her
trail to defeat Mahishasura. To accomplish
the task, she fought against Mahishasura
in the war which extended for nine days.
After fighting hard with him for nine days,
Goddess Durga killed Mahishasura on the
tenth day. Consequently, she lifted the
tyranny of the demon off the innocent lives
on earth and restored the swarglok to the
devatas (Gods). Therefore, Navaratri is
celebrated to commemorate her victory
over the demon, which symbolizes the
victory of the good over the evil. The nine
nights of Navratri symbolize the nine nights
of the war between Goddess Durga and
Mahishasura.
Uma became SatiAccording to the story of Hindu mythology,
King Daksha of Himalayas was blessed with
a beautiful and virtuous daughter, named
Uma. She wished to marry Lord Shiva. In
order to tie the wedding knot with Lord
Shiva Uma worshipped him and pleased
him. Consequently, Lord Shiva married
Uma. One fine day, Uma, now the consort of
Lord Shiva, wished to take part in a Yagna
conducted by her father. Since her father
was not in good terms with him, Lord Shiva
refused her to witness the Yagna. Without
listening to Lord Shiva Uma alone witnessed
Yagna. When she turned up to the Yagna,
her father (King Daksha) insulted Lord Shiva
by his words. Uma was unable to withstand
the insult and she got angry and decided to
end her life by jumping into the agni kund
(Fire). Soon after doing this, she was united
with the eternity. Therefore, Uma came to
be known as Sati. Sati was reborn again.
In the second birth, Sati married Lord
Shiva and the divine couple lived happily,
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thereafter. It’s a belief that Sati will visit her
native place and stay with her parents. This
occasion is celebrating as Navarathri.
Konjam RamayanamLord Rama, who wanted to rescue his wife
Sita Devi from the demon King Ravana who
abducts her to his place. To free Sita Devi
from Ravana he was in need of enough
power to defeat him. So, he worshipped
goddess Durga in nine different forms for
nine days. At end of the day he got enough
power to defeat Ravana. Tenth day Rama
killed Ravana. As a note of remembering
it first nine days we are celebrating as
Navarathri and tenth day we are celebrating
as Vijayadashmi.
Ten daysFirst 3 days for Durga who gives us
courage, power and energy.Next 3 days for
Lakshmi Mata who gives us Wealth, Peace
and Prosperity.Next 3 days for Saraswathi
who gives us Knowledge and Wise. Last
day i.e.10th day is celebrating as dussehra
Saraswthi pujaThe Goddess Saraswathi is worshipped
as the Goddess of Learning, the deity of
Gayathri, the fountain of fine arts and
science, and the symbol of supreme
vedantic knowledge. In a well-decorated
room, books and grandhas (holy books)
are tastefully arranged with a picture or an
image of Goddess Saraswathi in front of it.
Sometimes weapons and implements are
kept by the side of books and garandhas.
Then a Puja is performed to Saraswathi.
Fruits, beaten rice, roasted paddy (malar),
jaggery etc, are offered to her. These
offerings will be distributed to the people
who witnessed puja.
Ayudha PujaThe ninth day of Navaratri is also called as
Ayudha Puja. The Ayudha Puja is a worship
of whatever implements one may use in
their livelihood. On the preceding evening,
it is traditional to place these implements
on an altar to the Divine. Children
traditionally place their study books and
writing implements on the altar. On this
day, no work or study is done, that one
might spend the day in contemplation of
the Divine.
Dussehra Navaratri and Dussehra is celebrated
throughout the country at the same
time, with varying rituals, but with great
enthusiasm and energy as it marks the
end of scorching summer and the start
of winter season. The tenth day after
Navaratri is called Dussehra. On this day,
in the northern side of India, people burn
effigies of Ravana, marks the victory of
Lord Rama over Ravana. This day is also
called “Vijayadashmi” i.e. day of victory.
According to Scriptures, by worshipping
the ‘Shakti’ on these nine-days the
householders attain the threefold power i.e.
physical, mental and spiritual, which helps
him to progress in life without any difficulty.
VijayaDashami is considered to be an
auspicious day for the Indian householder,
protects and preserves ‘Shakti’ (power) on
this day. The ‘Ramlila’ - an enactment of the
life of Lord Rama, is held during the nine
days preceding Dussehra. On the tenth
day (Dussehra or Vijay Dasami), larger
than life effigies of Ravana, his son and
brother - Meghnadh and Kumbhakarna are
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set to fire. The theatrical enactment of this
dramatic encounter is held throughout the
country in which every section of people
participates enthusiastically. In burning the
effigies the people are asked to burn the
evil within them, and thus follow the path
of truth and goodness, bearing in mind
the instance of Ravana, who despite all his
might and majesty was destroyed for his
evil ways.
We Indians believe that anything which
started on the day of vijayadashmi will be
end with success. So that students start
their new courses on studies in this day and
people use their implements and read the
books which are placed before the goddess
on the day of saraswathi pooja, on this day.
CelebrationsNorth India
The devotees fast for the nine days and
worshipped goddess durga. In Bengal the
bengalis worshipped a large idols of durga,
perform songs and dance and the tenth
day the idol will immerse into water. They
celebrate kannya pooja on the tenth day;
people worship pre-pubescent young girls,
known as ‘kanyas’, as the embodiments of
Goddess Durga.
In Gujarath, gujarathis perform songs and
dance - Dandiya Raas (dance by women)
and Garba Raas (dance by men) during
their worships. In Dandiya Raas women
place an earthen pot in the center and they
dance around it. The pot is considered as
goddess durga. Sometimes durga idols
also placed instead of the pot.
South india
In Maharashtra, people worshipped goddess
durga on all the nine days and the tenth day
they worshipped saraswathi. They keep
their books and implements before the
image or idol of goddess saraswathi. This
day is also considered auspicious to begin
any new thing or to buy new ornaments.
Kerala, they start the formal education on
these nine days and they celebrate the
saraswathi pooja on the ninth day.
Bommai kolu is arranged in Tamilnadu,
Karnataka, and Andhra Pradhesh. They
believe that goddess durga, lakshmi, and
saraswathi give their presence in the form
of kolu. Traditionally they arrange kolu
in 3 steps upto 11 steps. They follow a
traditional way to arrange the dolls or kolu
bommais. Usually this order is followed,
from the top in first step idols of god and
goddess (Ganesha, Shiva, Vishnu, Bhrama,
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Saraswathi, Durga, Lakshmi, Muruga) are
placed. In second step they place avatars of
god (Dhasavatar, Ashtalakshmi). Third step
is for saints, yogis (munivargal). Followed
by this, in the next step human being dolls
Forms of GoddessForms of Durga
are placed. After this animals and birds are
placed in the next step. Reptiles, plants,
water and the things which are made by
man (shops, villages, cities, parks etc.) are
placed followed by the animal and bird’s dolls.
Shailputri
Kushmanda
Kalratri
Brahmacharini
Skanda Mata
Maha Gauri
Chandraghanta
Kathyayani
Siddhidatri
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Forms of Lakshmi
Forms of Saraswathi
Adilakshmi
Gajalakshmi
MahaSaraswati
Vidyalakshmi
Dhanyalakshmi
Santhanalakshmi
Mahaneel Saraswati
Dhanalakshmi
Dhairyalakshmi
Vijayalakshmi
Mahavidya
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Gallery!Golu @ Rtr. Meena’s Home Golu @ Rtr. Meena’s Home
Golu @ Shanmugam’s Home
Golu @ Rtr. Subbalakshmi’s Home
Golu @ Shanmugam’s Home
Golu @ Shanmugam’s Home
Golu @ Sriram’s Home with Republic Day Theme
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Kitchen Zone...Here some special recipes of Navarathri for you…
Saboodana VadaaIngredients: Potato - 1, boiled, peeled and mashed.Green Chillies - 8-10 (crushed), Sago - 1 Cup, Peanuts - 1/2 cup (roasted and crushed crudely, Rock salt (for taste), Oil (to deep fry)
Method:• Wash Sago and soak it for about 3 hours. • Add all the ingredients to Sago except oil. Grind it all into a paste. • Heat the oil in a pan. • Make small vadas with the paste. Slip these into the heated oil on medium flame.• Keep frying the vadas till they turn crisp and light brown. • Serve with badaam chutney
Aval KesariIngredients: Rice Flakes (poha) - 1/2 cup, Sugar - 1/2 cup, Ghee - 2 teaspoon, Cashews – 5nos, Cardomom - 1/4 teaspoon, Safforn colour
Method:
• Melt some gheein a kadai • Roast the cashews in the ghee and put aside. • In the remaining ghee, roast the rice flakes until golden brown.• Pour safforn into some water and bring to a boil. Add the flakes and allow them to get cooked for few minutes. Pour sugar and cardomom to it.• Keep stirring the mixture until it becomes non-sticky. If required, add some more ghee. Add the roasted cashwes to it. Serve hot.
Sweet thukkadaIngredients: Maida flour/All purpose flour - 1 Cup, Sugar – 1 & 1/2Cup, Cardamom powder - 1/4 teaspoon, Water - 3 Cups, Oil - For frying thukkada
Method:• Make dough with maida flour and roll it into small chappatis • Cut the chappati into small pieces and deep fry these thukadas .• Make sugar syrup which is in one string consistency.• Add the thukadas and cardamom powder to the sugar syrup.• Serve it.
Fest In - Vol 5 RC Zenith
Idhu namma area…Navartri Crossword:
Across:3) Navaratri commences on this day.
4) Goddess of wealth.
7) Gujaratis celebrates Navaratri with this famous dance.
8) The festival that sees nine nights of celebrations.
Down:1) One of the nine forms of Shakti, a prominent hindu goddess.
2) A demon whose death Navaratri commemorates.
5) The goddess of wisdom.
6) The festivals comes right after Navaratri
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How is Your G.K?1) Which form of Goddess Durga is
worshipped on the first day of Navratri?
• Brahmacharini
• Chandraghanta
• Shailputri
• Kushmanda
2) Who wrote the great epic Ramayana?
• Veda Vyasa
• Valmiki
• Dronacharya
• Vishwamitra
3) Garba’ is the folk dance of which state?
• Gujarat
• Andhra Pradesh
• Maharashtra
• Tamil Nadu
4) Which place of Karnataka is famous for
its elephant processions on the occasion
of Dussehra?
• Hubli
• Bangalore
• Mysore
• Mangalore
5) In the given picture, the form of Durga
is called…
• Kalaratri
• Maha Gauri
• Siddhidatri
• Skanda Mata
6) Vaishno Devi shrine is situated in which
state?
• Uttaranchal
• Jammu and Kashmir
• Himachal Pradesh
• Rajasthan
7) Which state celebrates ‘Bommai Kolu’
that is the display of dolls during Navratri?
• Tamil Nadu
• Assam
• Maharashtra
• Himachal Pradesh
8) Dussehra commemorates Shri Rama’s
victory over whom?
• Surpanakha
• Kumbhakarna
• Bali
• Ravana
9) Which of these is not a form of
Goddess Durga?
• Katyayani
• Sita devi
• Maha Gauri
• Chandraghanta
10) Dussera is the state festival of which
state?
• Karnataka
• Gujarat
• Andhra Pradesh
• West Bengal
Collections from,
Rtr. PP Yuvabala,
Vice President,
Rotaract Club Of Zenith.
Fest In - Vol 5 RC Zenith
Find out...
Can you find out who are the goddess and the god?
What dance is this? One of the anti hero character of the navartri story…
By,
Rtr.Premalatha,
‘fest-In’ Project chairman
Joint Secretary
Rotaract Club Of Zenith
- Zenith Family
Editors:
Rtr. Premalatha,
Rtr. Saravanan
Have a blissfulNavarathri!