Sharad Navaratri 2024
October 12, 2024
Joy Maa! Om tat sat!
Its Vijaya Dashami and the festivities have come to an end (almost) for this year’s Sharad Durga Puja. A few experiences and realisations struck me by the grace of Mother Goddess!
My first Dhunuchi-naach
On Saptami-Ashtami, my friend, my mom and I went to a Durga Pandal. I was excited for the dhaak, the dhunuchi, the vibe and the face of Devi and obviously the food! My mom dressed us up in saris and we went with a glee. I never did a dhunuchi-naach before ever. No one in the family ever did that. I wished, “It would be awesome if I get to do a dhunuchi-naach once!” My friend wanted it too. I said, “Let’s see what Maa has in store for us.”
At the pandal, I was watching the people swirl and dance with dhunuchi. Suddenly, someone handed over the dhunuchi to me. I smiled and gladly took it. Mentally, I offered Maa a heartful pranaam and I started dancing. Suddenly, no dhunuchi step came into my head but somehow I just did something and it happened so fast! My mom was looking at me with hope and I handed over the dhunichi to her.
By that time, my friend too was holding another dhunuchi and was dancing too! Wow! I was amazed. Felt a little emotional. I was at awe how Maa made my wish come true! It was our first Dhunuchi dance!
Watching the sacrifice
“Do you guys perform a sacrifice?” I was posed this question by a fellow person at my workplace and I gave him the information that my family had told me about. I said that yes, sacrifice holds a significance in the Durga Puja but we don’t sacrifice any animal. Instead, pumpkins, bananas, sugarcane etc is sacrificed. Well, I had never watched any sacrifice before until today.
The queue for bhog-prasaad stretches long with many people pouring in for a free plate of food or to pack it up for home and its called Devi Maa’s prasaad. I wonder, will people take prasad like that if it were charged at a minimum amount? Will they still call it Devi Maa’s prasad then or was it the ‘free’ access that they enjonyed? Anyway, I loved watching people walk out with a smile as they received the sumptuous food on their plate. I stood in the que under the sun. Thankfully, I was carrying a dupatta to cover my head! When my turn came, I took as much as I could eat, mindfully not overeating unlike many around me were, I finished the prasaad and then went to have a darshan of Maa.
My tummy was full. I sat in front of the vigraha chanting the mantra that my Guru gave me. There was noise yet some peace descended upon me and suddenly, drums began to roll.
I went closer and saw the priest getting ready to make a sacrifice of- a papaya, a sugarcane and a banana. I sat on the floor, close to the priest and saw him muttering some mantra as he put vermillion on the fruits. Somebody blowed a conch and many started ululating. I joined too. And then, in a flash, the fruits were chopped one by one on a special wooden altar as the pieces of fruits toppled down dramatically on the floor! I moved up my face to see the vigraha of Maa and somehow their faces gave up the intense look that they had and their eyes became peaceful. I don’t know how much noise was there but I was just staring at their faces, feeling like bursting to cry, that face, that serenity indicated that Mother Goddess had accepted the sacrifice! I wanted to stay there. I wanted to cry. I don’t know what was so emotional about a few fruits being chopped in a peculiar way but I just didn’t want that moment to end! I wanted to run and hug Maa! I wanted Maa to be with me forever!
But I had to go. My mom and I came back home.
Study!
For a few days during Navratri, the first thought that had popped up in my head as soon as I woke up was- quickly go and study! I guess, Maa wants me to study harder. I will accept, since a few days, I haven’t studied seriously due to work pressure and festivities or emotional turmoil!
Move out!
Despite being initiated into one of the core mantras of Sri Vidya, I felt something was missing in me. I wondered whether I deserve it or no, whether I am growing or no. But midst all this, I noticed that my mindfulness has improved than what it was before due to which I became aware of emotions that resided in my heart and its intensity too! I thought I had ‘moved on’ from certain things but I hadn’t! Realised that there is still a lot to work on and it would be best for me to leave the house and follow the direction as shown by Devi. ‘Move out!’ Nature reminds it to me regularly. But how? Let Devi decide it!
-Chitra Om
