Navratri

Going on with the festive posts.

This time we celebrated Gauri Ganesha festival at my native, connected with a trip to Mysore.... We had a short one week trip and had to be back as my hubby didn't have much leaves and i didn't wanted Maanvi to miss her classes... Once back in Mumbai it always happens that am home sick and it will take couple of days for me to come back to routine... But this time i made up my mind and thought of engaging myself in preparing for Navratri which was hardly 20 days left....

Navratri is festival of nine nights, where we worship Goddess Durga/Parvathi for first three days, Lakshmi for next three and Saraswathi for coming 3 days and on the last day thats tenth day(dashami in Hindu calender) we celebrate Vijayadashami the Vijaya/Victory of Goddess Durga by killing Mahishasura the evil... That is why Durga is also know by the name Mahishasura Mardhini.

This year i was introduced to a new celebration during Navratri called Lalitha Panchami which is celebrated on the fifth day(also on 4th or 6th day) in Maharastra. They invite Girls/Kids(so called Kanya) for special lunch, wash their feet and hands and do pooja with Haldi Kunkum and present them gifts... One of my neighbor had invited Maanvi for this celebration .. When checked with aunty she told me this day they worship Lalitha Maha Sundari Devi, one of the forms of Goddess Durga....