Navarathiri

Celebrations spread over nine auspicious nights during the month of september-october to mark the victory of good over evil also known as Navarathri began on September 29th, 2008.

In Tamil Nadu, Navarathri is celebrated by setting up a gallery of handcrafted dolls representing major deities, scenes from everyday life, thematic doll sets representing mythological events or even modern day happenings and so on. Arrangements of dolls are always in odd numbered levels and are accompanied by home grown ragi and other handcrafted themes on the side. A golden glow of sesame oil lit lamps graces the kolu in the evening and a simple puja is performed. Women visit each others homes to see the kolu.

Neiveidyam or Prasaadam is Sundal - each day a dry bean is cooked with mustard seeds and coconut. Guests are seen off with offerings of chandanam
(sandalwood paste), Kumkumam and Tambulam (Betel Leaves with Coconut Mustard and Arecanuts).

This 9 days of pooja is segregated into 3 parts and each parts contains 3 days of each. Therefore, in these 9 days, first 3 days of pooja is for Sri Durga Devi, the next 3 days, pooja needs to be done for Sri Lakshmi and the final 3 days for Sri Saraswathi. Further one more day the pooja is extended and on that particular day, we have to do pooja for all these 3 deities.

Wish you all a 'Happy Navarathiri'. Here are few special songs for Navarathiri.