I hope you are all having a blissful Navratri. “Navratri !?”, I hear you exclaim, “but isn’t that later in the year?” Well if you haven’t heard about these Navratris, then the secret is safe, for these are also called the Gupta or secret Navratis! Actually, there are 4 Navratris every year, 2 are more commonly known and celebrated (Shardiya and Basant), but 2 others (Ashadh and Paush/Magh) are lesser-known and/or celebrated. If you notice closely, there is a pattern, where each Navratri is celebrated as the seasons change, in this case from a mild winter to a harsher winter, especially in the north of the country.
Whilst the Shardiya and Basant Navratris are celebrated by almost everyone, the other 2 are generally only observed by spiritual seekers, sadhus and trantriks who follow a Shakta tradition, where the Devi is worshipped. The auspicious 9 night period started on 2nd Feb and will culminate on 10th Feb, and similar to the Shardiya Navratri, the 9 forms of the Goddess Durga from Mata Shailaputri to Mata Siddhidhatri are worshipped in a sequence, depending on the tithi of each day.
Today is Vasanta Panchami, which is celebrated as Saraswati Puja in Bengal on a grand scale. As Ma Saraswati is the Goddess of learning and wisdom, this is of special significance for students and schools, where ceremonies are organised to worship her on this day, where articles of learning such as books and pens are also venerated. Also on this day, Haate-Khori or the ceremony to introduce children to education is performed. Children around 2-3 years of age are handed their first slate or book and encouraged to write their first letters, making a very auspicious start to their lifelong journey of learning. As Ma Saraswati is also associated with the fine arts, musicians and artisans alike also celebrate this day.
Women are breaking more glass ceilings with each passing day, from corporate leadership to jobs like fighter pilots, that were once thought to be too dangerous for women. And yet, they gracefully balance their home lives, making sure never to skimp on the love and attention their families need. Ours has been a civilization that has always worshipped the sacred feminine. As we celebrate these festivals, let’s take a moment to make the women in our lives feel special and appreciated, and in our own little way, venerate this modern manifestation of the Devi.
