Navaratri Pooja 2021 got back the traditional intensity at Ambalavattam with the Covid pandemic gradually receding. The festivities began on 7 October and ended on 15 October.
Navaratri dedicates three days each to the worship of Saraswathi, Lakshmi and Durga. The culmination of Navaratri is on Vijayadashami day.
The festival marks the victory of good over evil when Durga defeated the demon Mahishasura. The nine days are dedicated to Durga Devi and her nine Avatharangal.
First Three Days on Navaratri Pooja 2021
Durga Devi is worshipped on the first day as the wife of Lord Shiva. The embodiment of powers of the Trinity (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva), devotees see her riding Nandi, the Vahanam of Shiva. She holds a trishul in her right hand and a lotus in the left.
Bhaktas worship the Goddess as Brahmaharini on Day 2 and as Chandrakanta on Day 3. Mata Brahmacharini means one who practises penance, with Brahma meaning penance and Charini meaning a female follower. She holds rudraksha beads in her right hand and a kamandalam in her left.
Mata Chandrakanta rewards devotees with her elegance and bravery. She also stamps out all their sins, physical sufferings, mental miseries and ghostly hurdles.
Days 4 to 6 of Navaratri Pooja 2021
Day 4 is for the worship of Kushmandam, the creative power of the universe. She has eight arms and sits on a tiger. She created the universe with her divine smile. Bhaktas believe that she can be counted upon to improve health and bestow wealth and strength.
Day 5 marks the worship of Skandamata, the mother of Skanda (or Kathikeya). Her vahanam is a lion. She has four arms and holds her baby on her lap. Her devotees earn salvation, power and prosperity. She can grant oceans of wisdom to even to the illeterate.
Katyayani is the sixth aspect of Navadurga. She is a warrior goddess and one of the most violent forms of Devi. She is the ferocious form of Shakti or Durga and also goes by the name of Bhadrakali or Chandika. Traditionally she is associated with the colour red.
Days 7 to 9 of Navaratri Pooja 2021
Kalaratri or Kali is the seventh of the nine forms of the Goddess Durga. The seventh day of Navaratri Pooja is dedicated to her. Kaalratri is the one who destroys ignorance and removes darkness. This form primarily depicts the darker side of life – Mother Nature’s fury.
Mahagauri symbolises intelligence and peace and gets the pride of place on the eighth day. He power is unfailing and instantly fruitful. She washes away all the past, present and future sins of her devotees. Mahagauri is intelligent, peaceful and calm.
The final day of Navratri is for Goddess Siddhidhatri. She is a four-armed deity sitting on a lotus. Her hands hold a mace, chakram, book and lotus. Maha Shakti gives all the eight siddhis: Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Iishitva and Vashitva. This form of Goddess Durga signifies perfection.
Acknowledgements
The trustees did a commendable job in arranging the pooja at this time. A.K. Umanath and A.K. Shantaram travelled to Thalassery on Vijayadashami.
Muralidharan Shanti dutifully performed the pooja ceremnies and took the lead in decorating the temple . Family members who visited the temple deserve many thanks.
Special thanks are also due to the unnamed person who made accessible the photos and videos in this post. I have taken the liberty of editing the photos and videos to make them compatible with technical specifications. Visitors have the possibility to watch the videos on full screen in YouTube.
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