Category: Navaratri
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Victorious beginners: importance and meaning of Navaratri festival
Amma’s message on Vijayadashami day 2nd October 2006 Amritapuri Navaratri is a festival that is celebrated all over India. The word nava-ratri itself means “nine nights.” We are presently living in the night-i.e. in darkness, in the darkness of ignorance. The Navaratri Puja signifies the removal of this internal darkness and the dawning of the…
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Navaratri begins today
23 September 2006 — Amritapuri Navaratri began today, is celebrated all over India with great devotion and enthusisam. For the next three days, the Divine Mother will be worshipped in the form of Durga. Then, for three days, as Lakshmi. And for the final three days, as Saraswati. The 10th day of the festival is…
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Amma’s Vidyaarambham, initiation into alphabets
10 October 2005, Amritapuri [Just before Amma left for Europe, a reporter from Matrubhumi, a leading Malayalam daily, asked Amma about Her vidyaarambham [initiation into learning], i.e. when and how Amma was initiated into learning.] “My vidyaarambham (news) took place 48 years ago. I was four then. Every navaratri, we used to place the items…
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Navaratri celebrations
On the ninth day of Navaratri, a special program was held at Amritapuri for those devotees who are members of an Amrita Kutambam. An Amrita Kutambam is a formal group of ten families which meets regularly for satsang and service activities. Over 1000 devotees attended. The program, led by Br. Sivamrita Chaitanya, included satsang, archana,…
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Navaratri, Dussehra and the Ramayana
Navaratri highlights the principles elucidated by the Ramayana. This is hinted at in the other name by which Vijaya Dashami is known in India, Dussehra. “Dussehra” is derived from “Dasha-hara”, which means “victory over the ten-faced one”. This ten-faced being (Dashamukha) is none other than Ravana, Lord Rama’s adversary. His ten heads symbolise the ten…