NAVARATRI 2010 Begins Today

Universal Mother Durga

Swami Vishwananda Navaratri 2009

Navaratri 2010 at Shree Peetha Nilaya

Swami Vishwananda will be present at Shree Peetha Nilaya for Navarathri only the last 3 days of the nine days and for the 10th extra day--October 14, 15, 16 and the 10th day, Sunday October 17th.

Navaratri this year, 2010 is from October 8 (today) through October 16 and on Sunday, October 17th, Dussera, Durga's triumph over the demon Mahishasura will be celebrated with Swami Vishwananda.

The residents of Shree Peetha Nilaya will begin Navaratri on October 8th, today!

This year we will be celebrating Navaratri (the victory of Ma Durga over the demon Mahishasura) on site at Shree Peetha Nilaya.

As many of you know that since the main building is still closed, we are renting a large tent in which to carry out the celebration of Navaratri. This year Swami will be here to celebrate the last three days – from Thursday 14th to Saturday 16th and Dussera (Durga's triumph over the demon Mahishasura) on Sunday 17th. On Thursday 14th – Saturday 16th Navaratri will be celebrated in the evening from 18:00 onwards in the tent. On Sunday Dussera will be celebrated some time after 9:00 in the morning.

ABOUT NAVARATRI:

During Navaratri, we invoke the energy aspect of God in the form of the Universal Mother, referred to as "Durga" which literally means the remover of miseries of life. She is also referred to as "Shakti" (energy or power). It is this energy, which helps God to proceed with the work of creation, preservation and destruction (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva).

Navaratri celebrates the slaying of Mahishasura by Durga. The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit; Nava meaning Nine and Ratri meaning nights. The Navaratri festival or ‘nine night festival’ becomes a ‘ten day festival’ with the addition of the last day as culmination, where at Shree Peetha Nilaya Swami Vishwananda and devotees will be doing a Maha Yagna. During all nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti/Devi i.e. female divinity are worshipped.

Nine different colors of sarees (and the robes of Swami Vishwananda) are worn. This year 2010, the colors for each day of the Goddesses venerated:

1. Shailaputri, (green)
2. Brahmacharini, (grey)
3. Chandraghanta, (pink)
4. Kushmanda, (white)
5. Skanda Mata, (red)
6. Katyayani, (blue)
7. Kala Ratri (Kaalratri), (yellow)
8. Maha Gowri (Violet)
9. Siddhidayini. (Peacock green /Turkis)