Hinduism- My Spirituality

Hinduism is a way of living according to the one's understanding of principles of Vedas and Upanishads. Veda is revealed knowledge. Just as the knowledge of gravity was revealed to Newton, similarly, in India, many Rishis or Seers were awakened to certain transcendental Eternal Truths. These Rishis realized that their real nature was not concerned with or linked with 'body or mind', nor was it dependent on sense perceptions, but was in fact identical with the Universal Consciousness.

Navratri Pujan

The Hindu festival of Navratri is celebrated twice a year. The first Navratri of the year is known as Chaitra Navratra, as it falls in March-April. The second Navratri is held in October-November, which coincides Durga Puja. The nights of Navratri are devoted to the reverence of Goddess Durga, who is worshipped in many forms. Prayers are offered to Goddess Durga, as she is considered the manifestation of the absolute energy that pervades the Universe. All through the nine days, the devotees would chant mantras, sing songs and bhajans in the praise of the deity. Fasting on Navratri is considered auspicious. To celebrate the festival, a number of pujas are conducted all through the nine days. Go through the following lines to get the vidhi (procedure) of Navratri puja.

Also View: Mata Rani Navroop (9 Roop of Mata Rani)

Navaratri Puja Vidhi

Certain items are required to perform the Navratri puja. These may include the idol or picture of Goddess Durga, Durga Sapthashati book, water in Kalash (pitcher), fresh washed mango leaves, one coconut, roli (red color for tilak), moli (red sacred thread), chawal (rice), paan (betel leaves), supari (beetle nuts), cloves, cardamom, kumkum (vermilion) and gulal. You will also need few incense sticks, a deep and matchstick. The flowers used for Navratri puja may include rose, lotus and red hibiscus. Stalks of Bilwa (bael) leaves are also used for the puja. You may offer fresh pomegranate and sweets such as laddoo and peda, as prasad. You will require a Panchpatra containing spoon and water, bael leaves. Take a mat as well, to sit.

In order to perform the puja, take bath in the morning and wear laundered clothes. Then, fill the kalash with water and place mango leaves on its mouth. Place a coconut inside the kalash. Now, tie moli on the neck of the pitcher. Place the idol or picture of Maa Durga at your puja room and then worship the deity with roli, rice, flowers, balepatra, kumkum and gulal. Thereafter, you may add burning coal to a clay pot and pour ghee (clarified butter) over it. Offer a small piece of the sweetmeat to the fire. Keep adding ghee to the fire at regular intervals. Make sure that you maintain the light throughout your puja. Once the puja is over, fold your hands and encircle the flame for three times. Light the incense sticks and deep and perform the aarti. You may sing arti song while doing the aarti. You may chant Durga Saptashati or Devi Kavach or ask a pundit to do it, to conclude the puja.

Navratri Fast

The Navratri fast is observed from the first day to the ninth day. Some devotees only observe fast during three days i.e., first fast during any one of the first three days and second fast during any one of the next three and last in any one of final three days. Some people confine to milk and fruits during the nine days. Most devotees take a single meal during the day. Non-vegetarian & tamsik (onion, garlic, etc) food is totally avoided.

Navratri Dishes

Kuttu/Singhara Poori
Kuttu/Singhara Pakori
Fried Aloo
Fruit Chaat
Sabudana Khichadi
Makhane Ki Subzi
Sawank Ke Chawal
Dahi Pudine Wale Aloo
Makhane Ki Sabzi
Shakarkandi Ki Chaat
Sabudana Papad
Aloo Raita
Banana Chips
Fruits/Fruit Juices
Sabudana Khir

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Navratri Wallpapers

Karva Chauth: Festival of Love

The Legends of Karva Chauth

Queen Veeravati - Long time ago, there lived a beautiful girl by the name of Veeravati. She was the only sister of her seven loving brothers, who was married to a king. On the occasion of the first Karva Chauth after her marriage, she went to her parents' house. After sunrise, she observed a strict fast. However, the queen couldn't stand the rigors of fasting and was desperately waiting for the moon to rise. The seven brothers, who loved her dearly, were very disturbed watching the distress of their sister and decided to end her fast by deceiving her. Then the brothers reflected a mirror through Pipal tree leaves. The sister, taken it as moonrise, broke the fast and took food. However, the moment the queen ate her dinner, she received the news that her husband, the king, was seriously ill. She did not keep the fast properly. When Veeravati begged forgiveness, Goddess Parvati granted that her husband would revive only when she completes her fast under strict conditions. The queen observed the fast and thus revived the life of her husband.

Satyavan and Savitri - Another story id of the Satyavan and Savitri. Once Yamraj - the God of Death came to take Satyavan's life. Savitri - the devoted wife of Satyavan pleaded for her husbands life which Yamraj refused. Savitri went on a fast and refused to eat or drink. Looking at her devotion, Yamraj was forced to grant life to Satyavan. Since then women started keeping fast for their husband's long life.

Mahabarata - Draupadi, too, is said to have observed this fast. Once Arjun went to the Niligiris for penance and the rest of the Pandavas faced many problems in his absence. Draupadi, out of desperation, remembered Lord Krishna and asked for help. Lord Krishna reminded her that on an earlier occasion, when Goddess Parvati had sought Lord Shivas guidance under similar circumstances, she had been advised to observe the fast of Karva Chauth. Draupadi followed the instructions and observed the fast with all its rituals. Consequently, the Pandavas were able to overcome their problems. On this day, fasting women listen to Karva Chauth legends with rapt attention.

The Karva Chauth Rituals and Festivities :

On the day of Karva Chauth married women wake up before dawn. They take bath and invoke blessings of Goddess Parvati for their husband's long life. Women are then given a sumptuous meal called 'Sargi' by mother-in-law to eat before sunrise, as the fast starts before sunrise and ends only after worshiping the moon at night. It is a tough fast, as after the Sargi women are not supposed to take any form of food or liquid. In the day, the married woman receives the baya or a basket full of goodies from her mother, which is meant for the mother-in-law. The most joyous part of Karva Chauth is the Puja held in the evening. A large number of elegantly dressed women gather in a temple or in somebody's house for Puja. Women pray to Goddess Parvati or Gauri Ma for the well being and long life of their husbands. The fast is broken once the moon is sighted and special rituals and prayers marking the day have been offered. At night when the moon appears, women break their fast after offering water to the moon.

The Karva Chauth Puja and Celebrations :

A Day Before: The pooja preparations start a day in advance. There is huge excitement a day before the festival as women make elaborate preparations to dress up elaborately for the occasion. The Married women buy bangles, bindis, apply mehndi (Hena tattos) on their hand and feets.

Beginning of the Day : Early in the morning they prepare food and have it before sunrise. The morning passes by in other festive activities like decorating hand and feet with heena, decorating the pooja thali and meeting friends and relatives.

The Puja : In the evening, women dress up in special clothes, usually a red or pink sari or 'lehenga-choli' with gold woven 'zari' patterns. New brides often wear their bridal costume. All deck up in jewelry. Decorative 'bindis' on the forehead are a must for all women taking part in this celebration. Fasting women from all over the neighborhood gather in a group and narrate the story of Karva Chauth that underscore the significance of Karva Chauth and sing the Karvachauth song while rotating the thalis containing Baya .
Once the moon rises, the women see its reflection in a thali of water, or through a dupatta or a sieve. They offer water to the moon and seek blessings. They pray for the safety, prosperity and long life of their husbands and sing a Karvachauth ark song. She is then given a piece of sweet and sip of water by her husband. Hands over the Baya to the monther-in-law or any elderly lady of the household and seeks the blessings. Then comes the much awaited sumptuous dinner. This marks the end of a day long fast.

Ahoi Ashtami Pujan/Vrat

Ahoi Ashtami or Ahoi athen as known in common tongue festival is specifically meant for mothers who have sons. Mother's keep fast on this day and this is celebrated in the month of October- November (8th day after full moon of Kartik Hindu month). This festival falls on a week before Diwali. Mothers keep fast all day and in the evening offer Pooja water to stars and prey for their long life of their children. Many stories are associated with this festival which relate to asking for wish and blessings for their sons.

Once upon a time, there lived a woman in a village. She had seven sons. One day she went to the forest to bring soil for the renovation and painting of her home (this was in the month of kartik just before the Hindu festival Deepawali). She started digging soil with axe nearby a den. Suddenly the woman's axe fell on the cub in the den and the cub died. The woman felt very sorry and sympathetic. She took soil from the forest and came back.

Few days later, all her seven sons died within a year. She was very sad. One day she narrated her woes to old ladies in her village, she was crying and told them that she didn't commit the sin and it happened unintentionally. She narrated to the ladies that once when she was digging for the soil in the forest her axe fell on the cub and thereafter within a year all my seven sons died. The ladies appreciated for confessing her guilt and then these ladies told that by confessing the sin she has atoned her half of the sin.

They suggested the woman to pray the goddess Ashtami Bhagwati by sketching the face of the cub. By the grace of god your sin will cast off. The woman kept fast on the Kartik Krishna Ashtami and then onwards she started praying and keeping fast regularly. By the power of her prayer the God's grace showered and she could get back her all seven son. Since then, it became a ritual to worship the goddess Ahoi Ashtami Bhagwati religiously every year.

Diwali Pujan (Laxmi-Ganesh Pujan)

Positioning of Ganeshji & Laxmiji.
Shubh-Labh

Laxmi Puja, or the worship of the goddess of prosperity and wealth, is the main event on Diwali in North and West India. It is believed that Goddess Laxmi visit everyone during Diwali and brings peace and prosperity to all.

It is s extremely important to keep the house spotlessly clean and pure on Diwali. Goddess Lakshmi likes cleanliness, and she will visit the cleanest house first. This is also the reason why the broom is worshipped on this day with offerings of haldi and kumkum (turmeric and vermilion). Lamps are lit in the evening to welcome the goddess. They are believed to light up Her path.

Step by Step Diwali Pujan / Laxmi Puja / Lakshmi Pooja:

In Diwali pujan or Laxmi pooja mainly Lord Ganesha and Goddess Laxmi in her three forms are worshipped.

Lord Ganesha -is worshipped at the beginning of every auspicious act as Vighnaharta;
Goddess Lakshmi - is worshipped in her three forms - Mahalakshmi (the goddess of wealth and money), Mahasaraswati (the goddess of knowledge and learning), and Mahakali; Kuber (the treasurer of the gods) is also worshipped.

    * On a raised platform spread a new cloth.

    * Place a handful of grains in the centre and, on this, place a kalash, lota (pitcher). Fill three-fourth of the kalash with water and place a betel nut, a flower, a coin, and some rice grains in it. Arrange five kinds of leaves or mango leaves in the kalash .

    * Place a small dish on the kalash and fill it with rice grains. Draw a lotus with turmeric powder ( haldi ) over the rice grains and place the idol of goddess Lakshmi over it, along with coins.

    * In front of the kalash , on the right (South-West direction), place the idol of Ganesha.

    * Light a deepak (lamp) and the Agarbatti (incense sticks) begin the puja by offering haldi, kumkum , and flowers to the platform on which the kalash is placed.

    * Sprinkle this water on all puja utensils to purify them.

    * Make a Panchamitra with 5 ingredients of milk, curd, ghee(clarified butter), sugar & Honey.

    * Start with Ganesh Pujan (Ganeshji are a must for Diwali pujan. Ganeshji should be worshipped in all pujas before any other god or goddess. He is the Lord of Wisdom and the remover of obstacles.) by reciting Ganesh Mantras and Ganesh aarti. Offer a garland to the god. Offer flowers and make an offering of sweets, coconut and fruits. Ganeshji is positioned at left or first place & then laxmiji making it as Shubh(for Ganeshji)-Labha(for Laxmiji).

    * Now invoke goddess Laxmi by reciting the Laxmi mantras.Then offer the flowers to the idol.

    * Place the idol of Lakshmi in a plate and bathe it with water, panchamrit and then with water. Wipe the idol clean and place it back on the kalash . Alternately, you can just sprinkle water and panchamrit on the idol with a flower.

    * Offer sandal paste, haldi, kumkum, to the goddess. Offer a garland to the goddess. Offer flowers and make an offering of sweets, coconut and fruits.

    * Wash all your gold and silver coins with water.

    * Make an offering of puffed rice and batasha to the Gods.

    * Finally, perform the aarti for goddess Laxmi and the universal aarti of "Om Jai Jagdish Hare."

    * At the end distribute the prasad to all members present and the have some for yourself.

    * Now light the lamps and candles all around the house. No corner of the house should be left in darkness. (Note : Do not light the diyas before puja.)

Simple Pujan

Keep the place of worship absolutely neat and clean.

Wear new clothes for the pujan.

Decorate & Lighten up every place of your home to remove any kind of darkness.

Decorate the puja place with flowers, lights etc as per your resources.

Light some diyas in nearest temple/mandir before the pujan. (Note: Mustard oil is preferred in the diyas for the occasion).

Put one diya carefully near the Tulsi Plant, if available in home.

Put some of those diyas in every dark corners of your house. Preferably put in each room, kitchen, & at the entrance.

Place the idols of Shri Ganesh (Shubh) at left side & then Devi Laxmi (Laabh) at right side to form Shubh-Laabh.

Place all the cleaned gold and silver coins in front of them present in home.

Light some diyas in front. (Mustard oil ones).

Do the normal pujan with kumkum(vermilion), kheel instead of rice.

Offer Prasad in the form of fruits & sweets. Also kheel, batasha, meethe khilone available largely in market (As per your resources).

Distribute the prasad to all.

Visit the nearest Temple/Mandir with family members. (if possible)

Distribute some offering to needy people.(if possible)

Visit your relatives & well wishers to greet them.

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