The female Goddess of the
Shakti cult in the forms of Amba Devi and Durga Devi is descending on earth tonight to mark the beginning of the illuminated lunar fortnight.
Today is the the new moon day called
Amavas and the last and most important day of dark lunar fortnight called
Pitru Paksha which belongs to dead ancestors of all Hindus who pay homage to their forefathers.(Pitru) As this fortnight has everything to do with the dead it is termed inauspicious and no crucial decisions are taken during this period.
From tomorrow
Navratri festival in worship of
Amba Devi will be celebrated in mostly western India with singing and dancing every night till late for nine days. This form of dancing is called
Dandiya Raas.
From
the sixth evening of this fortnight Durga Puja will start.
Goddess Durga, the most powerful form of the
shakti cult, is worshipped in India in terms of 'Durga Puja' during Sept-Oct every year. This puja covers five days including the day of installing the idol. It is the biggest festival in Eastern India.
Durga Devi is the destroyer of all evil forces. In the composite idol consisting of Lakshmi Devi,
Saraswati Devi, Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartika there is one image a 'danava' or demon being killed by Goddess Durga. Devotees around India worship her throughout the year calling out on her to conquer evil which manifests itself in numerous forms.
On the last day of Durga Puja
devi idols are taken to rivers or lakes and immersed amidst joy and fulfillment.
For 2011, Durga Puja starts on October 2nd that is
sasthi or the sixth day of the illuminated lunar cycle when idol is installed. It will continue till 6th that is the
Dashami (the tenth day) or
Dasera when symbolic forms of evil are ritually burnt amidst joy and togetherness and idols are immersed. For both Navratri and Durga Puja Dasera is the climax moment.
The festivities and celebrations are set to start from tonight till the ushering in of the New Year.
