Our Ganeshgalli utsav mandal also celebrates Navratri utsav since the year of 1977 .We celebrate
Navratrotsav from the first day to ninth day of Ashwin month (september/Oct.).The tenth day is celebrated
as " DUSHERA MAHOTSAV."
During these nine days all the puja of Shree Durga mata is done by the Ganeshgalli utsav samiti
at the special pundal build by mandal. All the nine days mandal organized " Shri Durga saptashati path "
and continues chants of Shree Durga mantra for the divotees.On the nineth day the mandal orgnizes ---
Durga hom ( Yadnya by purohits ) to Durga mata.on the occasion most of the religious programmes are
held by the mandal.
What is Navratri ? Well, it is the nine days when we are suppose to thank the female principle of nature and the goddesses
connected to them. As the agricultural communities had free time only in the evenings (days being too busy with manual labour in
the fields), evenings and nights were chosen as the ideal times to celebrate the festival of the goddesses.
In brief, the nine nights are dedicated to the three main goddesses of Hinduism ------- Parvati, Lakshmi and Sarasvati.The
first three nights are dedicated to the goddess of action and energy.- Her different manifestations viz Kumari, Parvati and Kali are
worshipped during these days. They represent the three natures/ classes of woman hood - the virgin young girl, auspicious wife/
mother and the angry old hag ! This is not a criticism of women, just a classification. It helps us recognise the different aspects of
our own nature.
Lakshmi is worshipped for the next three days in her various aspects as the goddesses of peace,plenty and bliss. Fulfilment
is more important than wealth itself. As the goddess of wealth, she governs not just the bank balance, but also such basic things as
family, friends, food etc.
Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge. Not just the knowledge of how to earn a living, but how to "live" as well. She is the
goddess of the spiritual knowledge and the knowledge that frees us from this bind of Samsara. She is worshipped during the final
three days of the Navratri.
The nine nights are there for us to revel in the knowledge of the goddesses that live within us, imbibing us with their spiritual
energy and power. Used for the good, they help liberate us from the mire of this world. Use these energies unwisely, and they will
snare us in the maya of this world.We should meditate of these aspects of the nine nights, that was the reason they originally-
came into being.
Dushera, also called Vijayadashmi, is celebrated on the tenth day of the bright fortnight in the month of Ashvina and
culminates the nine-day Navaratri celebrations.It commemorates the death of the evil king Ravana along with his son Meghanatha
and brother Kumbhakarna, at the hands of Rama.
On the tenth day of Navratri our mandal organizes the grand festival of " DUSHERA ".on this occasion most of the religious
programmes related to this festival are held by the mandal.
