NAVRATRI:A festival of Woman Power

NAVRATRI: A festival of Woman Power

Navratri is a festival to celebrate the victory of Goddess Durga over the wicked demon. An interesting mythological story which forms the basis of Navratri festival in India is that there was a demon named ‘Mahishasura’ who caused nuisance to all Gods. To destroy Mahishasura, all the Gods created Goddess Durga who had immense power.

 

The demon Mahishasura proposed to marry Goddess Durga but Durga laid down a condition that she would marry Mahishasura only if he could defeat her in a war. This war between Mahishasura and Durga continued for nine days and nine nights and eventually on the tenth day, Goddess Durga killed Mahishasura and emerged victorious in the battle.

 

“Nav” means nine and “Ratri” means night. So Navratri is celebrated for nine days and nights. It is believed that the Goddess Durga takes the following nine incarnations on each day of nine days-festival.

 

1) Shailaputri,

2) Brahmacharini,

3) Chandraghanta,

4) Kushmanda,

5) Skandmata,

6) Katyayani,

7) Kalaratri,

8) Mahagauri and

9) Siddhidatri.

 

Women of the 21st century are doubtlessly justifying the all nine forms of Durga. Today’s Woman possesses the permanence and firmness of Goddess Shailaputri. Austerity and Patience with virtues of Goddess Brahmacharini makes a woman capable to face the hurdles of life. A woman gathers grace, bravery and courage from Goddess Chandraghanta to stand against injustice.

 

It is a woman only who creates the universe like Goddess Kushmanda by giving birth to a child. A woman is believed to be a source of prosperity and treasures into a family like Skandmata. Katyayani, the Goddess of power gives strength to feminine gender to destroy the devils and demons executing evil thinking in the society. Like Goddess Kalaratri, a woman or a girl must have courage to destroy all demon entities, evil spirits and negative energies and establish auspiciousness.

 

As a form of Goddess Mahagauri, woman nurtures the life of people around them and gives them relief from all the sufferings of life. Being a justified form of Goddess Siddhidatri, a woman blesses everyone with happiness and completes the meaning of human birth.

 

The women need not to face in any situation, inequality, injustice or discrimination and must stand for their rights and equal opportunities whether at home or at workplace.