Spring Break
Religious observations
Aggies celebrate Yom Kippur, Dussehra
By: Calli Turner
Issue date: 10/9/08 Section: News
"I'll be praying to Saraswati and she is the goddess of knowledge, so traditionally we pray to her and we bring our books - or anything scholastic or an instrument - that you want a blessing on," she said. "Pooja is a ritual to honor Saraswati and ask for her blessing."
Navratri is divided into sets of three days to adore three different aspects of the supreme goddess or goddesses. During Navratri, different forms of mother goddess are worshiped. On the first three days Durga or goddess of energy is worshiped. The next three days are devoted to Lakshmi or goddess of wealth and the last three days for Saraswati or goddess of knowledge.
On the fifth day, it is traditional to worship Saraswati to invoke our spirit and knowledge. On the eighth and ninth day, Yagna (sacrifice offered to the fire) is performed to honor Durga Mata and bid her farewell. The 10th day, on which the goddess kills Mahishasura, is celebrated as Dusshera or Vijayadashami as the victory of good over evil to commemorate the victory of Lord Ram over Ravana. On Dusshera, an effigy of Ravana is burnt to celebrate the victory of Lord Ram.
"In the Hindu religion we view different facets of the supreme power as a specific god, and that can be mistaken as polytheism," she said.
Gaitonde said the celebration is treated differently throughout India.
"The way we celebrate it it's more like a celebration, but it just depends what part of India you're from," she said. "In Gujarat, India, they traditionally have a dance called Garba."
Navratri is divided into sets of three days to adore three different aspects of the supreme goddess or goddesses. During Navratri, different forms of mother goddess are worshiped. On the first three days Durga or goddess of energy is worshiped. The next three days are devoted to Lakshmi or goddess of wealth and the last three days for Saraswati or goddess of knowledge.
On the fifth day, it is traditional to worship Saraswati to invoke our spirit and knowledge. On the eighth and ninth day, Yagna (sacrifice offered to the fire) is performed to honor Durga Mata and bid her farewell. The 10th day, on which the goddess kills Mahishasura, is celebrated as Dusshera or Vijayadashami as the victory of good over evil to commemorate the victory of Lord Ram over Ravana. On Dusshera, an effigy of Ravana is burnt to celebrate the victory of Lord Ram.
"In the Hindu religion we view different facets of the supreme power as a specific god, and that can be mistaken as polytheism," she said.
Gaitonde said the celebration is treated differently throughout India.
"The way we celebrate it it's more like a celebration, but it just depends what part of India you're from," she said. "In Gujarat, India, they traditionally have a dance called Garba."
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