Mahanavami observed across State

Wednesday, October 05, 2011: Thousands of people thronged the temples across the State today on Mahanavami, the fourth day of the Durga Puja festivities. Mahanavami is the last 9th day celebration of Navaratra festival. On this day Goddess Maa Shiddidatri is worshiped for knowledge and education.

The culmination of the Navaratri festival is Mahanavami when the goddess is worshipped as Durga in the form of Aparajita and sugarcane stalks are offered to her. The last three days of the Navarathri are called Durgashtami, Mahanavami and Vijayadasami, and they are considered more sacred that the other days of Devi worship. It is believed that by offering prayers to Devi during these three dyas one can attain the full benefits of observing the Navarathri rites for the whole period.

People of Kerala celebrate Navarathri in a befitting manner. The Saraswathi Puja and Ayudha Puja are performed. The Goddesss Saraswathi is worshipped as the Goddess of Learning, the deity of Gayathri, the fountain of fine arts and science, and the symbol of supreme vedantic knowledge.

The importance Ayudha Puja (the worship of implements) on this occasion may be due to the fact that on the Vijayadasami day, Arjuna took back his weapons which he had hidden in a Vani tree in order to lead a life in disguise for the promised period of exile. It is believed that one who begins or renovates his learning to work on the Vijayadasami day will secure a grand success as Arjuna did in Kurukshetra war.

On the Durgashtami day a ceremony called Poojavaipu is performed in the evening. In a village, generally, it is done only in certain households, in temples and also sometimes in the village schools. The Brahmin houses and the houses which enjoy reputation for learning, mainly take the lead in celebrating the festival. The members of other houses in the village attend the ceremony performed in these houses or institutions.

In a well-decorated room, books and grandhas (holy books) are tastefully arranaged with a picture or an image of Goddess Saraswathi in front. In certain places weapons and implements are kept by the side of books and grandhas.

Then a puja is performed to Saraswathi during which fruits, beaten rice, roasted paddy (malar), jaggery etc. are offered to Her. These offerings are distributed among those present when the Puja is over. Just before the pujavaipu, all studies and work which mainly require skill, are suspended.