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Looking back on my childhood in a Bengali household, Puja Time was Prime Time. The preparations began a few months in advance (every saree my mom bought was shelved till its grand Durga puja outing). Well other than that no other preparations were necessary. Yes, I can hear the rest of India gasp. More… »
Durga Puja – Fun Minus The Fuss-N-Fret
October 15th, 2010Career Durga, Mother Durga, Home maker Durga, Homework Helper Durga- The nine forms of the modern Durga!
October 14th, 2010Calling all working moms- can we be the nine forms of Durga???
So, our nanny is leaving….she is moving elsewhere. I am so numb that I haven’t even gone into my usual frenzied mode of posting on Craigs list, calling everyone in a panic mode nor is there the usual stress reaction- pick up a fight with my husband! I want to attribute my calmness to my sporadic meditation practice or the Navatri vibes, but I know it’s just delayed reaction.
While I truly love working and enjoy my work, it is a much huger challenge than any one lets out to balance a career, home, kids and the nannies. We were lucky to have a nanny who lasted happily for a whole year- but from what I understand, that’s not the case ususally.
So now, either we start to look for a good nanny all over (oh, how I find all those interviews/meetings/back ground checks so tiresome!) or the kids are schelpped off to after school care. Decisions, decisions- but they will wait while I get over my Scarlett O’ Hara’s ” I’ll worry about it tomorrow” phase.
I just wish I could be like the Goddess Durga and have the ability to have Her Nine Forms – here would be some of mine: career Durga, home maker Durga, mother Durga, driver Durga, wife Durga, home work helper Durga, wife Durga…. More… »
Dusherra- Sunday, Oct. 17th, 2010
October 13th, 2010Dusherra is this Sunday!
My mom in Delhi reminded me yesterday that Dusherra is this Sunday…and I groaned inwardly. Not that we do any thing seriously big for Dusherra, I still like to mark it with the kids in some small way or the other. But this Sunday is my older son’s party in the morning, followed by a lego robotics session which takes care of the day! Oh well, I shall certainly try to do a bit of Ravana burning with the boys in the evening- they LOVE that part. More… »
Origin of Dandiya Raas
October 10th, 2010Meaning of Dandiya Raas
Following upon my blog post earlier about the difference between Dandiya Raas and Garba (yes, this post is absolutely meant for the Gujju culture ignoramuses like me)- Dandiya Raas actually originated from the Garba. Garba is the dance performed to honor life and the Goddess Durga during the Navratris; and Dandiya Raas (also called The Sword Dance) show cases a mock fight between the Goddess and Mahishasura, the mighty demon-king. Dandiya Raas is more energetic than the Garba because it involves a more complicated choreography with the dancers twirling and whirling at a rather fast pace along with their Dandiyas or sticks. The sticks (dandiyas) of the dance represent Durga’s sword.
Another interesting tid bit: Garba is performed before the Aarti, and Dandiya Raas after it.
Now, that I finally know the difference between Garba and Dandiya- I wish I could do the dances!ri
Bay Area Dandiya /Garba Schedules For Navratri
Sunnyvale Temple – Garba daily (Oct 8th to 17th) from 8 to 10 pm – The “kakka (uncle)” from the temple confirmed that Garba will be free everyday – except Saturday when its ICA garba.
Folks coming to the temple can get their own Aarti and Prasad.
There are many many other garba/dandiya celebrations in the Bay Area – Vibha, Sankara, Sewa, Fremont temple, Jain temple, GCA, ICA…. – you can look them up at their web sites, sulekha…
Also Falguni Pathak (the Queen of Dandiya) is coming to the Bay Area on Oct 30th @ Santa Clara Convention Center
http://cities.sulekha.com/bay-area/events/Social/2010/09/paul-singh-of-singh-entertainment-brings-you-dandiya.htm
Garba Time! Or is it Dandiya time?
October 9th, 2010Garba or Dandiya- same difference!
Thus declared an ignorant, Delhi friend who also likes to live dangerously, what with all the Gujju Garba -loving folks around us….but to be honest, I don’t know the difference either. So I decided to educate myself, and hopefully a few others out there…
The meaning of Garba and Dandiya:
The word Garba means womb in Sanskrit. Garba, traditionally, is a danced around a Garba Deep the dance is done around something called a Garba Deep, which is a clay pot lantern. This lantern symbolizes the fetus (life) in the womb. During the Navratris, the Garba dancers dance around the lamp to honor life and the Goddess Durga, who bestows life.
Garba is danced in a circle which represents the Hindu view of life wherein everything is cyclical- birth, life, death and rebirth. The only constant is the Goddess Durga.
Hindus accept that life is ever changing, which is reflected in the moving and turning of Garba circles. The only exception is the Goddess, who will always be there. The Garba Deep, or the clay pot lantern also signifies a human being within whom resides the Goddess- and shines through him or her. Hence, divine light is always within us. We do the Garba during the Navratris to honor and revere the Goddess who is always within us.
Isn’t that lovely? And to think that I had no clue all these years!!
Next post: Meaning of Dandiya or Dandiya Raas.
A Navratra Vrat Recipe : pancakes with potatoes and pumpkins!
October 9th, 2010I loved this recipe, as it combines the feeling of the Navratras as well as….Fall and Halloween! Potato and Pumpkin pancakes!
| • 1 large potato and a big piece of pumpkin • 2 green chilies • 1″ piece of ginger • 1/2 cup of chopped coriander Leaves • 1 cup buckwheat flour • 1/2 cup waterchestnut flour • 1/4 cup yogurt |
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Navratri / Navratra Puja Day One: Kalash Sthapna Puja
October 8th, 20101st – 3rd day of Navratri
On the first day of the Navratras, a prayer, or puja, known as ‘Kalash Sthapna’ is traditionally performed. ‘Kalash’ literally means pot, and Kalash Sthapana puja involves invoking the female divine energy by the sowing of seeds, such as barley. These initial days are dedicated to Goddess Durga, the Goddess of power and energy. Her various manifestations, Kumari, Parvati and Kali are all worshipped and honored. Their forms represent the three different classes of womanhood: child, the young girl and the mature woman.
Navratris Celebrations: San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles
October 7th, 2010San Francisco Bay Area
Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, 420-450 Persian Drive, Sunnyvale CA 94089
October 8-16, 2010
Los Angeles
Art of Living Foundation, 948 W Adams Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90007
October 8 – 17 2010
Navratris / Navratras start October 8th!
October 7th, 2010
The Festival of Navratri
The festival of Navratri starts tomorrow, October 8th! It is literally the ‘festival of nine nights’, ‘nav’ meaning nine, and ‘ratris’ meaning nights. It is a lovely celebration of the Goddess, or spiritual energy in its divine, female form. There are several versions of the story. Here’s one:
A mighty demon Mahishasura worshipped Lord Shiva and as a reward for his perseverence, Shiva granted him the power of eternity. Mahishasura then started to kill and harass innocent people and set out to win seven lokas. Terrified by his power and behaviour, the gods appealed to Lord Shiva to tame the demon. Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwar (Shiva) then combined their supreme powers, out of which they created a divine being called Shakti, or Durga (the Warrior Goddess). Mahishasura was mesmerized by her beauty and approached her to ask for her hand in marriage. Durga agreed to marry him on the condition that Mahishasura should win over her in a duel. Mahishasura who felt he was undefeatable, agreed. The duel carried on for 9 nights and the end of 9th night Goddess Durga beheaded Mahishasura. These are the nine nights that are celebrated as the Navratris or Navratras!
Stay tuned!
To Hover Or Not To Hover!
October 5th, 2010We are all aware of the dreaded term “helicopter parent”. We have seen multiple instances of the over-protective, over-involved and often over-bearing parent constantly hovering (like the proverbial helicopter) over their child in the park, school recess, playdates, and now even at college. More… »
