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Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3 Details of our key contributors ..................................................................................................................... 4 Painting of Periva & Ambal ........................................................................................................................... 5 Sri Maha Perivas discourses on Ambal ........................................................................................................ 6 Hear Sri Maha Perivas discourse about Ambal .......................................................................................... 11 Sri Durga Pancharatna Stotram .................................................................................................................. 12 The Philosophy of Navaratri Golu ............................................................................................................... 13 Significance of Navaratri ............................................................................................................................. 14 The South Indian Way of Observing Navaratri ........................................................................................... 15 Navaratri Puja ............................................................................................................................................. 18 Navaratri Songs ........................................................................................................................................... 19 Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar .................................................................................................................... 19 Dikshitars Kritis .................................................................................................................................... 20 Maharaja Swati Tirunal ......................................................................................................................... 20 Swati Tirunal Kritis ............................................................................................................................... 20 Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi ..................................................................................................................... 21 Oottukkadu Navavarana Kritis ............................................................................................................. 21 Navaratri Naivedhyam Recipes ................................................................................................................... 23 Recipe # 1 Ven Pongal and Peanut Sundal ....................................................................................... 23 Recipe # 2 - Moong Dal Sundal ............................................................................................................. 24 Recipe # 3 - Arachu Vitta Sundal .......................................................................................................... 24 Recipe # 4 - Yellow Peas Sundal........................................................................................................... 25 Recipe # 5 Kadambam Sundal ........................................................................................................... 26 Recipe # 6 Sweet Green Gram Sundal .............................................................................................. 26 Recipe # 7 - Sweet Black Eyed Beans Sundal (Vellai Karamani Vella Sundal) ................................. 27 Recipe # 8 - Black Channa Sundal garnished with sliced coconut pieces ......................................... 27 Recipe # 9 Bengal Gram Sweet Sundal ............................................................................................. 28 Tamboolam Offerings ................................................................................................................................. 28 Ebook on 51 Shakti Peethas ........................................................................................................................ 29 Ambal Darshan - Painting by Sri B.Narayanan ............................................................................................ 31
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Sri Sankara Narayanan C S Sri Sankara Narayanan, now 56 years, works at a Nationalised bank in Chennai. He is well versed in Sanskrit. He had compiled Sri Adi Shankaras slokams for publication of a book on the eve of the centenary celebrations of Kalady mutt. He lives with his family in Chennai and can be reached on sankarcs56@gmail.com.
Sri P. Senthil Kumar Sri P. Senthil Kumar is quite popular in the Kanchi Periva Forum for his wonderful creations for the Divine Thoughts of Periva posters. With an MBA to his credit, he is a young HR professional currently employed with a software company in Chennai. With a passion for Graphics and Web Design which he learnt using online tutorials and e-books when he was at college, Senthil has created few short 3D animation movies, web pages and logos for a few of companies. Senthil also enjoys playing the guitar. Senthil lives with his family in Chennai and can be reached on senzkumar82@gmail.com.
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For me, Ambal is the most important It is not enough, if the house, dress and body are clean. It is most important that, the mind should be clean without a blemish! For this the only help is to meditate on Sakshat Parasakthi, the consort of Parameswara. We will be cleansed of all dirt and become complete without a want or flaw. The fact that we are born as human beings with incapacity, inefficiency and insufficiency, is her play only. To make us complete is also Her responsibility only. Instead of living and dying like animals and so many life forms; so as to enable us to get out of this cycle of repeated births and deaths, all the religions of this world have evolved. There is no religion required, other than devotion to Mother. This meditation on Parasakthi is good enough to, give us contentment and completeness. For me She is important. My mind is intermittently, constantly and continuously, in Her Dhyana, for the sake of World Peace, understanding and wellbeing. You all should be doing that. You all should be meditating on Her. It is enough to practice Karma Anushtana and spend some time in Dhyana or meditation of Mother's feet as often as possible. A person who does meditation like this, will never face unsurmountable difficulties. He will have the power and strength of mind to face problems of life. We have the key for happy living. We do not have to do very big things. We do not have to climb Mount Everest! First of all try and live by some moral standards. The very decision not to be sinful, takes you far. When we do a mistake, sincerely pray to Mother, to save you from repetition. Progress with clarity individually. As we progress with contentment in our hearts, by Her grace, we will automatically influence others without trying. That will benefit this religion. Since this religion believes in the common welfare of the whole world, all people of all the countries will benefit. All religions aim at Nirvana or Moksham as the end mission. To realize the essential truth in personal experience is Moksham. That Parma Sathyam is Brhma, says our religion. The Brhma's Chith Sakthi is Ambal. By Her Grace we will be experiencing the Truth to be inclusive of ourselves too, says Vedantam. Ambal who sanctions much in this world, finally sanctions this knowledge, this Gnana! By Her Grace, we can realize that, 'even when involved, we are apart'. By being devoted to
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Gnaanaambikai 'Sri Vidya' is the name for paying special attention to Ambal in devotion. 'Vidya', means knowledge. 'Avidya' is ignorance or absence of Gnanam. Ambal is the Mother who nurtures Her children with the milk of human kindness, awareness and knowledge. So She is also the first teacher and Guru. Keno Upanishad from the Sama Veda says that, She imparted knowledge to all the Devatas too. Like the fragrance and flower, milk and its taste, word and its meaning, She is the inseparable Gnana Shakthi of God Parameswara Himself. Similarly, She is the inseparable Sister of Sriman Narayana too.
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Click on the below link for an excellent rendering on this stotram by Smt. M S Subbulakshmi: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axMIZXTtWlM
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Significance of Navaratri
Navaratri is a festival dedicated to the worship of Goddess Sakthi. The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit; nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti/Devi are worshiped. The 10th day is commonly referred to as Vijayadashami or Dussera. The festival commences on the first day of the bright fortnight of the month of Puratasi. Navaratri is celebrated all over India in different ways. In Gujarat people celebrate the festival with garba and dandiya. In West Bengal they make pandals, and worship idols of Goddess Durga. Exquisitely crafted and decorated clay idols and set up and they are immersed in the river on the fifth day. In Tamil Nadu, people set up steps and place idols on them. It is called the Golu. The first three days goddess Durga is worshipped, in order to destroy all our impurities. The second three days Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped, who bestows her devotees with wealth and abundance. And the final three days Goddess of Wisdom, Saraswati is worshipped. On the 9th day, Saraswati pooja is performed, all books are stacked along with an idol of the goddess. Ayudha Pooja is also performed on this day. All kinds of tools and equipments are cleaned and worshipped . Even vehicles, shops are decorated and pooja is perfomed. They distribute sweets and flattened rice mixed with peanuts, fried gram, jaggery. The 10th day, Vijaya Dasami - Its the day when evil is destroyed by good and a new prosperous beginning is made. All new ventures started on this day is believed to flourish. All kids read a book from the stack of books kept along with the idol on Saraswati pooja. Many parents admit their children to play school or other arts courses on this day.
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Getting Ready
x x x x x
Get the house cleaned and ready. You are inviting Goddess into the home. Usually this is done on the Amavasai day, a day before the beginning of Navaratri. Mango leaf festoons are installed on doors, windows and in puja room. Fresh Kolams are drawn. If you are keeping Golu, get all the Golu dolls ready. Decide upon the Bommai Golu Theme. Plan early about the pooja prasadam (neivedya) and also about the gifts that you plan to give to women guests.
If you are keeping Kolu dolls, purchase new dolls at least a couple of new ones. The most important doll needed is the Marapachi dolls (Male and Female pair of dolls). A pot for Kalasha or Kumbha (brass pot) Face of Goddess to be stuck on Kalasha. It is fine if you do not opt for this. Sweets Ingredients of the Prasadam to be prepared (this depends on what neivediya you are preparing) Betel leaves Betel nuts Bananas Coconut Usual fruits Usual pooja items like lamp, incense, agarbathis etc. Lotus flower for Goddess Saraswathi and Goddess Lakshmi. Jasmine for Durga. Avoid wild flowers.
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x x x x x
In the evening, Kalasha or Purna Kumbha is prepared. This is an invitation to Goddess to enter your home. Purna Kumba or Kalash is kept on a kolam in such a place that there is space behind to keep the Bommai Kolu. You can attach a face of Goddess to the Purna Kumbha and decorate the Kumbha with jewelry, turmeric, sandal paste, flowers etc. Those who do not keep Kolu, keep the Kalash in the Pooja room. Betel leaves, Betel nuts, a coconut is placed in front of the Kalasha. Cooked rice or boiled and sweetened milk is kept as prasadam or neivedya in front of the Kalasha. This Kalasha is to be kept for next nine days it symbolizes Goddess. A lamp is lit every evening and morning for nine days. Normal puja is performed.
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Navaratri Puja
Generally, the women perform all the pujas during Navaratri. That does not stop the male members doing their share of pujas, just goes to add that women get a special preference and rights for doing their puja around this festival.
x x x x x x x x
You have already installed the Goddess in the form of Purna Kumbha. Light a lamp morning and evening on all nine days. Elaborate pujas are conducted in the evening. Other women (relatives, friends and neighbours) are invited for the puja in the evening. The first three days is dedicated to Goddess Durga. The next three days is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi. The final three days is dedicated to Goddess Saraswathi. Fresh kolams are drawn on all nine days. Shlokas that are recited on nine days include Durga Ashtotaram, Devi Mahatmiyam, Shyamala Dhandakam, Lakshmi Sahasranama, Lakshmi Ashototaram, Lalitha Sahasranama, Saraswathi Stotram, Saraswathi Ashototaram.
Daily Sri Lalitha Sahasranamam is chanted in the morning and a neivedhyam generally payasam/pongal made with jaggery is offered in the morning. To appease the navagraha deities, sundal is offered as neivedhyam in the evening. Friends and relatives are invited home and offered haldi, kum kum and ravikkai thuni(blouse bits) along with sundal and other snacks. Children & women also exercise their vocal chords by rendering devotional songs . Daily aarthi is performed to the deity at the end of the day. On Saraswathi puja day, all books and tools( ayudha) are placed in front of Goddess Saraswathi and Saraswathi puja is performed. The tenth day is Vijayadashmi day an auspicious day for starting good tasks and initiating children into education called Akshara abhysam. After the prayers and puja, one doll in the golu padi is made to sleep on the rack perhaps symbolizing the end of the festival.
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Navaratri Songs
One of the other things that is very unique and special for the Navaratri festival is the rendering of songs every evening for the Golu and the deities. Devotional songs of all types ranging from the most classical (full of swarajatis) to the simplest ones are sung by women folk both at their own homes and in front of the Golu at other homes, which they visit regularly. In this section, we shall specifically focus on the Nava-Avarana-Kritis, which are unique, very rich in tantric content, and extremely pleasing to the listener as well. There are three broad categories of navavarana kritis penned by Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar, Maharaja Sri Swati Tirunal and by Oothukkadu Kavi.
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Dikshitars Kritis
The 9 kritis are as follows: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Kamalamba Samrakshathu - Anandabhairavi - Misra Chapu Kamalambaam Bhajare - Kalyani - Adi Sri Kamalambikaya Katakshitoham - Shankarabharanam - Rupakam Kamalambikayai - Kambhoji - (Khanda) Ata Sri Kamalamba param - Bhairavi - Misra Jampa Kamalambikayaastava - Punnagavarali - Rupakam Sri Kamalambikayam - Sahana - Tisra Triputa Sri Kamalambike - Ghanta - Adi Sri Kamalamba Jayati - Ahiri - Rupakam
The rendering of these Kritis are considered to be extremely challenging owing to the complexity of the words and the notations. The D.K. Pattamal and D.K. Jayaraman school are considered to be specialists in the rendering of these compositions. It requires years of training to render them to perfection. You can listen to the Kritis online by clicking on the below link: http://www.raaga.com/player4/?id=268147,268148,268149,268150,268151,268152,268153,268 154,268155,268156,268157
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You can listen to the Kamakshi Navavarana Kritis, by downloading the audio files. Click the below link to download: http://www.mediafire.com/?x69c9e880l61i65
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Place the peanuts in a cooking vessel, inside the pressure cooker and add sufficient salt. Add enough water. Cook for at least 2-3 whistles. Drain all the water Take a kadai or wok and add a spoon of coconut oil. When the oil is hot, add mustard, curry leaves, hing and immediately the cooked peanuts. Allow to saute for a few minutes. Meanwhile, grind the coconut and green chillies without adding any water in the mixer for a few seconds. Set aside. When the contents of the kadai are well mixed and sauted, add the ground coconut mix. Add a little more salt only if needed.
Recipe # 2 - Moong Dal Sundal Ingredients 2 cups of Moong Dal. Water to cook the dal. Salt Hing. Pinch of red chilli powder. 1/3 cup of fresh grated coconut. 5-6 green chillies or according to taste. Seasoning: Mustard, Curry Leaves. Oil. Preparation x Moong Dal cooks very easily so there is no need to soak ahead. x Take a vessel and put in the moong dal. Then add water to just cover the moong, salt and a pinch of red chilli powder. x Allow it to cook on medium flame for about 6-7 minutes. You will see that the moong with absorb the water and slightly grow in size. x It is important that you do not overcook the moong as it tends to get mushy. x Drain out the water and set aside to cool down for 10 minutes or so. If needed, spread it out on a plate so it dries out the water a little. x Meanwhile grind the coconut and green chillies in a mixer to a rough mix. x Take a kadai, add 2 spoons of gingely/coconut oil and allow to heat. x Season with mustard, hing, curry leaves and then add the cooked moong dal. x Immediately add the pulsed coconut-chilli mix and give it a slow mix. x Use your ladle to carefully mix in the ingredients and flavouring. Too much handling could again break the moong and make it mushy. x Garnish with chopped cilantro. Recipe # 3 - Arachu Vitta Sundal
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Recipe # 4 - Yellow Peas Sundal Ingredients 1 cup Yellow Peas. 1/4 cup of dessicated coconut. 3 green chillies. Salt. Hing. Seasoning Mustard, Curry Leaves Preparation x Soak the yellow peas for about 6-8 hours. x Drain all the water and pressure cook with a little salt and just enough water. x Switch off after 2 whistles.
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Grind the coconut and green chillies without any water in to a coarse mix. Set aside. In a kadai, add a spoon of coconut oil and when it is hot, add mustard, curry leaves and a dash of hing. Immediately add the cooked yellow peas and a little salt and hing as required. Garnish with the coconut-chilli mix and incorporate it well in to the peas.
Recipe # 5 Kadambam Sundal Ingredients Channa /Chickpea - 1/2 cup Brown Channa - 1/2 cup Dried Peas, Mochai, Peanuts, Moong dal, Black eyed pea - fistful Blanced Almonds - 5 Seasonings Mustard seeds, Urad dal - 1 tsp Channa dal - 1/2 tsp Green Chilis - 1 Red Chilis - 2 Curry leaves - 5 - 6 Coriander leaves for garnish Oil - 1 tsp Salt to taste Preparation Since the cooking time is different for each lentil, pressure cook each of them separately. Let it drain. Chop the blanched almonds, keep aside. x Heat a pan with oil, season it with mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal, chopped green chilies and red chilies. Saute for 2 mins. x Then add the drained legumes to the pan and season it with salt. Simmer for 2 mins and remove. Recipe # 6 Sweet Green Gram Sundal Ingredients 1 cup Green Gram Dal. 3/4 cup grated Jaggery or soft brown sugar. Water to cook. 1 tsp of Cardamom Powder. 1 spoon of ghee. Preparation x Take the cup of green gram dal and roast it dry in the kadai for a few minutes. You will slowly get the aroma of the roasted green gram dal. This should suffice. It is not required to soak the green gram dal.
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Always roast on a medium flame. Set aside. When the dal cools considerably, put in a vessel and pour water to cover the beans. Cook it without adding salt. Switch off after ten minutes, and set aside. In a kadai, add spoon of ghee, and the cooked green gram dhal. Now add the 3/4 spoon of jaggery and mix well. The jaggery will melt and coat the cooked green gram dhal. Immediately switch off the stove and add the crushed cardamom. Stir in immediately and mix well.
Recipe # 7 - Sweet Black Eyed Beans Sundal (Vellai Karamani Vella Sundal)
Ingredients 1 cup Black Eyed Beans (Vella Karamani) 3/4 cup grated Jaggery or soft brown sugar. Water to cook. 1 tsp of Cardamom Powder. 1 spoon of ghee. Preparation x Soak the Black Eyed Beans in water for at least 4-5 hours prior to preparation of Sundal. x Cook in the pressure cooker until you get one whistle and then reduce the heat and cook in low for ten minutes and then switch off. x Drain the water x Rest of the procedure is the same as in Green Gram Sundal given above Recipe # 8 - Black Channa Sundal garnished with sliced coconut pieces Ingredients 1 cup Black Channa. Water to cook Salt Oil Mustard Curry Leaves 4 dry red chillies 1/4 cup of finely slit coconut pieces.
Preparation x Soak the black channa for at least 6 hours prior to cooking.
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Put in a wide mouthed container, add salt, turmeric and add just enough water to cover the channa. Cook in a pressure cooker. Wait for one whistle and then reduce the flame and keep for ten minutes and then switch off. Drain the water Take a kadai, add 2 spoons of coconut oil. When the oil is hot add mustard, curry leaves, hing, dry red chillies and then the cooked channa. Mix well and wait until the seasoning ingredients are mixed well in to the legumes. Garnish with finely sliced coconuts
Ingredients Bengal gram dal - 2 cups Salt - 1/2 a pinch Ghee - 2 tsps Sugar - 6 tbsps Cardamom powder - 1 pinch Fresh coconut gratings - 6 tbsps Preparation 1.Dry roast bengal gram dal on low flame till it gives out a pleasant aroma. 2. Switch off flame and add 4 cups of water and allow the roasted dal to soak in it for half an hour. 3. After half an hour switch on flame and cook the dal in the same water adding the salt till it becomes soft but not mushy. 4. Drain the dal and keep aside. 5. Heat ghee in a pan and add the cooked and drained dal and saute till dry. 6. Add 3 tbsps of sugar and stir till it melts and becomes dry again. 7. Allow to cool and then mix in the remaining sugar and cardamom powder. 8.Garnish with fresh coconut gratings.
Tamboolam Offerings
If you are giving gifts to women invited for Navaratri Pooja, then the tamboolam plate will typically consists of the following Betel Leaves Betel Nuts Areca Nuts Kumkum Turmeri Small Mirror Comb Bangles
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Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the following blogs and websites which contained a treasure of information for compiling this Ebook on Navaratri Festival.
x x x x x x
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