Importance of Navaratri

Today is the first day of Navaratri. It is said that during this festival the Mother Goddess visits her mother’s place (or the earth). She stays here for 9 days and is sent off on the 10^th day or the Dussehra.

This time, Navaratri itself is of 10 days. The first day continues from Saturday to Sunday. This day is dedicated to Ma Shailaputri. Her story begins with the story of Sati or Dakshayani. Being King Daksha’s daughter, she marries Lord Shiva. During Daksha’s yagna, he disrespects Lord Shiva. Due to that, Sati is angry and jumps into the yagna fire.

In India, there are different cultural celebrations according to the region people belong to. Just before divine Mom was about to be born, my grandmother saw Goddess Rajarajeshwari in the sky. Also, Mom’s birth was blessed by a wild serpent (king cobra).

For us sisters, Mom is the Mother Goddress. She does not visit us during Navaratri alone. She is with us constantly. Given our situation, thanks to Our Lady of Intolerance, if I am writing this article as a living person, then it is because of Mom.

My maternal grandmother was an amateur clay-sculptor. Today, Mom remembered her mother. My granny made an idol of clay, which was a replica of Hema Malini. Hema Malini’s mother, late Jaya Chakaraborthy was close to our family. Jaya Maami was a great painter. She would take time off to come home and paint the features of the clay idol. Mom would decorate this idol as Durga, Lakshmi or Saraswati.

Jaya Maami proved to be a great mother and she is still remembered by my Mom. Mom learnt to be steadfast in the achievements of life goals from her. She is still my Mom’s ideal woman. Maami, can you see that Mom is missing you? Maami, bless us from heaven that we should be able to fulfill the popular demand of keeping the golu that Mom used to during your time.