Looking at my dust gathering sarees and here comes the festive seasons. Four days of Navaratri passed uneventful. Although my apartment ladies are rehearsing for one night of DJ garba and I have joined but its not enough. Rehearsing is also too much for free spirited person who only spin with dhol be-taal!
Anyway, the trigger came, one of dear friend had sunderkand on Tuesday of navaratri (considered auspicious timing). Being part of this melodious chopai signing worked wonder. The crescendo brought so much energy and joy. Devotional music touched when its sung by bhakt with Bhaav without paying much attention to technicality! These marvadi singers made everyone chant for ‘Mata di’ at the end and I thought I must now make effort to be part of Mataji ni stuti somewhere.
So next day, I end up at place where alternative therapist arranges Guided meditation on Ma Durga. I like the idea of guided meditation. It is bit like outsourcing worshippers. Good na? we don’t have to go through crowd, worry about chappals being taken and all the rest. I was right there by Gangaji and taking darshan of beautiful Durga ji. My guide enlightened me with wonders of Durgamatha and gave me Shri Durga Sapt shati Charitra. Ok bedtime reading sorted for tonight! Let me just read the hindi translation and I am fascinated. This Kavach stotra written in ancient time in Sanskrit describes how different forms are associated with different body parts and those forms are prayed for specific protections! So I pray…..
mata kaumari to protect my teeth
Chandika for whole voice box region
Chitra ghaunta quality of voice tone
Mahamaya for palate
Kamakshi for tonsils
Sarvamangala for speech
bhadrakali for neck
Dhanurdhari near spine
Neelgriva outside of kanth and inside tube nalkuberi!!
……..and so on…. Kavach thanks each of devi maa who protect our entire body, complete anatomy!!
WOW, this is from time when doctors, surgeons certainly and E.N.T were non existant!! I now know why they call Hinduism the most scientific religion. All powerful Maa Bhagavati ne AshtottrPranaam. They say she destroyes fears, people who mean harm to you and everything negative. So Ma Durge, please come I am rolling red carpet.
So now what? I was told Sri Sri himself performs puja for navratra, and ashtami puja is not worth missing at all. He carries the whole process as they used to do in ancient times. There was Maharudra on saptami. How can I miss that being shivite? 7 am I am at Ashram and its buzzing with activity. Public toilets are working over time with long queue by long distance traveller bathing for the day. I am heading toward massive mandap area. Slowly its filling up with devotees. At least 2000 aspiring Julia roberts and Richard gere from many countries. One thing thy had all in common was Indian outfits. Sarees. Slawars, kurta, skirt, anything airy, flowy with colourful print. Anything but black and blue jeans. The shade is not decorated but mandap where thr was sthaapan is adorned with fragranceful flowers. Some volunteers are bringing five platter ful of closed cup pink lotuses. Mataji’s sthapan is done in big kalash in beautifulway that’s seen from a distance. Karnatik music and five shahenaiwala. Mandap is getting full with lots of beautiful dressed ladies. I wonder what makes them smile and giggle and chucke or sit in silence with eys closed for hours!! I am injected with intoxicating doze of most virant clours, fabrics, jewllwery and not forgetting mogra garland hanging onto freshly shampooed long locks of graceful ladies. How can I miss gajra, my nasal sense is taking as much as it could and still this ope air massive mandap has enough fragrance to fill up the air. Just to see invogue styles, prints, colours and jewelley design this visit was worth it. But there is more to come….
Music is drumming up faster and there is sensation around that anyminute Guraji must be coming, yes, he arrives and entire mass gets up. Girl next to me in soft voice that would hardly reach my ears forget reaching Guruji, calls him ‘Guruji’ (as if he is going hear!). I wonder so many people see this special soul as their ‘own’. It was truly one big family event. Family next to me had come from jalgaav, all teachers of AOL and now they don’t want any holidays, instead come twice yearly to this Bangalore Ashram only. I felt quite good I did not have to travel 2 days for this previledge. This maharastrian lady describs previous day’s Ganesh Pujan’s Bhaav. What next she described is something to be experienced only. And the chanting for Maharudra begins….
There are couple of hundred young Brahmin boys, or may be more. Some from tender middle school years, some bigger, some appeared to be in undergraduate. All covered half in white cotton muslin with gold rim. Barring some with ‘laddoo belly’, most were fit and with interesting hair-do. I wonder their style had anything to do with their grades!! Their chanting took me to different time and place all togather. All singing by heart with clear Sanskrit diction complete with uhm and uhai at the end. Each word we could clearly hear. For entire ceremony of maharudra carried out with same enery. I am glad India has new generation of Brahmins who can sing so well all the stotra. That brings 2 thoughts 1, I don’t know much about my ancestors language but I am happy these younger enlightened torch bearer will perform my last rites if I am fortunate and 2, may be idea for another reality TV show to bring out the best of Sanskrit from every able and eager seeker. Shiv ji’s stutis sound always masculine as opposed Krushna who inspired most classical and romantic songs. They all were honoured with rose garlands and carried procession of sthapana to Sri Sri. The rest remains experiencial account… I see joys all around some people starts dancing, there are tears rolling. Its been 4 hours by now but nobody is moving from their seat. One Japanese lady dances that can be decribed a cross between karate and belle! But nobody pays any attention to anybody. People are coming back to themselves. Dhoon starts and as it piks up the tempo there is surge of energy. Some start to come through me too. One young lad leads shiv ji’s dhoon on guitar. Taking naman I rush out. I suddenly remembered I am rooted in my sansaarik cobweb still and left. I have been told that till 2012 all the troubles brought by Satrun can be tames by chanting 'Aum Shivay Namah'. So Shivji please come to me too.
Came home and little neighbour friend called me Auntie stavan has started please come to I wrap the same white and gold saree to join them. Embarrassed for forgetting arriving late I ask hastily give me the prayer book and they looked at me with that impossible look att these senior ladies 'its in telugu' dear. This my kairali neighbour friend who comes from Koimbtur has joined elderly Telugu grandmothers group so her little girl knows all there is to know and feel about navaratri!! They visit every home one by one and invoke different mata ji. first 3 days its Durga ma, second lot of tree days for Lakshmi and third trplet for Ma saraswati. So they sang Lalitha Kavach, Saraswathi ashtor naam and there was book and instrument kept at the sthapan. Very heartwarming singing session ended in company of shikh, marathi Gujarati, keraki and telugu ladies.
Ashtami I have other plans…
Going to best garba venue in Bangalore- palace grounds.
