OLD TRADITIONS CAN ENHANCE MODERN LIVES: Significance of Navratri and why we celebrate it

Introduction The moment I say to anyone that I am writing a book about Maa Durga and the festival of Navratri, the response I get is why another book when the market is full of numerous books on this topic. Let me explain why? The books and the information on internet regarding this topic provides answers to the “How” rather than the “Why”. Some examples of the “Why” questions that arose in my mind and which prompted me to seek their answers are below: Why did Maa Durga take different forms? Why do we worship different manifestations of Maa everyday over the nine days of Navratri? Why did some of Maa’s forms have two arms whereas some others have four, or six or even ten? Why is Maa hlding different objects in her hands? Why is each different form of Maa showing her sitting on different animals like the Lion, the Tiger or the Bull? Why is Maa shown standing barefeet in a picture vs one where she is shown in a bizarre and rather unpleasant form riding a running donkey? I believe that the answers to these and more questions lies in the link between the various forms that Maa took and the Nine Chakras that reside in the human body. The forms that Maa took was Maa’s way of projecting the significance of the Nine Chakras to us. There is a deep meaning behind each object that Maa carries in her arms, on each of her nine forms, which are worshipped over the nine days of Navratri. And this deep meaning is a way of Maa giving us the teachings that can enhance our day-to-day lives. Read more