HAPPY DIWALI

Hi All,
          Wishing each one of you a very happy and prosperous deepawali. May this year brings you lots and lots of happiness in life and fulfill all your dreams. 
          May This Diwali be as bright as ever.
          May this Diwali bring joy, health and wealth to you.
          May the festival of lights brighten up, you and your near and dear ones lives.
          May this Diwali bring in you the most brightest and choicest happiness and love you had ever Wished for.
         May this Diwali bring you the utmost in peace and prosperity.
         May lights triumph over darkness.
         May peace transcend the earth.
         May the spirit of light illuminate the world.
         May the light that we celebrate at Diwali show us the way and lead us together on the path of peace and social harmony
        A warm Diwali wish for every happiness. May the warmth and splendor, that are a part of this auspicious occasion, fill your life with happiness and bright cheer, and bring to you joy and prosperity, for the whole year. 
      May the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi, deity of love, wealth and fortune, bestow you with opulence and prosperity. May you have sparkling Diwali. 

Significance Of Ganesh in our Life.

                                

                        Ganesha's head symbolizes the Atmaa (soul), which is the ultimate supreme reality of human existence. 
                         His human body signifies Maya or the earthly existence of human beings.
                         The elephant head denotes wisdom and its trunk represents Om, the sound symbol of cosmic reality.  
                         In his upper right hand Ganesha holds a goad, which helps him propel mankind forward on the eternal path and remove obstacles from the way. 
                         The noose in Ganesha's left hand is a gentle implement to capture all difficulties.
                         The broken tusk that Ganesha holds like a pen in his lower right hand is a symbol of sacrifice, which he broke for writing the Mahabharata. 
                        The rosary in his other hand suggests that the pursuit of knowledge should be continuous. 
                       The laddoo (sweet) he holds in his trunk indicates that one must discover the sweetness of the Atmaa. 
                       His fan-like ears convey that he is all ears to our petition. 
                       The snake that runs round his waist represents energy in all forms. 
                       And he is humble enough to ride the lowest of creatures, a mouse.

The Festival of Dipawali

                    Today we are celebrating Diwali festival. Deepawali, the literal meaning of which in Sanskrit is a row of lamps. Filling little clay lamps with oil and lighting them in rows all over the house is a popular tradition. 
                    Deepawali is a festival where people from all age groups participate. They give expression to their happiness by lighting earthen lamps, decorating the houses, bursting firecrackers and inviting near and dear ones to their households for participating in the feast. 
                     Lakshmi-Puja is performed in the evenings. Devotional songs  in praise of Goddess Laxmi are sung.  Goddess Lakshmi is worshiped in every Hindu household. Houses and business premises are renovated and decorated. Entrances are made colorful with lovely traditional motifs of Rangoli designs to welcome Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. To indicate her long-awaited arrival, small footprints are drawn with rice flour and vermilion powder all over the houses. Lamps are kept burning all through the night. The traditional gifts like Lakshmi Ganesh coins, idols, puja thalis etc are quite popular on Diwali.
                     In the midst of today's busy lifestyle, Diwali gives an opportunity to pause and be grateful for what we have, to make special memories with family and friends, to laugh and enjoy what life offer us.Though the festival of Deepawali has undergone some changes, in due course of time, yet it has continued to be celebrated since the time immemorial. Every year, the festive season of Diwali comes back with all the excitement and merriment. Times may have undergone a sea change but customs and traditions remain the same.
                     With the evolution of the lifestyle,more and more technology has been included but the spirit of celebration remains the same. Earthen lamps may have been replaced with stunning electric illuminations, dress code may have changed, but the custom and tradition of performing puja has been carried very well through generations. 
                       Diwali is such a wonderful festival, a time of giving and sharing, a time to catch up with people, in other words its time to catch up with the little joys that we keep overlooking for the remaining part of the year. 

The Navratri Festival.

          The Navratri commences on the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashwin. The festival is celebrated for nine nights once every year during the beginning of October, although as the dates of the festival are determined according to the lunar calendar, the festival may be held for a day more or a day less.

        Hindu festival of worship of Shakti and dance & festivities. 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 is worshiped.They are:-

1.  Shailaputri.

2.  Brahmacharini

3.  Chandraghanta

4.  Kushmanda

5.  Skandamata

6.  Kaatyayani

7.  Kaalratri

8.  Mahagauri

9.  Siddhidaatri

                    Millions of Hindu women consider Navaratri each year's primary festival, the one they can most deeply connect to. Many see it as a way to commune with their own feminine divinity. A widespread practice honors the Goddess in every woman by inviting young girls to the family's home, feeding them and offering new clothes. Navaratri is a time to present to the Goddess our silent requests.We pray morning and evening, the women fast.

                 On the tenth day, Vijayadashami, the festival culminates in the triumph of the Goddesses over the demon Mahishasura.

                At the end of the celebration, in all Her glory, the exquisitely crafted Durga murti, with countless adornments, is taken to a river, where it is immersed.It is said that this final ritual returns the Goddess to Her eternal home in the Himalayas--until next year's Durga Puja.