Everyone was fully taken up by the doings of the puja, the different rituals may it be ‘puspanjali’, ‘aarti’ or ‘garba’ or ‘dandia’, the different forms of worshiping by offering flowers in the feet of GODDESS DURGA OR KALI, MAHAKALI, the form called ‘pushpanjali’ with the chanting of few sacred lines, the prayer with sounds of huge drums called ‘DHAK’, by lighting the earthern oil lit lamps called ‘PRADEEP’ or ‘DIYAS’, the incense sticks, the ‘dhuno’ a chemical burnt with coconut husk to purify the surroundings by its smoke imparting a particular smell like ‘loban’, all of this along with ‘hawans’, offerings made to goddess in the fire pit with different offerings, then different offerings offered to deity in edible form as well in the form of fresh cut fruits, bread made out of deep fried small dough balls called ‘puris’, the vegetables, the porridge/pudding made out of fresh milk, rice and nuts or sweet dessert made out of ‘ghee’ or clarified butter roasted semolina with sugar & nuts.
After this has been offered to goddess this food is distributed to common man without any discrimination of any caste, creed or religion this huge make shift tents distribute food to common man called ‘BHANDARA’, which gives pure eternal satisfaction when you feed someone whom you don’t know or don’t pursue any selfish reason at all. Another puja or worship is done with young girls age ranging from say one to five or few years more, she is worshipped as physical form of goddess called ‘kanya’ or ‘kumari puja’, this is done on the eighth or the ninth day of the pious nine days or the ‘navratri’.
In other northern & central parts of the country even in Gujarat state this festival is also marked by a dance called ‘garba’ or ‘dandia’, this dance is performed by clapping both the hands & moving in circular motions, in ‘dandia’ two small sticks are held & same circular motions takes place with the sticks beating each other it has a very marked music to dance with, amidst of all this everyone seems to be…
to be continued…
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