The story of Navratri festival

Navratri – worship of Maa Durga

Navratri is nine days of worship done to thank Goddess Durga. Whole of Iindia celebrates this festival. The festival of Navratri is celebrated twice in India.  Once in the Hindi month of Chaitra which is the month of March-April. Secondly, in the month of Ashwin  i.e.  September-October.  It is a nine days long festival in which the Goddess Durga is worshipped in nine different forms. People all over the country celebrate this festival with immense joy and enthusiasm. Devotees of Maa Durga observe a rigorous fast of nine days during this festival.

Durga – worshipped during Navratri

 

Maa Durga

Maa Durga

In different parts of India, different legends describe the history of Navratri festival.

North India

The legend in North India goes that Mahishasura, the mighty demon, worshipped Lord Brahma and obtained the power of eternity. Soon, he started killing and harassing innocent people. He set out to win all the three lokas. The gods in swargaloka appealed to Lord Shiva, to find a way to get rid of the demon. To protect the world from the atrocities of Mahishasura, the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva united their powers and created a divine female warrior, known as Goddess Durga. Mahishasura, when he saw the divine beauty of Goddess Durga, got mesmerized. So fascinated was Mahishasura by Goddess Durga’s beauty that he approached her with the intention of marriage. The goddess agreed to marry him, but put forth a condition.
Mahishasura would have to win over her in a battle. Mahishasura, agreed immediately! The battle continued for 9 nights. At the end of the ninth night, Goddess Durga beheaded Mahishasura. The nine nights came to be known as Navratri, while the tenth day was called Vijayadashmi. This was the day that brought the triumph of good over evil.

Eastern belief

As per the legend prevalent in East India, Daksha was the king of the Himalayas. He had a beautiful and virtuous daughter called Uma. She wished to marry Lord Shiva, since her childhood. In order to win over the Lord, she worshipped him and pleased Shiva. When Shiva finally came to marry her, the tiger-skin clad groom displeased Daksha and he broke off all the relationships with his daughter and son-in-law. One fine day, Daksha organized a yagna, but did not invite Lord Shiva for the same. Uma got so angry at her father’s rude behavior, towards her husband, that she decided to end her life by jumping into the agnikund of the yagna, where she was united with eternity (since then, she came to be known as Sati). However, she took re-birth and again won Shiva as her groom and peace was restored. It is believed that since then, Uma comes every year with Ganesh, Kartik, Saraswati and Laxmi and two of her best friends or ‘sakhis‘, called Jaya and Bijaya, to visit her parent’s home during Navratri.

The legend of Rama and Ravana

Yet another legend of Navratri festival relates to the Hindu epic The Ramayana. It goes that Lord Rama worshipped Goddess Durga in nine aspects, for nine days, in order to gather the strength and power to kill Ravana. He wanted to release Sita from the clutches of powerful demon king Ravana, who had abducted her. Those nine nights became to be known as Navratri and the tenth day, on which Lord Rama killed Ravana, came to be called Vijayadashmi or Dusshera, signifying Rama’s (good) triumph over Ravana (evil).
Ravana killed by Rama

Ravana killed by Rama

Nine days of Navaratri

Important herbs – Milk thistle

Useful herbs – Milk Thistle

Dioscorides, a first century Greek physician, gave milk thistlethe name Silybum marianum. Silybum relates to a number of edible thistles and marianumhonors the symbolic associations to the Virgin Mary. This is one of the important herbs which nature has provided to us. This is one of the herbs, which is used widely in liver disorders. The liver-protective effects were known and written about in ancient times, leading to the active chemical, pharmacological, and safety research beginning in Germany in the 1950s. Clinical use for a variety of liver ailments, such as hepatitis, has also prospered throughout many parts of the world.

 

Useful herbs - Milk Thistle

Useful herbs – Milk Thistle


The part of the plant used in modern day herbal medicine is the seeds. Good quality seeds are black and shiny. For many centuries extract of this herb is used as a liver tonic. They are taken internally to treat the following:
  • Liver and gall bladder disease.
  • Jaundice.
  • Hepatitis (liver inflammation).
  • Poisoning.
  • High cholesterol levels.
  • Insulin resistance in people with type 2 diabetes who also have cirrhosis.
  • The growth of cancer cells in breast, cervical, and prostate cancers.
  • Effects of a hangover.

 

Useful herbs – legend around Milk thistle

Legend has it that the white mottling of the leaves of milk thistle was caused by a drop of the Virgin Mary’s milk. The plant was traditionally used to stimulate milk production. Its scientific name is Silybum marianumwas a name given to some edible thistles in the first century by a Greek physician, and marianum is a reference to the Virgin Mary legend.

Originating in Kashmir, India milk thistle found its way to Europe during the Middle Ages. Milk thistle was cultivated in European gardens as a vegetable until the end of the 19th century. All parts of the plant were consumed.

Cheese toast

Ingredients:
  • Bread slice – 2.
  • Cheese grated- 1 cup.
  • Capsicum chopped- 1 tbsp.
  • Tomatoes chopped- 1 tbsp.
  • Green chill chopped (optional).
Process :
  • In a bowl mix cheese, capsicum, tomatoes, chillies, salt.
  • Mix so that it become like paste, otherwise you can add some cream.
  • Toast the bread slightly.
  • Apply cheese mixture on the bread slice.
  • Put it in oven in broil mode or in convection mode till you get the colour.
  • This is a bit spicy form of plain cheese toast, and it tastes yummy…

Herbal plant – Aloe Vera (Herbs)

Aloe Vera – One of the important herbs provided by nature

Aloe vera is one of the most useful herbs which is helpful in various conditions.

History of Aloe Vera

The generations of past mention the healing methods of Aloe vera plants being handed down through the centuries by word of mouth.  We find that the use of Aloe vera appears throughout history with many testimonials of its medicinal values.  The earliest record of Aloe vera use comes from the Egyptians.  There are records of the Egyptians drawing pictures of Aloe vera plants on the walls of the temples. Many cultures such as the Egyptians would have even elevated the plant to a ‘god-like’ status. The healing properties of the Aloe vera were utilized for centuries earning the name “Plant of Immortality”.
Aloe vera - one of important herbs

Aloe vera – one of important herbs

Aloe vera grows well under the sun with well drained dry soil. The sap from aloe vera is extremely useful to speed up the healing and reducing the risk of infections for :
– wounds
– cuts
– burns
– eczema
– reducing inflammation
– Apart from its external use on the skin, aloe vera is also taken internally in the treatment of :
– chronic constipation
– poor appetite
– digestive problems
Aloe vera is used in natural and processed form both. In Africa today, people still pack whole Aloe leaves around their wounds, and in South America, mothers coat the arms and legs of children to keep biting insects away. In India, aloe vera juice is sold by various manufacturers targeting a large user group.

Legends around Aloe Vera – one of the useful herbs

There are many legends about Aloe. It is said that Aristotle advised Alexander the Great to conquer the Island of Socotra to secure its Aloe harvest for his troops medical needs. Another legend tells us Queen Cleopatra used Aloe to keep her skin soft and beautiful. We don’t know if the story is true, of course, but recent scientific findings confirm this.

Story of Navgrah or Nine Planets [ Navagrahas ]

Navgrah
Navagrahas Image

Nava means nine and grah means planets. In Hindu mythology, nine planets hold an important place. Navgrahas are believed to have a significant impact on everyone. So Hindus adorn these planets as deities. These can bring peace and harmony in their life and harmony in their life and to avert any mishap.

Each planet is supposed to bestow a particular boon to human being. According to Hindu custom, the nine navgrah are placed in a single square with sun in center and none of the deities facing each other. Following table summarises various grahas, stones to wear to appease a graha, their ruling god, etc.

Planet Ruling deity Overrule Stone
1. The Sun (Surya) Agni, FireGod Shiva Red Ruby
2. The Moon (Soma) Apas, Water Goddess Parvati Moonstone or other natural pearl
3. The Mars (Mangal) Bhumi, Earth Goddess Skanda Red Coral
4. The Mercury(Budha) Vishnu, The Preserver Vishnu Emerald
5. The Jupiter (Brihaspati) Indra, king of Gods Brahma Yellow Sapphire or yellow Topaz
6. The Venus (shukra) Indrani, Queen of God Indra Diamond
7. The Saturn (Shani) Yama, God of Death Prajapati Blue sapphire & Black stone
8. Rahu (Dragon’s head) Durga, Goddess of power Sarpa Honeycoloured Hessonite
9. Ketu (Dragon’s tail) Chitragupta, God of karma Brahma Cat’s eye

Saturn, rahu and ketu are propitated for their sinister effect, whereas jupiter, venus mars mercury, sun and moon for their favourable influence.

Surya

Surya is the chief solar deity. He has hairs and arms of gold and his chariot is pulled by 7 horses, which represents 7 chakras. He presides as Ravi-var or sunday. He is said to be of sattva Gunna and represents the soul, the king.

Surya, the Sun, represents the Light of Wisdom, he is the Dispeller of Ignorance. He is the Light of Wisdom, and the power, confidence and sense of identity in an individual’s birth chart. He rides a chariot pulled by seven horses, representing all the sevens including: the seven days of the week, the seven levels of consciousness, the seven colors of the rainbow, chakras etc.

The symbol of the Surya, the Sun, is a circle with a dot in the middle. The circle is the manifested existence and the dot is the bindu, or the point of creation. Surya as the Sun is the largest of the planetary bodies, His gravitational pull keeps the other planets in balanced harmony.

Surya Mantra

surya-mantra

Chandra

Chandra: It’s a lunar deity, also known as soma. He is described as young, beautiful, fair two armed holding a club and a lotus. he rides his chariot across the sky every night, pulled by 10 white horses or antelope. He is said to be of sattva gun and represents mind. He has 27 wives, representing 27 nakshatra. He is presiding over som-var or monday.

Mangala

Mangala: It’s god of mars, the red planet. He is considered son of prithvi. He is red in colour with four arms carrying trident, club,lotus and a spear. He is tamas in nature and represents energetic actions, confidence and ego. He presides mangal-var or tuesday.

Budha

Budha: It’s god of planet mercury and is son of moon and taraka (tara). He is of rajas guna and represents communication. He is represented as being mild, elequent and is of greenish colour. He presides budh-var or wednesday.

Brihaspati

Brihaspati : It’s a vedic deity, and represented as purohit of gods with whom he intercedes for men. He is of sattva gunna represent knowledge and teaching. He is yellow or golden in colur and holding a stick, lotus and beads. He presides over guru-var or thursday.

Shukra

Shukra : It’s god of planet venus. He is of rajas gunna and represent wealth, pleasure and reproduction. He has white complexion and is mounted on came or horse or a crocodile, holding a stick, bead and lotus or sometime bow and arrow. He presides over shukra-var or friday.

Shani

Shani : It’s god of planet saturn. He is tamas in nature and represent learning the hard way, career and longevity. It move svery slowly as compared to other planets. He is son of surya and his wife chayya. He is depicted dark in colour holding a sword, arrow, and two draggers and mounted on a black crow or raven. He presides over shani-var or saturday.

Lord Shani
Lord Shani

Rahu

It’s a god of ascending/north lunar node. He is depicted as a dragon with no body riding a chariot drawn by 8 black horses. He is tamas by nature and does his best to plung any area of one’s life he control into chaos. Rahukala is considered inauspicious.
According to legend asura rahu drank some devine nectar and before it could pass through his neck, Mohini (female awtar of Vishnu) cut off his head. Thus the head remain immortal and is calles rahu and body is called ketu. It is believed that immortal head occasionally swallows sun and moon causing eclipses.

Rahu
Rahu

Ketu

Ketu : It’s lord of descending/south node. It is believed to have tremendous impact on human lives and also the whole creation. In some special circumstances it can help someone achieve the zenith of fame. Tamay by nature represents supernatural influence.

Ketu
Ketu