Nine nights of Sharad Navratri symbols of hope, peace for Hindus

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This article was published 20/10/2023 (742 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Hindus around the world are celebrating the auspicious festival of Sharad Navratri, which in some areas of India is recognized as a harvest festival.

Based upon the Hindu lunar calendar, Sharad Navratri — which usually takes place between September and October — this year began on Oct. 15 and ends on Tuesday.

Sharad, also referred to as Sharadiya, means autumn; navratri refers to nine nights of celebrations, honours Goddess Durga through her nine forms and pays homage to her Shakti, or divine power and energy. Known as Durga Maa or Durga Mata, Goddess Durga is revered as the universal mother. The goddess, being understood as the destroyer of negative forces, showers her guidance and protection upon devotees.

Sharad Navratri, which features different rituals and traditions among Gujarati, Bengali, Punjabi and Tamil communities, tends to be more widely celebrated than Chaitra Navratri, which occurs in spring. In the small Caribbean island of Trinidad, Sharad Navratri is celebrated with grandeur in Hindu temples across the country.

With the Hindu Temple at 854 Ellice Ave. closed for renovations, the Hindu Society of Manitoba is expecting larger-than-usual attendance at the Hindu Temple and Dr. Raj Pandey Cultural Centre at 999 St. Anne’s Rd., where local community groups will be hosting their Navratri programs.

Stronger emotions are factoring into this year’s festivities. The autumn festival is a lead-up to the grand Diwali celebrations, but many community members have to cancel their plans owing to an ability to secure travel visas.

In September, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged the Indian government had involvement in the murder of Canadian Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. In response, the Indian government suspended visa services for Canadians and reduced staff in the country.

“A lot of people are really upset. They can’t go to India because of this visa issue and they are hoping the situation will be resolved soon,” says Kirit Thakrar, president of the Hindu Society of Manitoba. “On both the Canadian and Indian side, there are many students coming and going from here to India. Many people go to India at this time for Navratri, Diwali and weddings. It is a hard time for many.”

Despite this uncertainty, the resilience of the Hindu community has been on full display during the nine nights celebrations. Community members have been filling the St. Anne’s prayer hall for evening services of pujas, or religious offerings to the deity, along with readings of scriptures and devotional songs. Each evening concludes with a community meal.

As Pandit Shrikant Sharma, one of the Hindu society’s priests, explains, each night of Navratri is represented by one of the nine forms of Goddess Durga and a colour that captures related virtues or values. For instance, the first day of this Navratri was dedicated to Goddess Shailputri, who signifies Mother Nature and is symbolized by the colour orange; the fifth night is dedicated to Goddess Skandamata, who signifies motherly love and compassion, and is symbolized by the colour yellow; and the ninth night, peacock green, is dedicated to Siddhidatri, goddess who signifies knowledge and mental tranquility.

Sharad Navratri represents good prevailing over evil. The festival revolves around the story of Goddess Durga’s triumph in a battle against the demon King Mahishasura, says Pandit Sharma.

The festival concludes on the 10th day with the celebration of Dussehra, which marks the victory of Lord Rama over the demon King Ravana. Before his battle, Lord Rama went to Goddess Durga to garner strength and her blessings. (See www.hsmtemple.com for a guide to Navratri events.)

Navratri is a time that reminds Hindus to seek a guiding light in their lives, to illuminate them by means of hope, truth, gratitude, respect to others and peace in an effort to be better human beings, and for the betterment of their communities and the world.

This time radiates beyond celebrating a rich culture and heritage within a community. It is also an opportunity to build connections, have dialogues and learn about traditions across cultures. If we can recognize humanity in our diversity, our world can be a more peaceful place.

Earlier this month, in honour of Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, his statue near the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg was garlanded during a formal ceremony. In the words of this great social activist, “Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization.”

Romona Goomansingh, PhD, is an educator, freelance writer and author in Winnipeg.

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