Menoctoberish - a month of festivals.

The autumn months generally have festivals of all sorts being performed all over the world, mostly associated with seasonal change. In our modern age, we still enjoy certain traditions and the trappings that go with them. Many of those traditions have a basis in spiritual nourishment, and often this comes out in the use of storytelling. Allegorical renditions of history and myth to provide life lessons.

I am going to play a little this month. Partly due to the broken wrist and partly due to not being able to keep Aatmaavrajanam going with the typing restriction per said injury.

In the Hindu calendar this month there is Navratri and there is the Ramleela - both leading up to the tenth day which they share jointly as Vijayadashami for Durga and Dusshera for Shri Rama. I was pondering bringing something of AVbloggy here and having fun with it for you to peek into this world, but also - hopefully - tie it in with the Blogville bloghop Mayor Arty is setting up.

Officially, this festival runs from Oct 10th to 19th in 2018, but I won't be sticking to the actual days of worship for posting here, as I wish to keep Ramleela separate. Also I like to keep the keepers like my weekend memes and FFF ... but I may break into Tuesdays after tomorrow. Let's just get started and see where it goes, eh?!

The Nine Nights of the Goddess Durga, in which each of her avatars is honoured. In Sanatana Dharma, the feminine is revered equally to the masculine. The existence of a thing can only take place where two particles come together. Each must come with a part which will bond with the opposite in order that they form a new unit of existence. The power which drives the universe is of Rudra/Shiva (m) and Durga/Shakti (f).

Navratri is a twice-yearly celebration of Durga, taking place in the spring and autumn, most commonly in the months of March and October - but it varies according to the moon.

The nine days of Navratri represent nine different avatars of Goddess Durga that are worshipped with equal fervour. The embodiment of all things powerful, sublime and energetic, each avatar of Goddess Durga gives us something to learn from. The first and most prominent avatar being Goddess Shailputri.

Referred to as Sati, Bhavani, Shakti, Parvati and Hemavati, Goddess Shailputri's name means 'daughter of the Himalayas' and she is the better half of Lord Shiva. With a trishul in one hand and a lotus in the other, Shailputri has Nandi the bull as her vehicle.

Considered to be the most important manifestation of Durga, Shakti is known to combine the powers of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. When the mind is wavering, chanting the name of this Devi helps the mind to be centred and committed. It gives us strength, courage, and composure.

From unconditional love and mercy to prosperity and unadulterated knowledge, this Durga avatar is a flag bearer of new life, starting over, beginnings and determination.

The first day of Navratri is also known as Ghastasthapana and the colour to be worn is orange.