Menoctoberish - a month of festivals

Okay - we have arrived at SPOOKY DAY!!! Arty, Jakey and Rosy are hosting a bloghop (as well as the haunted house). For those who are visiting here simply because of the hop and are wondering what the devil the following is all about, you may like to follow the entire series of posts (starting HERE) - or just accept that there has been a build up and it has involved demons, gods and goddesses and the battle between good and evil which rages without and within us eternally!!!

Yesterday, we saw the final battle between Shri Rama and King Ravana. All over India (and in diaspora communities around the world) the mighty Ramayana is played out annually and it ends on the tenth day, Dusshera, with the shooting of fire arrows at giant models of the ten-headed Ravana, symbolising the burning of our 'devil ego', as well as the wonderful defeat of terror and despotism which the king represented.

Halloween (the eve of All Saints) is about all the restless souls who have not yet found solace in final rest and come out to create havoc. It has been built up into a festival of mischief and mayhem, not unlike that caused by Ravana. He was prepared to play tricks (sending Marichi as the golden deer, disguising himself as a sadhu to kidnap Sita) in order to obtain satisfaction for his desires. Despite being offered peace and friendship at first by Rama-ji, he refused, thinking he could have 'all the sweets' for himself. More fool him!!!

We began this month of tales with the different avatars of Durga-Mata. The tenth day of that festival (which is actually celebrated concurrently with Ramayana and Dusshera) is called Vijayadashami - 'victory of the tenth day'. In this, Durga herself manifests in order to subdue the evil mischief-maker, Mahishasura (whose name literally means Great Demon!)


Again we see multiple weapons; the analogy is the skills and talents we may have to combat the issues which arise before us. The demon, you will not be surprised by now to learn, represents not only all the external difficulties we are likely to face in life but the inner torments we put upon ourselves as a result of our ego-personality. There is a dance performed on Vijayadashami called the garba (dandiya, when sticks are included) which is a high energy workout!

Durga-ji also is a symbol for all women that they have power and strength... she would be a great advocate of any feminist campaign... and that should be enough to scare any men out there tonight!!!

For something you all will be a little more familiar with... on Monday, Ninja over at Marv's place shared a video about black cats and jacko'lanterns... this Irish tale was very interesting. Did you know, though, that Scotland had its own tradition with 'neep lanterns' or that the 'trick or treat' tradition also originated right here in the Bonny Land?
In Scotland the cleaning out of turnips and placing a candle within has been done since the time of the druids - they were used in place of skulls of the dead when the practice began to be considered poor taste (arrival of the Christians); this was done on Samhain, that time when it is considered the veil between the spirit realm and Earth is thinnest, allowing restless spirits to roam and taunt. The Christian All Saints day was deliberately placed on the day following Samhain (which became a fixed date only on the 1600s) so that the pagan practice could be 'tamed'. By the end of the 19th century Hallowe'en had become very much a festival for children. Dressing up and going "guising" is a tradition which has lasted to the present day. The original idea was to dress as spirits of the dead but options have widened over the years. When money was tight, dressing up in some old clothes from grandparents was all that was required. But witches (with broomsticks, cloaks and pointed black hats) have always been popular, with blackened faces harping back to the pagan days when the Druids may have smeared their faces with ash from their bonfires. Long before "trick or treat" children went round the houses and had to perform a poem or a song or tell jokes before receiving nuts, apples, sweets (candies).

Thanks to all those who came along for the whole month. Hello to all who are visiting just for today. This is a bloghop - check out some more!