Maa Durga takes away all negativity, fills us with positivity: Bihar family

For the Jaipuriars, the nine-day Navratri festival is all about Mother goddess Durga absorbing their negativity and filling their lives with positivity. The Bihar family that has been living in Navi Mumbai since 1994 has been celebrating Navratri with fervour.

"My mother has been doing it for more than 50 years," says Nawanit Jaipuriar, a 51-year-old chartered accountant, who lives with his mother, wife and two children.

"She would bring Kalash at home and continues to read Durga Saptshati, which is about Goddess Durga defeating the demon Mahisashura," said Nawanit.

The family begins the celebration from Mahalaya, which starts after the period in which departed souls are remembered. A metal pot filled with water is kept over a basket and is filled with soil, sand and barley.

"Over that, we place rice in a cup. While the metal pot is symbolic of a mother, the coconut is of her husband Lord Shiva. Mother always takes away all our negativity and blesses us with positive ones," said Rashmi, Nawanit's wife.
Each day, water is sprinkled on the mud and barley for nine days after which a havan (holy fire) concludes the prayer ritual.

"We do a puja every day in the morning and evening," says Nawanit. There is also a tradition of placing clothes, which have changed with the times. "Earlier clothes to be worn on Dashami day would to be placed before the Kalash but now only towels are kept. These are then given to family members," says Nawanit.

While primarily, Goddess Durga and her nine incarnations are worshipped, on the last day, even Lord Ram is remembered.

"Vijay Dashami is also celebrated as Dusshera and marks the beginning of the homecoming of Lord Ram after he killed Ravan. Both are victories of good over evil," says Rashmi.