HINDU TEMPLE OF KENTUCKY
P.O Box 22813, 4213 Accomack Drive,
Louisville, KY 40252
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Navarathri
During Navarathri, the women of the house invite their friends, relatives and neighbours to come to their house and take a look at their golu. It is only womenfolk who are invited, as Navarathri is very much a women's festival. Every day, special dishes are made - sundal is a Navarathri essential. Nine different types of sundal are made each day. Nine different rice dishes are also made. These dishes are served to the guests and when they take leave, they are given some sundal to take back home too. They are also given the traditional thamboolam, along with a blouse piece, a small mirror, a comb and a kumkum container. The ninth day of Navarathri is celebrated as Ayudha Pooja. On this day, the people pay obeisance to the implements (ayudham) they make use of during the course of their life - be it at home or at work. Tools such as scissors, knives as well as every tool of the trade, be it factory machinery or computers, are considered sacred and prayers are offered. On the Thursday of Dussera is Saraswathi pooja, when all the students put in a few of their books and worship them as Saraswathi - the godess of learning. On Mahanavami day is Ayudha pooja when all the cutting implements, vehicles etc., get a wash and are worshipped. It is nice to see almost all cars, buses wearing garlands and Kumkum. The younger ones do the same pooja on their bicycles, tricycles This day is also the day of Saraswati Pooja . Saraswati is the goddess of Learning and on this day, an idol or a picture of the goddess is kept along with the books as well as any musical instrument in the house, like a veena or a violin. Prayers are offered to the goddess and children are generally urged to pray extra hard so that they will score well in the exams! The tenth day is Vijaya Dasami . This day marks the winding up of this long festival. On this day, after the evening pooja, the dolls are all packed up neatly in their boxes and taken back to the loft, where they will lie till the next Navarathri....
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