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Navaratri
Navratri Golu depicting various forms of Hindu deities worshiped for 9 days
Type	Major [Hindu] Festival.
Begins	September/October
Ends	October/November
Date	Usually September-November. The date changes as per lunar calender.
2012 date	October 16 - October 24[1]
Celebrations	9-10 days

Navratri is a festival dedicated to the worship of a Hindu deity Shakti. The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit, nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights^[2]. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti/Devi are worshiped. The 10th day is commonly referred to as Vijayadashami or Dussehra.

Significance[link]

The beginning of spring and the beginning of autumn are two very important junctions of climatic and solar influence. These two periods are taken as sacred opportunities for the worship of the Divine Mother. The dates of the festival are determined according to the lunar calendar.

Navarathri represents celebration of Goddess Durga, the manifestation of Deity in form of Shakti [Energy or Power]. The Navarathri festival or ‘Nine Nights festival’ becomes ‘ten days festival’ with the addition of the last day, Vijayadashami which is its culmination. On all these ten days, the various forms of Mother Mahisasura-mardini (Durga) are worshiped with fervor and devotion.^[3]

Traditions of Navaratri[link]

Devotees in West Bengal diya lamps to celebrate Navarathri and Durga Puja

Goddess Durga Pandal in Bengal during Durga Puja, a Navarathri Festival.

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Navarathri is celebrated five times a year. They are Vasanta Navaratri, Ashadha Navaratri, the Sharada Navaratri, and the Paush/Magha Navaratri. Of these, the Sharada Navaratri of the month of Puratashi and the Vasanta Navaratri of the Vasanta kala are very important.

1. Vasanta Navaratri: Basanta Navaratri, also known as Vasant Navaratri, is the festival of nine days dedicated to the nine forms of Shakti (Mother Goddess) in the spring season (March–April). It is also known as Chaitra Navaratri. The nine days of festival is also known as Raama Navratri.

2. Gupta Navaratri: Gupta Navaratri, also referred as Ashadha or Gayatri or Shakambhari Navaratri, is nine days dedicated to the nine forms of Shakti (Mother Goddess) in the month of Ashadha (June–July). Gupta Navaratri is observed during the Ashadha Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon).

3. Sharada Navaratri: This is the most important of the Navaratris. It is simply called Maha Navaratri (the Great Navratri) and is celebrated in the month of Ashvina. Also known as Sharad Navaratri, as it is celebrated during Sharad (beginning of winter, September–October).

4. Paush Navaratri: Paush Navaratri is nine days dedicated to the nine forms of Shakti (Mother Goddess) in the month of Paush (December–January). Paush Navaratri is observed during the Paush Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon).

5. Magha Navaratri: Magha Navaratri, also referred as Gupta Navaratri, is nine days dedicated to the nine forms of Shakti (Mother Goddess) in the month of Magha (January–February). Magha Navaratri is observed during the Magha Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon).

Vasanta Navaratri[link]

This is celebrated during Vasanta Rhitu (beginning of summer) (March- April). This is also known as Chaitra navarathri as it falls during the lunar month of Chaitra.

The Story of Vasanta Navaratri[link]

In days long gone by, King Dhruvasindhu was killed by a lion when he went out hunting. Preparations were made to crown the prince Sudarsana. But, King Yudhajit of Ujjain, the father of Queen Lilavati, and King Virasena of Kalinga, the father of Queen Manorama, were each desirous of securing the Kosala throne for their respective grandsons. They fought with each other. King Virasena was killed in the battle. Manorama fled to the forest with Prince Sudarsana and a eunuch. They took refuge in the hermitage of Rishi Bharadwaja.

The victor, King Yudhajit, thereupon crowned his grandson, Satrujit, at Ayodhya, the capital of Kosala. He then went out in search of Manorama and her son. The Rishi said that he would not give up those who had sought protection under him. Yudhajit became furious. He wanted to attack the Rishi. But, his minister told him about the truth of the Rishi’s statement. Yudhajit returned to his capital.

Fortune smiled on Prince Sudarsana. A hermit’s son came one day and called the eunuch by his Sanskrit name Kleeba. The prince caught the first syllable Kli and began to pronounce it as Kleem. This syllable happened to be a powerful, sacred Mantra. It is the Bija Akshara (root syllable) of the Divine Mother. The Prince obtained peace of mind and the Grace of the Divine Mother by the repeated utterance of this syllable. Devi appeared to him, blessed him and granted him divine weapons and an inexhaustible quiver.

The emissaries of the king of Benares passed through the Ashram of the Rishi and, when they saw the noble prince Sudarsana, they recommended him to Princess Sashikala, the daughter of the king of Benares.

The ceremony at which the princess was to choose her spouse was arranged. Sashikala at once chose Sudarsana. They were duly wedded. King Yudhajit, who had been present at the function, began to fight with the king of Benares. Devis helped Sudarsana and his father-in-law. Yudhajit mocked Her, upon which Devi promptly reduced Yudhajit and his army to ashes.

Thus Sudarsana, with his wife and his father-in-law, praised Devi. She was highly pleased and ordered them to worship her with havan and other means during the Vasanta Navarathri. Then she disappeared.

Prince Sudarsana and Sashikala returned to the Ashram of Rishi Bharadwaja. The great Rishi blessed them and crowned Sudarsana as the king of Kosala. Sudarsana and Sashikala and the king of Benares implicitly carried out the commands of the Divine Mother and performed worship in a splendid manner during the Vasanta Navarathri.

Sudarsana’s descendants, namely, Sri Rama and Lakshmana, also performed worship of Devi during the Sharada Navarathri and were blessed with Her assistance in the recovery of Sita.

Sharad Navaratri[link]

Commences on the first and ends on the tenth day of the bright half of the lunar month Aswayuja/Asvina.

‘The Navarathri festival has to be celebrated during the bright fortnight of the month of Asvina, in the order of pratipada, etc, until the navami ends,’ says the Dhaumya-vacana.

Navarathri in the year 2011 starts on 28 September 2011 and ends on 05 October 2011 with Vijayadashami celebrated on 06 October 2011.

Forms of Shakti[link]

"The nine forms of Durga" displayed in Benares, Uttar Pradesh

Nine forms of Shakti are worshipped during the Navaratris. The Devis worshipped depend on the tradition of the region.

• Durga, the inaccessible one
• Bhadrakali
• Amba or Jagadamba, Mother of the universe
• Annapoorna devi, The one who bestows grains (anna) in plenty (purna: used as subjective)
• Sarvamangala, The one who gives joy (mangal) to all (sarva)
• Bhairavi
• Chandika or Chandi
• Lalita
• Bhavani
• Mookambika

Rituals[link]

Garba dance in Ahmedabad during navaratri festivities

The Navaratri commences on the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashvin. The festival is celebrated for nine nights once every year during the beginning of October, although as the dates of the festival are determined according to the lunar calendar, the festival may be held for a day more or a day less.

Navarathri is celebrated in different ways throughout India. In North India, all three Navaratris are celebrated with much fervor by fasting on all nine days and worshiping the Mother Goddess in her different forms. The Chaitra Navratri culminates in Ram Navami and the Sharad Navaratri culminates in Durga Puja and Dussehra. The Dussehra of Kullu in Himachal Pradesh is particularly famous in the North. Navratri festival in Gujarat is one of the main festivals. Garba is dance which people use to dance after the Durga Pooja with the groups and live orchestra or devotional songs.

The last four days of Sharad Navaratri take on a particularly dramatic form in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Orissa, Assam in East India where they are celebrated as Durga Puja.^[4] This is the biggest festival of the year in this state. Exquisitely crafted and decorated life-size clay idols of the Goddess Durga depicting her slaying the demon Mahishasura are set up in temples and other places. These idols are then worshiped for five days and immersed in the river on the fifth day.

In Western India, particularly in the state of Gujarat, Navratri is celebrated with the famous Garba and Dandiya-Raas dance. Since the past few years, the Government Of Gujarat has been organising the "Navratri Festival Celebrations" on a regular basis for the nine days of Navratri Festival in Gujarat. People from all over Gujarat and even abroad come to participate in the nine days celebrations. It is also popular throughout India and among Indian communities around the world including the UK, Canada and USA.

In Goa, zatra begins during Navratri, entire Antruz (Ponda) is highly ornated. The Saraswat Brahmin temples are beautifully decorated and the idols are taken out for worship. The idols are dressed and adorned with flowers, sandalwood paste, turmeric and kumkum. Devotees come during Navarathri to get the special darshan and what mostly a devotee awaits is the Kaul Prasad, which is as something given from the Gods and Goddess itself. The Deities are emblazoned with flowers and devotees or priests continue to worship the deity without even changing the flowers on them. At the end of the festive night the flowers are distributed as Prasad for the devotees. The Dasha Maitrikas (the 10 sisters of Goa) of the Saraswat Brahmins are taken out to worship - namely, Shantadurga, Aryadurga, Mahalasa, Katyayani, Mahamaya, Kamakshi, Vijayadurga, Bhumika, Mahalakshmi and Navadurga.

In South India, people set up steps and place idols on them. This is known as golu. Photos of typical Golu displayed in Tamil Nadu style at a home in Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India is shown by the side.

In Karnataka, Ayudha Puja, the ninth day of Mysore Dasara, is celebrated with the worship of implements used in daily life such as computers, books, vehicles, or kitchen tools. The effort to see the divine in the tools and objects one uses in daily life is central to this celebration, so it includes all tools that help one earn one's livelihood. Knowledge workers go for books, pen or computers, farmers go for the plough and other agricultural tools, machinery for industrialists and cars/buses/trucks for the transportation workers—all are decorated with flowers and worshiped on this day invoking God's blessing for success in coming years. It is believed that any new venture such as starting of business or purchasing of new household items on this day is bound to bring success and prosperity.

In Kerala, three days: Ashtami, Navami, and Vijaya Dashami of Sharad Navarathri are celebrated as Sarasvati Puja in which books are worshiped. The books are placed for Puja on the Ashtami day in own houses, traditional nursery schools, or in temples. On Vijaya Dashami day, the books are ceremoniously taken out for reading and writing after worshiping Sarasvati. Vijaya Dashami day is considered auspicious for initiating the children into writing and reading, which is called Vidyarambham. Tens of thousands of children are initiated into the world of letters on this day in Kerala.

In Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh, people celebrate Bathukamma festival over a period of nine days. It is a kind of navratri celebration.

Navratri is divided into sets of three days to adore three different aspects of the supreme goddess or goddesses.

First three days[link]

The goddess is separated as a spiritual force called Durga also known as Kali in order to destroy all our impurities.

Second three days[link]

The Mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees inexhaustible wealth, as she is the goddess of wealth.

Final three days[link]

little girls dressed up as various goddesses during the last day of Navarathri

The final set of three days is spent in worshiping the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. In order to have all-round success in life, believers seek the blessings of all three aspects of the divine femininity, hence the nine nights of worship.

Eighth day is traditionally Durgashtami which is big in Bengal.

In some parts of South India, Saraswati puja is performed on the 9th day. Ayudha Puja is conducted in many parts of South India on the Mahanavami (Ninth) day with much fanfare. Weapons, agricultural implements, all kinds of tools, equipments, machinery and automobiles are decorated and worshipped on this day along with the worship of Goddess. The work starts afresh from the next day, i.e. the 10th day which is celebrated as 'Vijaya Dashami'. Many teachers/Schools in south India start teaching Kindergarten children from that day onwards.

In North India, as the culmination of the Ramlila which is enacted ceremoniously during Dussehra, the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Meghanada are burnt to celebrate the victory of good (Rama) over evil forces on the 'Vijaya Dashami' day.

During Navratri, some devotees of Durga observe a fast and prayers are offered for the protection of health and prosperity. Devotees avoid meat, alcoholic drinks, grains, wheat and onion during this fast. Grains are usually avoided since it is believed that during the period of Navratri and seasonal change, grains attract and absorb lots of negative energies^[5] from the surrounding and therefore there is a need to avoid eating anything which are produced from grains for the purification of Navratri to be successful. Navratri is also a period of introspection and purification, and is traditionally an auspicious and religious time for starting new ventures.

During this vowed religious observance, a pot is installed (ghatasthapana) at a sanctified place at home. A lamp is kept lit in the pot for nine days. The pot symbolizes the universe. The uninterrupted lit lamp is the medium through which we worship the effulgent Adishakti, i.e. Sree Durgadevi. During Navratri, the principle of Sree Durgadevi is more active in the atmosphere.

Navratri is celebrated in a large number of Indian communities. The mother goddess is said to appear in 9 forms, and each one is worshiped for a day. These nine forms signify various traits that the goddess influences us with. The Devi Mahatmya and other texts invoking the Goddess who vanquished demons are cited.

During the eight or ninth day, Kanya Poojan, pre-pubescent girls are ceremonially worshiped.

See also[link]

• Garba (dance)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Navaratri

• Navaratri: In the festival of "Nine Nights," Hindus across the globe worship the feminine form of the Supreme
• How to worship the Goddess during Navratri ?

v t e Festivals in the Hindu calendar Major festivals Pongal Makar Sankranti Holi Rama Navami Krishna Janmashtami Maha Shivaratri Onam Ganesh Chaturthi Navratri (Mysore Dasara – Durga Puja – Vijayadashami) Diwali (Bhau-Beej) Chhath Vat Purnima Thaipusam Regional New Year Gudi Padwa (Marathi, Konkani) Ugadi (Telugu, Kannada) Cheti Chand (Sindhi) Bihu (Assamese) Bisu (Tuluva) Vaisakhi (Punjabi) Vishuva Sankranti (Oriya) Pohela Boishakh (Bengali) Puthandu (Tamil) Vishu (Malayalee) Holy days Ekadashi Gowri Habba Karwa Chauth Mahalakshmi Vrata Raksha Bandhan Sankranti Savitri Brata Thaipusam Holy periods Chaturmas Dhanurmas

Narendra Chanchal is an Indian musician who specializes in Punjabi bhentein. He was born to a religious Punjabi family in Namak Mandi, Amritsar. He has received several awards including the 1973 "Filmfare Best Male Playback Award" for his first song "Beshak Mandir Masjid Todo," the "Bobby Award" for his number "Beshak Mandir Masjid Todo" in the film "Bobby" by Raj Kapoor, and the "Raj Kapoor Memorial Award." He was recently made an honorary citizen of the US state of Georgia.

References[link]

• About Narendra Chanchal
• Narendra Chanchal as playback singer on IMDB

Narendra Chanchal has recently released the book on his life, struggles and hardships he had to face, to achieve what he is today, what he thinks about Mata Rani and what is his dreams and aim yet to achieve.Indeeed a good read. The Name of the Book is Midnight Singer.

This Indian music-related biographical article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (October 2011)

Falguni Pathak (Gujarati: ફાલ્ગુની પાઠક, Hindi: फाल्गुनी पाठक), born March 12, 1964, is an acclaimed singer and is performing artist from India, based in Mumbai. Her music is based on traditional musical forms from the Indian state of Gujarat. Since her professional debut in 1998, she has developed into an artist with a large fan base across India.^[1]

Her debut album was released in 1998, and she has also recorded numerous songs for Bollywood movies. The theme of most of her songs is love. She has performed in many shows in India and other countries, backed by a band called Ta Thaiyaa. She recently appeared on Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.

References[link]

File:D:\46819M.jpg

Kirit Somaiya (born February 12, 1954) is an Indian politician of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who represented Mumbai Northeast in the 13th Lok Sabha.

External links[link]

• His website
• Mid-Day report about Kirit Somaiya using novel methods for campaigning such as sending SMSes, calling up voters and sending e-mails.
• Biographical Sketch: Member of Parliament: 13th Lok Sabha

This article about a Bharatiya Janata Party politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (June 2009)

Monica Bedi
Monica Bedi at Hira Manek Women's Achievers Awards
Born	(1975-01-18) 18 January 1975 (age 37) Hoshiarpur, Punjab, India
Residence	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Occupation	Actress, Television presenter
Years active	1995–Present
Partner	Abu Salem (1997-2002)
Website
[1]

Monica Bedi (born 18 January 1975) is an Indian/Norwegian actress, television-presenter, television-contestant. She debuted in Hindi films in mid 1990s. However, her career was severely damaged when she was arrested along with her consort Mumbai underworld mastermind Abu Salem in Portugal for passport forgery, which was followed by extradition to India and jail sentence.

Early life[link]

Bedi was born to Dr. Prem Kumar Bedi and Shakuntala Bedi on January 18, 1975 in a village named Chabbewal in the district Hoshiarpur, Punjab. Her parents migrated to Norway in 1976, when she was 10 months old where they run a garment business. She has one brother, living in Norway. She went to school in Norway. At the age of 18 she left college to follow the big dream. Monica returned to India at the age of 18 and entered Bollywood. She studied at Oxford University in London,^{[clarification needed]} United Kingdom and completed her acting education at University Of Delhi. She got into films after she met producer Manoj Kumar in England while she was studying English literature at Oxford in 1992.

Career[link]

Monica Bedi is most known for her films such as Janam Samja Karo, where she was in the lead role with Urmilla, opposite Salman Khan, Jodi no.1 opposite with Sanjay Dutt and Govinda, Pyar, Ishq Aur Mohabbat opposite with Arjun Rampal and Aftab Shivdasani and Tirchi Topi Wale. Monica was most talked about inmate in Big Boss 2, an Television based reality show on Colors. Monica Bedi had acted more than a dozen films in Telugu. It is ace producer D. Ramanaidu who introduced her in Telugu in his film, TAJMAHAL, after she shot in to fame with her debut Hindi film, Tirchi Topiwale. She got many offers in Telugu as she has no qualms with exposing to any extent.

Monica Bedi came to Mumbai from Delhi to try her luck in the film industry. It was here that she came in contact with Mukesh Duggal, a film producer, who took her to Dubai for a stage show. Monica was one of the contestants of the reality dance show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 3 on Sony Entertainment Television channel. Her choreographer partner was Javed Sanadi. Monica was also a contestant on NDTV Imagine's Desi Girl reality show. She sung the divine chants ‘Ek Onkar’ for spiritual music album on Universal Music. Ek Onkaar launched in Chandigarh. It is a spiritual offering where Monica has rendered her voice. The album is a compilation of the revered mantra of the Sikhs called ‘Mool Mantra’ which is one of the holiest chants from the holy book of Sikhism ‘Guru Granth Saheb’.

Monica Bedi is back in action on big screen again after some years. She is doing a Nepali movie ‘Parichay’, In the movie, Monica is cast opposite Nikhil Upreti, Nepal’s action hero. “Parichay” is directed by Mumbai-based director Akash Pandey. She is shooting two tamil films, which will be released in 2012. She will also launch two reality-tv projects in 2012.

She is playing the title role in a Tamil movie as ‘Devadasi' The story revolves around an aged use of Devadasi complement as well as Monica plays a Devadasi from Peddhapuram area in Andhra Pradesh.

She is acting in a punjabi movie titled Sirr Phire as the main female lead opposite Priyachu Chaterji, Preet Harpal and Roshan Prince, directed by Harjith Singh Ricky and produced by Angad Singh.

[edit] Bigg Boss (Season 2)

On 17 August 2008 (telecast date), Bedi was ushered into the Bigg Boss (Season 2) as one of the 14 contestants in the second season of the Indian version of Big Brother. She was evicted from the house on 5 September (telecast date).^[1]

[edit] Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (season 3)

Monica paired with Javed Sanadi for the show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa. She was eliminated in round 6 although her improvement was highly appreciated by the judges. She regarded the show as a new beginning of her life and career.

[edit] Desi Girl

Monica was a contestant on NDTV Imagine's reality show Desi Girl. She was the fourth to get eliminated as the contestants objected to her stay.

Jail sentence[link]

In September 2002, she was arrested along with fugitive underworld don Abu Salem by the Lisbon police for entering Portugal with forged documents.^[2] After years of legal battle, they were deported to India on 11 November 2005, after India promised Portugal that Salem would not receive death sentence.

On 29 September 2006, an Indian Court convicted Monica Bedi for passport forgery. CBI had filed a case against Bedi under section 420 (cheating), 120 B (criminal conspiracy) and section 12 of the Passport Act for procuring a passport on a fictitious name.^[3]

Bedi was acquitted of all criminal charges by a Bhopal court on 16 July 2007 due to lack of evidence against her. Yet another case for possessing a passport from Hyderabad on forged documents in the name of Sana Malik is pending in a Hyderabad court. The Hyderabad Court however denied her bail in the case as she failed to produce her original passport. Monica said she lost her passport in Dubai. On 25 July 2007 she was released from the Chanchalguda Central Jail and was received by her father Prem Kumar Bedi. She said that she planned to make a comeback to films and claimed to be getting offers from both Bollywood and the Telugu film industry. Upon her release from the prison, she moved back to her village, Chabbewal in district Hoshiarpur, Punjab and stayed there for a few months.

Filmography[link]

Telugu

• Taj Mahal (1995)
• Sogadi Pellam (1996)
• Circus Sathipandu (1997)
• Sivayya (1998)
• Agneepath (2005)

Kannada

• Nannaseya Hoove (1999)

Hindi

• Suraksha (1995)
• Aashiq Mastana (1995)
• Khilona (1996)
• Ek Phool Teen Kante (1997)
• Jeeyo Shaan Se (1997)
• Tirchhi Topiwale (1998)
• Zanzjeer (1998)
• Kaalicharan (1998)
• Mera Desh] (1998)
• Jaanam Samjha Karo (1999)
• Kaala Samrajya (1999)
• Lohpurush (1999)
• Sikandar Sadak Ka (1999)
• Jodi No. 1 (2001)
• Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat (2001)
• Tada (2003)

Punjabi

• Sirphire (2012)

Nepal

• Parichay (2012)

Tamil

• Devdasi (2012)

References[link]

http://www.actressmonicabedi.com

External links[link]

• Bigg Boss 2 - Profile of Monica Bedi
• Bigg Boss 2
• A brief report on Bedi's career