Dear Editor,
The Navratri festival of 9 days gives the message that we are all children of the Divine Mother Goddess. The worship of God in the form of Mother is a unique contribution of Hindu philosophy. The concept of worshipping Mother Goddess is a universal perception. Devi is considered to be the source of enormous energy as she is all-pervasive in strength while through her incarnation it symbolises Shakti and the people invoke Shakti as a life force of the universe.
Hindus view man and woman as the two wings of the same bird. Thus, a man is considered incomplete without a woman, since “it is not possible for a bird to fly on only one wing” as Swami Vivekananda had said. Through the worship of God in the form of Mother, Hinduism offers a unique reverence to womanhood. Just as a child considers its mother to be all-powerful, and capable of doing anything for the child, a devotee too believes that the Divine Mother is an epitome of compassion and omnipotence, one that provides eternal guidance and protection with Her invisible arms.
One would find that festivals like Navaratri in Gujarat symbolise people’s cultural, social and religious aspirations. They help people to live a fuller and better life, remove monotony and provide healthy recreation. They promote unity, fellow-feeling, self-discipline and austerity.
Yours,
Vinod C. Dixit
Ahmedabad