Indian Newslink October 1 2018 Digital Edition

OCTOBER 1, 2018
22 Entertainmentlink/Classifiedlink
North ShoreIndians plan Navaratri Festival
Venkat Raman
Aucklanders in general and
residents of North Shore
and beyond inparticular,
will have an opportunity
to watch Navaratri celebrations and
perhapsparticipate in the proceedings
as a two-day festival getsahead
later month.
North Shore Indian Association is
organising the Festival onOctober
12 and October 13, 2018atthe North
Shore Event Centre, Silverfield, Off
Porana Road in Glenfield.
Association Treasurer Mayank
Patel said that the Festival, ninth in
an annual series, brings together
not only Hindu women and families
but also people from otherethnic
groups.
Invoking Blessings of Durga
“DuringNavaratri, we invokethe
energy aspect ofGod in the formof
the Universal Mother, commonly referred
as‘Durga.’ The name means
‘RemoverofMiseries of Life.’ She is
alsoreferred to as ‘Devi’ (Goddess)
or ‘Shakti’(Energy or Power),”he
said.
Mr Patel said that this energy
helps Godtocreateand protect the
Universe and destroy evil.
“It can be said that God ismotionless,
absolutely changeless,
and the Divine Mother Durga,does
everything.Our worship of Shakti
re-confirms the scientifictheory that
energy isimperishable. It cannot be
created or destroyed,”hesaid.
Adhi Parashakthi also Known asGoddess Durga
Mr Patel said that the two-day Festival
is being supportedbyanumber of commercial
organisations and volunteers.
“We thank them for their patronage.
Visitors to the two-day Festival will have
access tofree parking of their vehicles,”
he said.
“North Shore Indian Associationisa
not-for-profit organisation dedicated to
community services.Wekeep alive our
great Indianculture and tradition and
teach our children the intrinsictraditionalvalues
and our Heritage,” Mr Patel
added.
Extolling the Power of Women
Hindu womenmark nine nights to
worship Goddess Shakti or Durga once
ayear, preceding Diwali. Also known as
‘Dassera,’ thenine nightsare spentin
dancing, prayer and companionship, emphasisingthe
importance of
womanhood.
The killing of ademon bya
Deity is not mere physical annihilation,
butliberation, amanifestation
of divinegrace.
Rama liberated Ravana, and
Krishna did the same with the
vile Kansa.
This is however the maximum
theycould give to the
villains.
Thesedemons were rarely
showninany of the worshipped
images.
Compassionate Durga
It is onlythe supremelycompassionate
Goddess Durga who
gives space in Her imagetothe
principal demonshe killed,
thus ensuring that hetoo is
worshipped along withHer.
If this is the grace that the
Goddess showers on avillain,
then, canthere be ameasure
of the blessings She bestowson
her loving devotees.
The Navaratri (nine nights)
Festival is acelebration of this
Great Goddess, in which the
actual worship is divided into
three parts, where Sheisworshipped
in her three essential
forms.
The two principal scriptures
of the Goddess –The
Devi Mahatmya and the Devi
Bhagavad Purana,highlight
these aspects with highly instructive
and symbolicstories.
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