This article is written by Arunkumar Deshmukh, a fellow enthusiast of Hindi movie music and a regular contributor to this blog. This article is meant to be posted in atulsongaday.me. If this article appears in sites like lyricstrans.com and ibollywoodsongs.com etc then it is piracy of the copyright content of atulsongaday.me and is a punishable offence under the existing laws.
BHAJAN MALA – GOLDEN 50s (Pushp-8)
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Indians simply love Festivals. If you see carefully, almost throughout the year, some or the other Festival or an important day is being celebrated somewhere in India. For example, take a look here…
Month
Festival
January
Makar Sankranti-Kite Festival
February
Mahashivratri Festival
March
Holi celebrations
April
Ram Navmi,Hanuman Jayanti and various New Year days in different states
May
Budha Purnima,Akshay tritiya
June
End of Uttarayan and begining of Dakshinayan
July
Pandharpur Vaari,Guru Purnima,Ramzan Eid
August
Naagpanchami,Raakhi Purnima,Independence Day,Krishnashtami,Ganesh Chaturthi
September
Ganesh Visarjan,Start of Navratra,Ghat sthapana
October
Dashehra,Diwali,Bakri Eid
November
Guru nanak jayanti,Tulsi Vivah
December
Christmas
I have mentioned Festivals only indicatively, but there are many localised Festivals in almost all states, which are not mentioned above ( for lack of Details).
Festivals like Holi, Dashehra, Diwali, Ramzan Eid, Christmas, Ganesh festival, Durga pooja are almost nationally celebrated festivals. When I was a child, I used to like Sankranti (for kite flying), Ganesh Chaturthi (for various cultural programmes, including Free cinemas) and Diwali ( for Crackers). During my Job period, I had the opportunity to enjoy Bihu in Assam, Pooja in Bengal, Rath Yatra in Orissa, Onam in Kerala, Lohdi in Punjab, Holi in U.P. and M.P., Garba in Gujarat, Dashehra in Mysore, Gudhi Padva in Maharashtra, Bathkamma in A.P., Yugadi in Karnataka and many more in North East, H.P., Tamilnadu, Shrinagar, Jaipur etc etc.
When I settled in Bombay, I realised that due to a sizable population of Gujarati people here, the Ras Garba programmes were held on mammoth scale,during Navratri days. For a star studded Garba Festival, the entry fees is around Rs.10,000 per night also. Even then they are overflowed.
Navratri is an important Festival all over India-almost-, the way it is celebrated in West Bengal is remarkable and something to be seen to be believed ! It is their biggest festival.
Nine forms of Maa Durga are worshipped in 9 Nights during this period, culminating in the 10th day,i.e. Vijaya Dashmi of Dashehra. The 9 forms are Shailputri, Bramhacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandmata, Katyayani, Kaal Ratri, Maha Gauri and Siddhi datri. These forms are beautifully described by Ramesh chandra Pandey in a song he wrote for the film ” Navdurga”-53. Chitragupta has sung it melodiously, under the baton of S.N.Tripathi. This wonderful bhajan was posted on this Blogspot by our Sudhir ji, on 23-3-2012. In his write up he wrote…
” Navratri, literally a celebration of nine nights, is a festival that actually occurs once in every quarter, i.e. four times a year. Of these, the celebration that occurs in the month of Chaitra and the month of Ashwin are the better known and more popular Navratri celebrations. The Chaitra navratri end with the celebration of Ram Navami, the birth anniversary of Lord Ram. The Ashwin Navratri are followed on the next day by Dushehra, the celebration of the victory of Lord Ram over Raavan, the King of Lanka. Besides these two, the navratri celebrations also occur in the months of Aashaad and Paush / Maagh. These are also called the Gupt Navratri, or the lesser known or secret Navratri.
The Navratri or the festival of nine nights, is a celebration of the nine manifestations of Mother Goddess. These nine forms of manifestation are Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta,Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyaayini, Kaalraatri , Mahagauri and Siddhidaatri. The description of these forms is as given below.
Shailaputri – On the first day of Navratri, the Mother Goddess is worshipped in the manifestation of Shailaputri, whose head is adorned by a half moon, who rides a bull and carries a spear. She is known as the form of Durga when she took birth as daughter of Great Himalayas.
Brahmacharini -The Brahmacharini form of Mother Goddess is worshipped on the second day of Navratri. She holds a rosary and a kamandalu in her lotus hands and her nature is to attain Sachchidanandamaya Brahmaswarupa – the Existence (sat)-Knowledge (chitt)-Bliss (anand) absolute. She represents the phase when Maa Parvati did penance as a Tapasvini, before her marriage to Lord Shiva.
Chandraghanta – On the third day of Navratri, the Mother Goddess is worshipped in the form of Chandraghanta, who rides on a Tiger. She wears the semi-circular moon (Chandra) which appears like a bell (Ghanta) on her forehead.
Kushmanda – On the fourth day, the manifestation of Mother Goddess is called Kushmanda. She holds two pitchers full of blood in her lotus hands and the universe is created, sustained and drawn within Devi’s ownself in a wink. In this form Mother Durga creates solar system by bestowing her powers unto Lord Sun.
Skandamata – The fifth day of Navratri is the celebration of Skandamata. She is eternally seated on a throne and her hands are adorned with lotuses. As the Mother of Skanda or Kartikeya, she is known as Skandmata.
Katyaayini – The sixth day of Navratri, the manifestation of Mother Goddess is Katyaayani. She holds shining Chandrahasa (Sword) in her hand and rides a magnificent lion and destroys the demons. When Maa Parvati’s partial power took birth in the home of Sage Katyaayan, then the Mother Goddess the known as Maa Katyaayini.
Kaalraatri – On the seventh day, the Mother Goddess is worshipped as Maa Kaalraatri. She is shown as having long lips, and rides an ass. She shines in various hues and is adorned with multi coloured ornaments. As per the description in Skand Purana, Maa Parvati liberates Devi’s golden outer sheath and becomes dark complexioned. In this form she is called as Maa Kaalraatri.
Mahagauri – On the eighth day, the Mother Goddess is worshipped as Maha Gauri. She rides a white bull and wears spotless white clothes. She represents purity and provides everlasting bliss to Lord Shiva.
Siddhidaatri – On the ninth day of celebrations, the manifestation of Mother Goddess is called Siddhidaatri. She is known as Siddhidaayini, the bestower of good fortune and success. In this form, the Mother Goddess was worshipped by Lord Shiva himself to manifest in the form of Goddess Ardhnaarishwara, and then the Mother Goddess appeared from the left side of Lord Shiva. “
Thanks,Sudhir ji.
Some more information on Navratri now.
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.
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[8] 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 symbolises 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.
Navaratri 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 a dance which people perform on all nine nights, after the Durga Pooja, in groups accompanied by live orchestra or devotional songs.
The last four days of Sharad Navaratri take on a particularly dramatic form in the state of West Bengal in East India where they are celebrated as Durga Puja.[5] 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 and Mumbai, 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, Malaysia, Singapore and USA.
In the temples of Goa, on the first day of the seventh month of the Hindu calendar Ashwin, in some temples, a copper pitcher is installed surrounded by clay in which nine varieties of food grains are sown inside the sanctum sanctuary of the temple.All the nine nights are celebrated by presenting devotional songs, and through religious discourses. Later in the night the idol of the goddess is put in a specially-decorated colourful swing and for nine nights, this swing is being swung to the tune of temple music (called as ranavadya) by devotees who throng in large numbers to participate in the festival. [6]
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 can be found here.
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.
Mysore is well known for the festivities that take place during the period of Dasara, the state festival of Karnataka. The Dasara festivities, which are celebrated over a ten-day period, were first introduced by King Raja Wodeyar I in 1610.[7] On the ninth day of Dasara, called Mahanavami, the royal sword is worshipped and is taken on a procession of decorated elephants, camels and horses.[7] On the tenth day, called Vijayadashami, the traditional Dasara procession (locally known as Jumboo Savari) is held on the streets of Mysore. An image of the Goddess Chamundeshwari is placed on a golden howdah on the back of a decorated elephant and taken on a procession, accompanied by tableaux, dance groups, music bands, decorated elephants, horses and camels.[7] The procession starts from the Mysore Palace and culminates at a place called Bannimantapa, where thebanni tree (Prosopis spicigera) is worshipped.[7] The Dasara festivities culminate on the night of Vijayadashami with a torchlight parade, known locally as Panjina Kavayatthu.[7]
In Kerala and in some parts of Karnataka 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.
The Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu witnesses a massive surge of devotees during the nine-day festival of Navratri. On an average about 40 thousand devotees arrive in Katra, thebase camp , for their onward pilgrimage to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. A pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi shrine during the Navratri is considered most auspicious. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) like previous years has made several arrangements to facilitate smooth pilgrimage of the devotees during Navratras this year. The entire 13 kms track from Base Camp Katra to Bhawan Complex has been cleaned and given a new look. On the first day of Navratra Chat Chandi Maha Yagya started at Bhawan Complex which will continue all the nine days and conclude on October 16 on the occasion of Navmi with “Puran ahuti”. The entire premises of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine has been illuminated presenting a marvellous look.
Here Navratri is divided into sets of three days to adore three different aspects of the supreme goddess or goddesses.
First three days: The goddess is separated a spiritual force called Durga also known as Kali in order to destroy all our evil and grant boons.
Second three days: 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.
Last three days:
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.See also: Kanya Puja
Eighth day is traditionally Durgashtami which is big in Bengal and Bihar.During the eight or ninth day, Kanya Poojan, pre-pubescent girls are ceremonially worshipped.
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.
Film Navratri-55 was a Bhagyodaya pictures film,produced by R.U.Patel and Natwar Shyam. It was directed by ‘The king of Mythologicals’ Raman B.Desai and the MD was Chitragupta,ably assisted by Dilipbhai Dholakiya. There were 8 songs penned by G.S.Nepali and Bharat Vyas. There were 8 songs in the film and today’s song is the 3rd song to be posted here.It is written by Bharat Vyas and sung by Rafi,Asha and Chorus. The cast of the film was,manhar Desai,Nirupa Roy,lalita Pawar,Sapru,Niranjan Sharma etc. The story of the film was…
Mahishasoor, the mighty Demon-King had spread a reign of terror in every nook and corner of the world. Blood of innocent people flowed like water. There was no safety of person or property. Religion and chastity of women were in jeopardy, every moment, at the hands of the vulture-like Rakshasas. People were cowed down, as the hands of the beastly tyrant had crushed all opposition. All the vanquished Kings and Princes cowardly accepted his slavery to save their lives. Prince Shatrughna was the only exception. For not accepting his sovereignty he was ordered to be killed by throwing down from a hill-top. But he escaped bravely. . Saranyu, the beautiful and daring daughter of Mahamuni Twashta had undertaken the task of spreading the spirit of revolt against the oppressive rule of Mahish. But as fate would have it, Mahish happened to see her one day and her charming beauty captured his heart. He proposed to make her his queen and on her declining that offer, tried to molest her. Luckily, however, Prince Shatrughna arrived at the nick of time and saved her honour. Cupids dart struck the young herarts of Saranyu and Shatrughna. But they preferred to dedicate their lives to the service of the people and some how bring about the destruction of Mahish. . The fragrance of saranyus beauty had reached even the celestial heights of Swarga-lok. And Devraj Indra, personally went to Mahamuni Twashta to request for her hand. But the splendour and riches of even Indra-lok had no attraction for Saranyu. She rejected Indra’s offer too . Mahish sent his soldiers to abduct Saranyu forcibly, But before they could succeed. Indra took her away. This enraged Mahish so much that he ordered to invade Swarga, immediately. But Narad Muni advised him to first acquire superior strength than Indra, by performing Tapasya. . When saranyu refused to marry him, Indra tried to fulfil his desire by force-but Shachidevi, Indras wife, interrupted him and sent her back to her father’s Ashram. . Mahish pleased Brahma by his penace, and obtained a boon of virtual immortality from him viz. No one, except a woman, could kill him in the three worlds. Intoxicated by this boon, he proclaimed himself as God-issued a fiat to worship none but him and mercilessly persecuted and put to death thousands of devotees who persisted in worshipping Lord vishnu, shanker and Goddess Adya Shakti, in defiance of his orders. . Suloma, the kind-hearted queen of Mahishasoor several times tried to persuade and prevent Mahish from the path of sin-but to no purpose. He invaded Swarga-lok also, defeated Indra in a war and humiliated him as well as Indrani, by inhuman tortures. . In the meantime, Mahamuni Twashta had married Saranyu to prince Shatrughna. But Mahish had, still, not forgotten Saranyu. He got her kidnapped just on her wedding night. When Saranyu did not yield to his several tactics-mahish blinded Mahamuni Twashtas eyes with hot iron bars, in her presence and also killed her husband, before her eyes. But the true Sati, as she was, Saranyu remained firm in her pious resolve. . Then from the Lights of all the Gods-Goddess Durga was born. Bhagwati Durga Mata kills the proud Mahishasoor, she revives Sati Saranyus husband to life, the blind Mahamuni Twashta regains his lost eyesight and Suloma sacrifices her life for a just and noble cause.
Let us now enjoy this Bhajan by Rafi, Asha and chorus.
Song-Sinh ki hunkaar le (Navratri)(1955) Singers-Rafi, Asha Bhonsle, Lyrics-Bharat Vyas, MD-Chitragupta
Rafi + Asha Bhonsle
Chorus
Lyrics
om hring kling ambike
ambike jagdambike
om hring kling ambike
ambike jagdambike
Sinh ki hunkaar le
shesh ki phunkar le
bijliyon ke haath mein talwaar le
hey ae
aadi shakti aaj tu avtaar le
om hring kling ambike
ambike jagdambike
dagmagaaya hai gagan
dharti lagi hai dolne
dharti lagi hai dolne
aaj ek papi laga hai
pralay ka munh kholne
pralay ka munh kholne
nyay ke swar ko nahin
anyaay deta bolne
pyar ke amrit mein hai koi
laga vish gholne
aa jagat ka bhaar le
shatru ko sanghaar le
dharam ki naiya ko aake taar le
hey ae
aadi shakti aaj tu avtaar le
om hring kling ambike
ambike jagdambike
tu na aayi to dhara aakash badlenge
dhara aakash badlenge
chandr ravi ke tez aur prakaash badlenge
ye tez prakaash badlenge
ved aur puraan ke vishvaas badlenge
shristy ke pracheen sab itihas badlenge
jaag shastr sanwaar le
khadag khappar dhaar le
dusht mahisasur ka sheesh utar le
hey ae
aadi shakti aaj tu avtar le
avtaar le
aa aa aa
avtaar le
aa aa aa
avtaar le
aa aa aa
