With Navaratri-2024 having just concluded it was a resplendent SFV all along - all over. Ladies donning the prescribed daily dress code were hurrying from one tower to the other to honour haldi-kumkum invitations – four to five houses a day on an average.
The SFV Devi Mahatmyam group consisting of around 25 members who, over a period of time, had learned how to recite DM with ease, organized full Devi Mahatmyam chant at nine different houses every day from 10.30 am to 1.30 pm. The rest of the members responded with full participation.
This also meant that they had to get up in the early hours to prepare breakfast and lunch for the home before rushing for the chant – day after day. But all the 20-odd ladies who attended every day seemed to enjoy the rigour, as we saw all of them in one piece at the end.
As is wont during such festive seasons, the prices of pooja items hit the ceiling. Coconut price soared high – touching Rs 40, from Rs 22 a piece. We thought we would be clever and ordered with the flower lady five days in advance for 6 mulams (finger-tip to elbow) of jasmine flower-mala for distribution on the day the DM chant was due in our home. She accepted the order but made it clear that the rate would be as it prevailed on the morning of purchase. Understandable. It was Rs 60/ on the day we ordered, and Rs 100 on the day executed. Betal-leaf sellers made hay while the sun shone. We bought at Rs 3 a piece. Children enjoyed their holidays riding cycling or going around in groups. It was fun, frolic and gaiety all the way.
Shanthi Vaidya, Devi Upasaka of a high order, who, only the other day released a heavy-weight book in two volumes, 1500 pages, explaining Lalitha Sahasranamam meaning word for word, performed Nava Varana pooja lasting over five hours. If corridor news is correct, one witnessed ladies from all other towers parading to Alder – like the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
As though these are not enough, to give the event a fitting finale, the ever-active group of Sudarshan Acharya, Naveen and Vasuki Kashyap, Vaidya, Panindra, Ramasubramanian, and the gentleman attired in a smart purple panchagacham (forgive me, I could not get his name), a welcome addition Bhuvana, and many others, organized yet another pooja – this time Durga Deepa Namaskara this evening.
First the ladies of the Satsang group chanted Lalitha Sahasranamam in unison. Menfolk joined them. This was followed by the Durga Deepa Namaskara. As it warmed up, almost everyone felt that the entire celestial world would descend on MPH1 breaking open the ceiling in response to the combination of enchanting pancha vadyam, the resonating chant of purohits, the inviting song Himagiri Tanaye Hemalathe by Ravichandran (of Alder, not Ebony – only his daughter is an accomplished singer), and a series of songs by the adolescent boy and girl much to the full participation and enjoyment of those who managed squeeze a space for themselves in the hall. The Mangalarati was simply matchless. It had all the ingredients to elevate the spiritual mood of the audience, let alone swing in joy unknowingly.
In the end the organizers had arranged Thamboolam on second floor, and prasadam on first floor for everyone present. Managed meticulously. As he distributed prasadam, one volunteer whispered into my ears, “So, sir, may we expect your blog on this tonight?” “I shall try sir,” I replied. Glad I was able to piece together something.
Yes, as a WhatsApp message shared by a friend conveys, “Dasha Hara is a Sanskrit word which means removal of ten bad qualities within oneself: Ahankara (ego), Amanatva (cruelty), Anyaaya (injustice), Kama Vasana (lust), Krodha (anger), Lobha (greed), Mada (over pride), Matsara (jealousy), Moha (attachment), and Swartha (selfishness). And aptly, today, Vijayadashami signifies Vijaya over these ten bad qualities”. Let’s hope victory over these will be perpetual and not like the short-lived New Year resolutions we tend to make year after year.
Meanwhile, full compliments to the organizers, and congrats to SFVians for their no less enthusiastic response.
