Hello October! The festive season has just begun, and what is a festival without food. In India we take our food very seriously. We don’t mind those extra calories showing on our tummy. Food is the essence of our celebrations. It is the fabric woven into the system of every individual from north, south, west or east of India.
We are just a few days away from celebrating Navaratri and Dussehra, which is one of India’s biggest festivals amongst Hindus.
According to a popular legend there was a very powerful demon named Mahishasura, who went on killing innocent people. The trinity of Lord Bramha, Vishnu and Shiva created Goddess Durga to kill this demon with all their power. There was a war fought between the Goddess and demon for nine days and on the tenth day she beheaded the demon.
According to another legend, Lord Rama before he fought the battle against the demon Ravana would pray to Goddess Durga to seek her blessings. He came out victorious in his battle and brought Sita back home. We pray to Goddess Durga in her nine avatars (nav avatar): Shailputri, Bramhacharini, Chandragh-anta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri, Siddhidatri (where as some Hindus believe that three forms of Parvati: Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are each worshiped for three days) for nine days and the tenth day of the festival is called Dussehra or Vijay Dashmi, which signifies the victory of good over evil.
Tamil Nadu and Telangana
In Tamil Nadu, Navratri is synonymous with bommai golu (dolls) and sundal. Steps are arranged in odd numbers of three, five, seven, nine or 11 in one corner of the house and many dolls are placed on these steps. The kalash (coconut, with water and mango leaves) is in the middle of the top step. This is a representation of daily life with all gods on the top step, saints, heroes and priests in the middle steps and common man in the lower step. The most important figure in the golu is a married couple. It is a thematic representation of ancient stories. In morning pongal is offered as nayivedhyam to the Gods and in the evening a preparation of boiled legumes (sundal is offered). Guests are invited during evening time, to come and visit the golu. Usually a nice vegetarian spread is offered to the guests.
For the Telugu community Navratri is the display of bommala koluvu ( wooden dolls), which is a very integral part of the festival. The dolls depict gods, people, animals and birds, that represent the modest village life, culture and tradition. Kolu is decorated with lights and colours and there must always be a figure of boy and girl together. Food that is offered to the deity is curd rice, sugar, sweet pongal, appam, payasm, tamarind rice, bananas and honey. On the ninth day Ayudh pooja to Goddess Saraswati is performed and work instruments are worshiped. In the morning animal sacrifice is done and the meat is eaten on vijaya dashami.
Karnataka
In Karnataka, this festival is celebrated with great grandeur and style. There is a huge procession of elephants, horses and swords all over the state. It is celebrated the same way as it was, during the 16th century during the Vijaynagara dynasty. The dolls of kolu are kept at homes of people. Everyone goes to each others houses to take blessings of the almighty. Usually mini idlis and dosas are offered to guests. On the day of Saraswati puja, a dish made with jaggery, coconut and rice dough called erayappa is made by either deep-frying or like a dosa and is offered to the Goddess.
Bengali
For Bengalis this is their biggest festival. Durga idols come to the pandals on the fifth day (panchami), it is said that the Goddess comes to life. Food is prepared in the pandals and is offered as bhog, which includes khichdi, mixed vegetables, luchi (maida puri) eaten with potato and chana, and shondesh as dessert. The evening bhog has no rice related dish, only puri and five types of vegetables. Many people eat fish during these days, and on the ninth day animal sacrifice known as boli is done. The animal is usually a goat. Those who are vegetarian use a pumpkin instead. On the tenth day women worship the Goddess by applying sindoor and symbolically feeding her sweets and paan. Then they take her for immersion, and after immersing her, return to the pandals and eat chidva and curd.
Punjab
In Punjab, strict fasting is observed. Sometimes devotees only drink milk for the first seven days of Navratri. People organise jagratas, and stay awake the whole night, singing devotional songs in praise of Goddess Durga. On the eighth day (ashtami) people break their fast by inviting nine girls, to their home and feeding them. They are given halwa, puris and chana to eat, and gifted red bangles. This tradition is called kanjak devis. It is believed that these young girls are very pure and are thus worshiped and respected like Durga.
Gujarat
In Gujarat, Navratri is celebrated as the nine nights of dance, to celebrate female divinity known as Shakti. People in the villages gather in open spaces during the evenings to do the traditional dance of Garba, sometimes accompanied with sticks known as dandiya. During the day, most Gujaratis fast by eating satvik food. Their food is made of pure ghee, and rock salt and main ingredients in the food are sabudana, potato and kattu ka atta. On the tenth day, puja of one’s vehicle is performed. It is also a very auspicious day to buy a new vehicle and eat food like fafda, batata vada, bhajji, jalebi and mohantal.
Maharashtra
This festival is the start of new beginnings, and so putting wheat seeds in a pot of moist soil is a ritual. This is called Ghatastha-pana and along with this a coconut is kept in the puja room. People, who want to buy property or start a new business, will do it during this time. During this festival, devotees fast by avoiding cereals, vegetables and leafy vegetables. Mainly sabudana khichdi is eaten. On Dussehra, there is a grand feast of masala bhaath (rice), basoondi, shrikhand and puris.
