Worship Sri Durga during Navratri following what our ancestors believed in

Sairam friends,

Right from our childhood my sister and myself were really interested in keeping Gollu during Navratri. Its my sister who demanded that we must celebrate Navratri with Gollu ( Arrangement of Gods statues over steps). Somehow, my sister has always been someone who initiates something in our home but she got busy with her life once she went to Germany for her PhD and later got married living in the U.S. Every Navratri, my Ma reminds my Sister to spare few minutes to worship Goddess irrespective of her busy schedule and she does that. Her only connection with Gollu is the few photos I send to her every year.

Mean while, here’s a beautiful photo of Goddess Durga from a temple in the U.S send by a devotee friend of mine.

At least all the past years, My parents and Myself used to arrange every statue until late night. This year, my parents have been to Chennai and will reach Coimbatore only by tomorrow. So they asked me to keep Gollu as much as I can. So I started early from work, got flowers and reached home. I decided not to have dinner as that will make me lazy and simply had Banana. I quickly started to take all the boxes, unwrap the cloth and kept the statues one by one. It was hectic work and I have never done it all alone. I wanted to arrange all the statues and complete the work today itself because I love Mother Goddess in any form she is. I love Saraswathi, Mahalakshmi , Durga and Parvathi.

I really don’t know if I will do it for lifetime but its my Mother’s desire that I must continue to do it. As we get older, we get too practical with life and start to question logically if life is going to be any good if we do all these rituals and pooja?

I must convey this important message from Sai.

Worship Sri Durga during Navratri following what our ancestors believed in

Sai Satcharitra is like a pearl dropped in ocean. When you read it, you don’t get many messages hiding in the ocean of Sai Leelas. You really have to think deeply with devotion to understand Sai.

Following what our ancestors did is a blessing

There were incidents in Sai Satcharitra where Saibaba reminds  a devotee that his Father was worshiping Akalkot Maharaj ( Saint Swami Samartha) but over the years, the family lost their devotion on that saint. So Saibaba asks them to continue their devotion on Swami Samartha.

In another incident, an astromoger asks Shama to visit Saptha Sringi devi temple of Vani and offer Silver breasts as prayed by his Mother. When Shama decided to offer it in the holy feet of Sai, Baba only directed him to Saptha shringi devi. So why did Saibaba do it? Irrespective of having a Guru like Sai, some of our karmic bonds will be freed only by grace of Devi – The supreme Mother.

On another incident, when a devotee comes to Saibaba and tells his worries, Baba tells him “There is a stone in a particular village which your ancestors worshiped. You also go there and do Pooja. Your worries will be washed away and your life will be good.

In all these incidents, Sai has directed his ardent devotees to follow what his ancestors has followed.

I hope this answers you the importance of worshiping Goddess Durga during Navratri.

My intention is not simply inspiring you to show devotion during Navratri. My point is to make you understand the value of continuing what your ancestors did irrespective of how fast your life might gave become.

Its 1.20 at night now and I am tired.

Om Sai Ram

Happy Navratri friends,

Venkat