Photo Speaks – Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple

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Photo Speaks – Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple

Decorations at the main nada.

Ezhuthiniruthal 

Ottan thullal by Kalamandalam Sreeja

Bharatha natyam dance recital by Subramanya Kalakshethra, Thayamkulangara, Cherpu.

Vote of thanks to devotees, institutions, participants ,and all other publics who have cooperated with samithy by secretary Sri Pradeep Thoppil.

Photos provided by urakathammathiruvadiksethra upadeshakasamathi

This entry was posted in Clicks and writes, Events - Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events - Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events Covered and Reviews, Photo Speaks.

Photo Speaks – Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Thrissur

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Photo Speaks – Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Thrissur

Photos provided by urakathammathiruvadiksethra upadeshakasamathi

This entry was posted in Clicks and writes, Events - Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events - Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events Covered and Reviews.

Significance of Navaratri, Mahavanavmi and Vidhyaarambam

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Significance of Navaratri, Mahavanavmi and Vidhyaarambam
(Ezhuthiniruthal)

9 – day Navratri festival begins on the first day of the Shukla Paksha of the Ashwayuja/ Ashwina month (Ashwayuja Padyami). In 2008, Navratri begins on 30th September, Tuesday. On this day, in Northern States and in Karnataka and certain extent in Andra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, a ceremony called ‘Durga Kalash Sthapana’ is done with utmost devotion. Shri Durga Mahaanavami will be celebrated on 8th October. The festival of Navratri ends on 9th October, Thursday. On this day, devotees celebrate Dussehra / Dasara. It is also called Vijaya Dashami day where children are initiated to the world of learning and knowledge in the presence of goddess Saraswathi at temples or in front of gurus in gurukulas / schools of knowledge.

Navratri ” literally means “nine nights.” Navratri is celebrated twice a year, once at the beginning of the New Samvatsar (Hindu New year) in Summers and again at the onset of winter. Navratri or Navratra are therefore known as Chaitra Navratra and Shaardey Navratra on the basis of their occurrence. These nights are devoted to the reverence of Goddess Durga (Maa Durga) who exists in many forms and is the manifestation of the absolute energy that pervades the Universe. During these days and nights prayers are offered to Mother Goddess.

The Shrimad-devi Bhagwat mentions the significance of puja done during the Navratri. Devi Mahaatmya and other texts invoking Goddess Durga are cited during thir period of nine days. According to puraanas if a person worships Goddess during this period then he is blessed with virtues of all kinds and all his sins are forgiven.
During Navaratri, we invoke the energy aspect of God in the form of universal mother Maa Durga, which literally means the remover of miseries of life. Maiya is also known as Shakti as she is the source of all energies in the world. It is this energy, which helps God to proceed with the work of creation, preservation and destruction.
In Shiv Puraan, Lord Shiva says that he is Shav(meaning Dead) without the powers of Shakti (his wife and the ultimate source of energy). In other words, we can say that even God is motionless, absolutely changeless without the divine support of Maa Durga.
In Bhagwat puraan, Lord Vishnu says that he is incomplete without his better half. He blesses those who worship his wife Maa Mahalaxmi. It is for this reason the world says Radhey-Krishna and Sita-Raam and not Raam-Sita or Krishna – Radhey.
The worship of Mother Goddess can be dated back to Indus Valley Period wherein the statue of Mother Goddess clearly mentions the presence of her supremacy. This is a true example of importance given to females in Idian culture and religion.
Durga or the destructive aspect of the divine mother is worshipped during the first three nights. On the succeeding three knights, her protective aspect of Lakshmi and on the last three nights, her knowledge aspect or Saraswati are worshipped. The significance of this order is that first durga destroys all the evil propensities lurking in the minds of her devotees; then lakshmi implants divine qualities in the devotees’ minds and finally saraswati bestows true knowledge to her devotees. The tenth day known as Vijaya Dasami, commemorates the victory of knowledge over ignorance of goodness over evil.

Importance of each day of Navratri:

1st – 3rd day of Navratri

On the first day of the Navaratras, ‘Kalash Shthaapna. is done in the puja room.These initial days are dedicated to Durga Maa, the Goddess of power and energy. Her various manifestations, Kumari, Parvati and Kali are all worshipped during these days. They represent the three different classes of womanhood that include the child, the young girl and the mature woman.

4th – 6th day : Lalita Panchami

4th – 6th day of Navratri During these days, Lakshmi Maa, the Goddess of peace and prosperity is worshipped. On the fifth day which is known as Lalita Panchami, it is traditional, to gather and display all literature available in the house, light a lamp or ‘diya’ to invoke Saraswati Maa, the Goddess of knowledge and art.

Final days: Durga Ashtami Puja

These final days belongs to Saraswati Maa who is worshipped to acquire the spiritual knowledge. This in turn will free us from all earthly bondage. But on the 8th day of this colorful festival, yajna (holy fire) is performed. Ghee (clarified butter), kheer (rice pudding) and sesame seeds form the holy offering to Goddess Durga Maa.

Mahanavami Puja. Navratri ends.

The festival of Navratri culminates in Mahanavami. On this day Kanya Puja is performed. Nine young girls representing the nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped. Their feets are washed as a mark of respect for the Goddess and then they are offered food mainly consisting kala chana, halwa and poori. Then after new clothes or gifts by the worshiper. This ritual is performed in most parts of the country.

Vijaya Dashmi

After the three days of Puja, in Dashami , in the last day, a tearful farewell is offered to the Goddess. Most of the community pujas postpone the farewell as long as possible and arrange a grand send-off. The images are carried in processions around the locality and finally is immersed in a nearby river or lake. Vijaya Dashami is an event celebrated all over the country.This day also marks the return of Lord Ram to Ayodhya after 14 years in exile

This is also the day when most of the Malayalees do the Vidyaarambam or Ezhuthiniruthal ceremony to initiate children to the world of learning and knowledge.

Panachikkadu saraswathi temple, Thiruvullakkavu Sri Dharmashastha temple, Chottanikkara Devi temple and Paravur Mookambi temple are well known places where Vidyarambam ceremonies are conducted in an elaborate and systematic manner. Kollur Mookambika temple is also very significant amongst all art and music lovers, as well as educationist.

Even if it is a hindu tradition, now it is followed by other religions too to start the formal education of children on this auspicious day dedicated to Vidhya Devi.

At temples, it will be the chief priest and his assistants who takes initiative to start this knowledge initiating process to the child by first writing on the tongue with a golden ring a sloka/or small prayer dedicated to saraswathi and then holding the hands of the child, the priest makes him write on sand or on rice the same slokas. This is also done in schools of knowledge by gurus.

Normally, they (the priests or the gurus or elders) with soft and careful hands and with prayers and good thoughts in mind, make the child write the following words on his tongue:

Om

Hari Shree Ganapathaye Namah Avignamasthu

Children and elders who already have started their education may write the above and then followed by the below mentioned prayers:

Om Sree Gurubhyo Namah
Om Sree Saraswathaye Namah

And if you know Malayalam the following first few letters of the language

or the alphabets of any language you know for example, English, Hindi, French etc. and then followed by numerals starting from 0 to 9 etc.

Vijaya Dashmi day is also very auspicious and many children are initiated into the world of music and arts on this day.

For those readers who wish to learn or start learning Malayalam, the following site is very useful.

http://www.geocities.com/malatutor/

May I take this opportunity to wish all my readers blessings in abundance from the goddess of knowledge to continue and sustain knowledge (all types of it ) from all sources.

You may please visit the following link to see in detail how Navarathri/Mahanavami is celebrated at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Thrissur District Kerala.

http://clicksandwrites.blogspot.com/search/label/Events%20-%20Mahanavami%20Maholsavam%20at%20Urakam%20Ammathiruvadi%20Temple

This entry was posted in Events - Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events - Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events Covered and Reviews, Malayalam - Traditions.

വിദ്യാരംഭം – 17.10.2010

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വിദ്യാരംഭം – 17.10.2010

മഹാനവമി കാലത്ത് ഏറ്റവും പ്രധാനമായ ഒരു കാര്യമാണല്ലോ വിജയദശമി ദിവസ്സം നടത്തുന്ന വിദ്യാരംഭം. കൊച്ചു കുട്ടികളെ എഴുത്തിനിരുത്തുക എന്ന ചടങ്ങ് അന്നേ ദിവസം കേരളത്തിലും മറ്റു സംസ്ഥാനങ്ങളിലും വളരെ വിപുലമായ രീതിയില്‍ നടത്തി വരുന്നു. സാധാരണയായി അടുത്തുള്ള സരസ്വതി ക്ഷേത്രത്തില്‍ വച്ചാണ് ഈ ചടങ്ങ് കേമമായി നടത്തി വരുന്നതു. തൃശൂര്‍ ജില്ലയിലെ തിരുവള്ളക്കാവ്, തുഞ്ചന്‍ പറമ്പ്, പിന്നെ ശ്രീ മൂകാംബിക ക്ഷേത്രം എന്നിവിടങ്ങളില്‍ അന്നേ ദിവസ്സം ഈ ചടങ്ങിനു വലിയ തിരക്ക് കാണാറുണ്ട്. അമ്പലങ്ങളിലെ മേല്‍ശാന്തിമാരോ, ഗുരുനാഥന്‍മാരോ, തറവാട്ടിലെ കാരണവന്മാരോ മുന്‍കൈ എടുത്തു, അന്നേ ദിവസ്സം അക്ഷരമാലയിലെ ആദ്യാക്ഷരങ്ങള്‍ കുട്ടികളുടെ നാവില്‍ മോതിരം കൊണ്ടു എഴുതി അവരുടെ കൈ പിടിച്ചു മണലിലോ അരിമണിയിലോ എഴുതിക്കുന്നു.


സാധാരണയായി താഴെ കാണുന്ന വിധത്തില്‍ എഴുതി കൊണ്ടാണ് ഈ എഴുത്ത് അല്ലെങ്കില്‍ വിദ്യയുടെ അദ്ധ്യാക്ഷരം ചൊല്ലി കൊടുക്കല്‍ നടത്തുന്നത് :

ഓം
ഹരി ശ്രീ ഗണപതയേ നമ: അവിഘ്നമസ്തു

ഇതു ഏറ്റവും ചെറിയ കുട്ടികളുടെ നാവില്‍ എഴുതി തുടങ്ങുന്ന സമയത്തു. കുറച്ചു മുതിര്‍ന്നവര്‍ മേലെ എഴുതിയവ കൂടാതെ:

ഓം ശ്രീ ഗുരുഭ്യോ നമ:
ഓം ശ്രീ സരസ്വത്യൈ നമ:
എന്നിവയും, കൂടെ, മലയാളത്തിലെ അക്ഷരങ്ങളും (ഉദാഹരണത്തിന്)

പുറമെ, ഇംഗ്ലീഷ് അക്ഷരമാല ക്രമങ്ങളും കൂടാതെ, പൂജ്യം മുതല്‍ ഒന്‍പതു വരെയും, പിന്നെ മറ്റു ഭാഷകള്‍ അറിയുന്നു എങ്കില്‍ അവയിലെ അധ്യക്ഷരങ്ങളും അന്നേ ദിവസ്സം അരി മണിയിലോ മണലിലോ എഴുതാം. കൂടാതെ സന്ഗീതോപകരണങ്ങളും, വായ്പ്പാട്ട്, ചിത്രരചന, കഥയെഴുത്ത്‌ എന്നിങ്ങനെയുള്ള എല്ലാ കലാ വിരുതുകള്‍ക്കും അന്നേ ദിവസ്സം ഗുരുക്കന്മാരില്‍ നിന്നു ആരംഭം കുറിക്കുന്നത് ശുഭകരം ആണ്.

മലയാളം പഠിക്കണം എന്ന് താത്പര്യം ഉള്ളവര്‍ക്ക് താഴെ എഴുതിയ വെബ് സൈറ്റ് നല്ല ഒരു മാര്‍ഗ ദര്‍ശി ആണ്.

http://www.geocities.com/malatutor/

ജാതി മത ഭേദമെന്യേ എല്ലാവരിലും സരസ്വതി പ്രസാദം വളരട്ടെ.

രമേഷ് മേനോന്‍
17.10.2010

This entry was posted in Events - Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events - Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events Covered and Reviews, Malayalam - Miscellaneous.

Indian sports glory reaches heights – My Letters – THE NATIONAL – Dt. 17.10.2010

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My Letters – THE NATIONAL – Dt. 17.10.2010 – Indian sports glory reaches heights

This entry was posted in Letters to the editor, Opinion 2010, The National.

Short Take – GULF TODAY – 16.10.2010 – Lost in E-World

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Short Take – GULF TODAY – 16.10.2010 – Lost in E-World

Lost in e-world

I was at a traffic signal adjacent to a prominent housing colony in our city. A child playing alone at the footpath, very adjacent to the road caught my attention suddenly.

When I looked around, I saw her mother immersed in a telephone conversation on her mobile. A few distances away, I saw her nanny, with a pet dog with its lace in one hand and she was too fully lost in her mobile world talking with someone.

From the looks of both of them, I realised, they were waiting for another child’s return from her school. I suddenly thought about the plight of the dog as well as of the little child. Both caretakers were totally away from the existence of these two wonderful living beings.

Are we all now lost in a mobile and e-world? Pure affection, once used to be there, seemed to be drifting away from our real life.

The signal turned green and I had to take time out from my thoughts and get back to the life ahead on road.

Ramesh Menon

This entry was posted in Gulf Today, Letters to the editor, Opinion 2010, Short Take.

Photo Speaks – Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple

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Photo Speaks – Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple

Lalitha Sahasranama japam by devotees from Anandappuram on the day of Poojaveppu.

Lamp decorations with different colors in front of the main nada.


A child devotee fully immersed in prayers.

Lighting the lamps at vilakkum madam

An enthralling performance of Thaymbaka by Kalpathi Balakrishnan and party. Huge crowd of devotees exited and enjoyed the peformance.

Photos provided by urakathammathiruvadiksethra upadeshakasamathi

This entry was posted in Clicks and writes, Events - Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events - Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events Covered and Reviews, Photo Speaks.

Photo Speaks – Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple

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Photo Speaks – Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple

 

Photos provided by urakathammathiruvadiksethra upadeshakasamathi

This entry was posted in Clicks and writes, Events - Mahanavami Maholsavam at Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events - Urakam Ammathiruvadi Temple, Events Covered and Reviews.

Mind Speaks – Flowing against the flow – Do we really care for our nature

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Mind Speaks – Flowing against the flow – Do we really care for our nature

One of the most beautiful waterfalls in Kerala and for that matter in India, Athirappally and Vazhachal falls generate plenty of tourist interest. Any time you visit the falls, you will see tourists in plenty, including those from outside India. It is one of the most favorite spots amongst tourism promoters.

Athirappilly Falls is a part of Chalakudy river and it is approximately 80 feet in height. Athirappilly is easily reachable from Chalakudy by taking a vehicle for rent or by bus from the Chalakudy private bus terminal. This area is the only place in the Western Ghats where four endangered Hornbill species are seen. The Western Ghats is one of the most important biodiversity hot spot in the world.

The falls situated amongst thick forestation, filled with a wealth of wild life and plantations. They include special plants, trees and even butterflies, and varieties of birds. The area also has good fairly large presence of wild elephants, deers and monkeys, who at times, visit the road towards the falls. The same stretch extends towards Tamilnadu and easy route to Pollachi connecting Chalakudi. In order to prevent accidents and for the safety of the animals as well as the road users, traffic at night is restricted on this road.
It is one of the best feeling you every get as you go nearer to the falls. From the top as well as the side extension slippery pathway reaching the downside of it. One has to be cautious not to go nearer to the edge, if on top and also get closer to the falls, if viewing from down. There are forest guards posted to monitor erring visitors, whose life may be in danger, due to a slippery rock, or due to sudden increase of water flow due to water level adjustments happening at the dam above or even due to big timber blocks being washed down from the mountain tops as a result of heavy rain.

//www.youtube.com/get_player

In most cases, the visiting tourists are obedient and they silently enjoy the beauty and have a quality time at a very nominal visiting charge and then return. However, you may get to see some unruly crowd who may break glass bottles on the rocks or throw away plastic bottles deep inside the forest.
Do they really care about the safety and harmonious continuity of their fellow beings or even the silent living beings around? Realistically speaking no. It is very interesting to walk around the falls and forest nearby with support of guides and you may get to see several wild animals.
However, a look around during a recent visit and a walk through the deeper side of the falls downside invited our attention to the area being used a free dumping ground for plastic bottles and other trash.

I can never conclude this write up about this beautiful place and some of the regular faces I get to meet each time I visit. They are in plenty, and although surrounded by waterfalls, they too have to rely on the water droplet and stream of water from the spills and falls. The opportunities and experiences we get watching them are enormous.
For example, the click above. The first one resulted in me getting into the first five of the Malayala Manorama Jeevajalam competition in 2008.
It is time we start caring about our mother nature and perennial source of water. It is precious and rate at which it is depleting is faster than the one that which takes the bottle you throw to reach the ground.
Enjoy the beauty of the falls from the down and the stream of water travelling towards it and along with the flow, or rather against the bigger flows. In a way, we have to unite to do the same to keep our environment neat and clean.

//www.youtube.com/get_player

Access to clean water is not just a human rights issue. It’s an environmental issue. An animal welfare issue. A sustainability issue. Water is a global issue, and it affects all of us. Care should be taken by all to preserve the serene nature and all efforts should be taken to keep it as clean and safe possible for all inhabitants around.

Ramesh Menon
Abu Dhabi
This blog is created as part of the Blog Action Day 2010 – Water

 

This entry was posted in Mind Speaks, My videos.

Blog Action Day 2010 – 15 October 2010 – Theme – Water

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Dear Friends,
If interesting, you may register your blog and create a post related to the above theme in your blog and link it to this blog initiative. The post should be published only on 15th October 2010

http://blogactionday.change.org/

Blog Action Day is an annual event held every October 15 that unites the world’s bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day with the aim of sparking a global discussion and driving collective action.

Our goal

First and last, the purpose of Blog Action Day is to create a discussion. We ask bloggers to take a single day out of their schedule and focus it on an important issue.

By doing so on the same day, the blogging community effectively changes the conversation on the web and focuses audiences around the globe on that issue.

Out of this discussion naturally flow ideas, advice, plans, and action. In 2007 with the theme of the environment, we saw bloggers running environmental experiments, detailing innovative ideas on creating sustainable practices, and focusing their audience’s attention on organizations and companies promoting green agendas. In 2008 we covered the theme of poverty, and similarly focused the blogging community’s energies around discussing the wide breadth of the issue from many perspectives and identifying innovative and unexpected solutions. Last year, the conversation around climate change brought our voices around the globe to discuss an issue that threatens us all and mobilized tens of thousands of people to get more involved in the movement for a more sustainable future. This year, with the theme of Water, we are eager to shed light on this often-overlooked topic.

For safety reasons, while registering, you can have a different password than your normal ones.

Regards,

Ramesh Menon
Abu Dhabi

This entry was posted in Events Covered and Reviews.