KASHMIRI RITUALS

Navratras

Triloki Nath Dhar

Sept 25, 2000

The Navaratras begin on 28th Sept. These nine days are dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga. It is a well-known fact that in the ‘Bhakti marga’ or the devotional path of Hindus there are three main streams, those of Shiva, Vishnu and Shakti. This by no means indicates dualism. Actually Shiva and Shakti, Purusha and Prakriti are the two sides of the same coin, two aspects of the same Brahman. This concept of two facets of the Divine has variously been explained by the philosophies of the world. In China it is represented by Yin-Yang circle denoting a balanced synthesis. Whereas Yin stands for cold, passive feminine aspect, Yang is hot, active and masculine. The Upanishad identifies it as ‘Prana’ and ‘Rayi’, The life essence and the vibrant moving force. Science calls these as matter and force, essence and substance or act and potency. In medical terms the dynamic mode of the passive pole is Natura and the static mode of the active pole is Materia. Buddhists have it differently as ‘Prajna’, wisdom and ‘Upaya’, method. In the Islamic tradition also we come across two sets of such ideas. One is the Divine Command called ‘al-Amra’ and Universal Nature called ‘al Tabiat al kulliya. The other is the Supreme Pen called ‘al-Qalam’ and Guarded Tablet called ‘al-Lawh al mahfuz’. It is the Absolute Shiva who activates His own energy aspect, Shakti and thereby causes creation. Shakti worship, from time immemorial, has been linked with Tantra, Kundalini yoga and other forms of spiritual exercises. In the Vajrayana School of Buddhism of Tibet, Tantra forms the main spiritual activity. Shakta has been the principle forte of Kashmir spiritual philosophy. We have been worshipping Goddess in the form of Maharajna at Tulamula, Shri Sharika at Hari Parbat, Shri Jwala at Khrew and Maha Kali in the downtown Srinagar. As in the rest of the country, Kashmiris also worship Nava Durga on these nine days culminating on 7th October called Maha Navami. Our Bengali brethren perform special pooja on the last three days of saptami, ashtami and navami.