Navratri Dairies- A Delicate Experience From The Past!

On the 6th day of Navratri, my conscience brought to my mind an incident that had probably developed fear within myself. This is a personal experience that I want to share. And, I believe many of you will relate to it irrespective of your gender; because this is something related to our devotion. There are many beliefs in our culture which prohibit us from carrying out certain things. For instance, we should not eat non-veg and drink alcohol during the glorious 9 days of Navratri. We should not cut our nails on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Or we must not buy iron substances on Saturday etc. But with courteous respect, I implement all these principles as I find it relevant in every aspect. Being a religious person I have complete faith in my culture, hence, I don’t find this insignificant at all.

9th Day of Navratri

Here, I am not encountering points on any religious beliefs. I am pinning the point on those factors that turn the customs and rituals into fear. And this suspicion and uneasiness has certainly created by us the Humans and not the God. There are many religious places in the world that encircles entrance for women.

Well, there may be some specified and valid reason for all these restrictions yet I sometimes discover it extraneous. Since the time we attain puberty, we are taught that we aren’t allowed to practice certain things during our menstrual days. And one among such traditions includes the “Kanjak Puja”. It’s a ritual performed on the 8th or the 9th day of Navratri. Wherein, 9 young girls are invited to the houses and offered special pious food (Bhog/Prasad). Additionally, they are treated as Goddess Durga and people seek blessings from them.

In this tradition, only those girls are allowed who haven’t obtained the stage of puberty. As we consider children as God. Thus, little girls who aren’t aware of the natural cycle generally termed “Periods” are persuaded for this.

The Incident From The 9th Day Of Navratri  

In 2009, I got an invitation for Kanjak Puja, the year I procured my puberty i.e. periods. As it is not permitted to give a nod to this auspicious ritual during those 5 days. Therefore, my mother did not send me for it. Yet the person who invited me came over to my place and asked me for my presence, he was a man.

Here the taboo embraced its typical thinking and bounded my innocent mother to tell the fact that I am not anymore eligible for this ritual. Since my mother didn’t say anything, so the point of my confession was not worth it. Neither my mother dared to say it nor I. Of course, it was not my mother’s fault, it is rather a defect in our society that doesn’t allow a woman to comfortably talk about these things.

With fear in my heart and a burden on my mind; I went to his house and ate the sanctimonious food that is not allowed in reality to a menstruating girl. Thus, after this occurrence, I grew anxious for the day I committed the mistake of sitting in the row of Kanya Pujan and enjoying the privilege that is not accepted by nature.

The angst and the worries increased as the days passed. Whenever I experienced any disappointment, I blamed myself and thought it’s all because of the day I attended Kanya Puja. Slowly and deliberately I started considering it as Sin and it started haunting me more. One fine day, when I could not hold my emotions and my pure devotion towards Goddess Durga, I went to my mother and blurt the thoughts that had gradually sink me into the ocean of guilt and stigma.

The Relief From The Stereotypical Fear

I exclaimed to my mother that all the things that went wrong with me made me remember that day. My mother, with utmost adorn, explained to me and told me that if it’s sinful then all the blame should be given to her. She said she is my mother she should have acknowledged it, so there’s nothing for me to stress about. Further, she gracefully made me understand that Maa Durga is herself a woman possessing all the attributes of a girl.

Upon this, my mummy also made me realize the fact about the famous Kamakhya mandir in Guwahati, Assam. Kamakhya Devi is termed as bleeding Goddess and it is believed that the deity menstruates during the month of June, hence, Kamakhya temple is closed for 3 days to keep the Mata for relaxation.

So my mother soothed me stating that Goddess Durga is the creator. She is beyond the bounds of our self formulated dogmas and principles. It was a mistake but it’s not that we will have to walk the path of mire for this. It was then when I was relieved and liberated myself from the rope of guilt that I had tied myself from fear.

Hindmost Thoughts To This

As my mother told, we won’t have to wallow into the mire for the unintentional things we commit in regards to our esteemed Gods. Yet the apprehension that is assembled by humans will definitely push into the quicksand of indiscretion and self-condemnation. Therefore, make sure to differentiate between fear and devotion. God is superior, God is the ultimate author of this world. Thus, he is not here to punish us for their pleasure.

Almighty is aware of all the hidden anxieties that we go through, on that ground be good from the core of your heart. Be kind to the creation of God, teach your loved ones about the beauty of nature. Do not stigmatize those things that are organic and natural. When you are good with your thoughts and intentions, then no one will penalize you for your mistakes.

So, this was an incident that I wished to inscribe during Navratri 2020!

Further you may like reading, Road Accident Story

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Gayetri Gupta

Persistent with dreams and passionate about inscriptions. Gayetri is hysterically involved in writing, She treasures life and seeks to find beauty in whatever she is surrounded with. Celebrates Cinema, family, friends, and traveling!