JOIN US EVERY NIGHT FROM SUN OCT 15 TO MON OCT 23
AT THE ŚRĪ SHAKTI TEMPLE
NBHC is pleased to bring you a week-long program to celebrate Navratri at the Śrī Shakti Temple in Petaluma. Programming will include nightly chanting every single night and expanded programming on the last weekend, Saturday October 21 and Sunday, October 22 per the details below.
Please note that this is entirely a free event, but you may sponsor it. If you specifically want to sponsor the kum kum archana on Sunday, October 22, we suggest a $21 donation which you can sign up for here.
SUMMARIZED TIMINGS:
Sun Oct 15: 5:15 - 6:30 pm
Mon Oct 16 - Fri Oct 20: 6:30 - 7:45 pm
Sat Oct 21: 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Sun Oct 22: 4 - 7:30 pm
Mon Oct 23: 6:30 - 7:45 pm
Full details below, including an explanation of the pujas involved.
NAVRATRI SCHEDULE AT TEMPLE
Sun Oct 15 - NIGHTLY CHANTING
5:15 - 6:30 pm
Mon Oct 16 - Fri Oct 20 - NIGHTLY CHANTING
6:30 - 7:45 pm
Sat Oct 21: CHANTING, STORY, AARTI
5:30 - 6:45 pm - chanting
6:45 - 7:15 pm - Navratri Story on Devi
7:15 pm - Aarti
Sun Oct 22: FULL PROGRAM
4:00 - 5:15 pm - chanting
5:15 - 6:00 pm - Kum Kum Archana (suggested donation $21 - click here)
6:00 - 6:45 pm - Saraswati Puja and Akshara Abhyāsam
6:45 - 7:30 pm - Bathukamma
7:30 pm - Aarti and Prasad
EXPLANATION OF VARIOUS PUJAS
Kum Kum Archana
The kum kum archana is the process of workshipping the Goddess with kum kum, made primarily of turmeric but also containing other elements. The idea is to attract the divine power and blessings of Shakti through this ritual. In addition, kum kum is often seen as the symbolic representation of Shakti.
Saraswati Puja
Saraswati Puja during Navratri is popular in South Indian states such as Tamil Nadu and Kerala, among others. It can be performed for four days, three days or a single day. On a side note, Saraswati is also worshipped on Vasant Panchami (Jan / Feb) primarily in West Bengal, Orissa and North Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh. Gujaratis also worship Saraswati as part of Diwali celebrations. Other regional variations exist.
Akshara Abhyāsam
Vidyārambham (commencement of studies), also known as Akṣara Abhyāsam (repetition of words), and Mutal Eluttu (Tamil for first word) is a Hindu initiation ceremony that is performed before a child begins their formal education. This ritual is dedicated to the goddess of learning, Saraswati and popular in the South Indian states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
Bathukamma
Bathukamma is a flower-festival celebrated by the women of Telangana and some parts of Andhra Pradesh. This festival is celebrated for nine days and corresponds with Navratri and Durga Puja. In Telugu, ‘Bathukamma' means ‘Mother Goddess come Alive’. Bathukamma is a beautiful flower stack, arranged with different unique seasonal flowers most of them with medicinal values, in seven concentric layers in the shape of temple gopuram. It is usually brothers, who bring flowers to their mother and sisters to arrange bathukamma.
LOCATION
All events will be at the temple:
Śrī Shakti Temple
220 Stanley St.
Petaluma, CA 94952