Hanuman jayanti

Spiritual discourses are organised in most of the Hindu temples on this day. Hanuman was the most powerful in the three people the Heaven people, the Hell people, and the Land people. All these Gods had blessed him when he was just a 1/2-year old child.

In the states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated in the month of Margazhi (normally comes between Dec 15 and Jan 14). There it is believed that Hanuman or Anjaneya was born on Moola Nakshatra,on the new moon day (amavasya) in the month of Margazhi.

In Odisha, the Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated on the first day of Baisakha month as per Oriya calendar (normally comes on April 14 or 15). There it is also celebrated as new year for all Oriyas (i.e. Maha Vishuva Sankranti).In Andhra, Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated on the tenth day of bahula paksha or Krishna paksha in the month of Vaishaka. Hundreds of devotees in Delhi and northern India offered special prayers at the temples on the occasion of the Maha Asthami on Thursday (April 18), which marks the penultimate day of the nine-day Navratri festival, dedicated to Hindu mother goddess

A large number of devotees queued outside the Jhandewalan temple in Delhi since early morning to seek the blessings of the goddess. On this auspicious day, young girls, mainly nine in number representing the nine forms of goddess are regarded as “devis” or Goddesses and are invited to many homes in the morning.

As part of the celebration they are served a special offering of black gram and sweets. A small gift in the form of some money along with red bangles and a holy red cloth is also given to the girls. Devotees perform these rituals with an aim to appease the Mother Goddess and hope that all their wishes would be fulfilled.

“Today seven year old girls are worshipped as mother goddess and it happens in every house. The devotees clean the feet of young girls, apply vermilion on their foreheads. A holy thread is tied on the wrist of their hand and are given a holy cloth for worship. The girls on this day are also served with special meal after the people worship the mother goddess. By performing these rituals, it is believed that Mother Goddess becomes happy and fulfill everyone’s wishes,” said Ambika Prasad Pant, a priest in New Delhi.

The eight day of the festival is dedicated to the goddess ‘Maha Gauri’ that represents calmness and exhibits wisdom. The ninth day is dedicated to goddess Durga (Mother goddess), who is depicted as a powerful deity, riding a raging lion, holding aloft ten war weapons in her ten hands.

Her trident is plunged into the side of a monstrous buffalo, out of whose body emerges the dreadful demon or evil. Legend has it that “Asuras” or demons from the nether world invaded heavens after a hundred years of war. The Hindu trinity of Lord Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu created goddess Durga, the most powerful of all gods and goddesses to vanquish the demons.