Diwali Faraal Karanji poem

Karanji

कर कर करंजी मजला आवडते

गुल-खोब्र्याचे सरन शक्ति देते 

कर कर करंजी मजला आवडते

सारण पुष्कल म्हणून गुज्गुबीत दिसते 

कर कर करंजी मजला आवडते

कारण तल्यावार कुश्कुशीत होते 

कर कर करंजी मजला आवडते

कारण आकाराने  चंद्रकोर  दिसते

कर कर करंजी मोदक तिचाच भाऊ

मोदक, करंजी मन्झे

आवडनारा  खाऊ!

Written by Prakash Teredesai (Diwali Faraal, Amol Prakashan, Pune)

Diwali Faraal types & how to make them

2011 Bengal Club Mumbai Dussehra pandal

Last year the Bengal Club, Shivaji Park, Mumbai celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. This year, it celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda.See photos of 2013 Pandal's replica of Bishnupur Temple, West Bengal here.

Goddess Shridevi aarti in Marathi

One of the many forms of Goddess Lakshmi (the Hindu Goddess of wealth) is Goddess Shridevi (also known as Goddess Sridevi). As per Hindu mythological legend, Goddess Shridevi emerged from the ocean of amrut when the Gods were churning the ocean.

श्रीदेवी आरती 

दुर्गे दुर्घट भरी तुजविण संसारी ||

अनाथनाथे आंबे करुना विस्तारी ||

वारी जन्म-मर्नाते वारी ||

हरी पडलो आता संकट निवारी || 1 ||

जय देवी जय देवी जय महिशासुर्म्थिनी ||

सुर्वरिश्वर्दे तारक संजीवनी || ध्रु ||

त्रिभुवनी भुवनी पाहता तुजैसी नहीं ||

चारी श्रमले परन्तु न बोलवे कहे ||

साही विविद करिता  पदिले प्रवाही ||

ते  तू भक्तान्लागी पावसी लवलाही ||

जय देवी || 2 ||

प्रसन्नवदने प्रसन्न होसे निजदासा ||

क्लेशंपासुनिए सोडवीं तोडी भवपाशा |

आंबे तुजवाचून कोण पुरविल आशा ||

नरहरी  तल्लीन जाला पद्पंकजलेशा ||

जय देवी || 3 ||

2011 Ram Maruti Road Ganapati photos

These are the images of the 2011 Ram Maruti Road Ganapati pandal, Shivaji Park, Mumbai 

2011 Dadarcha Raja photos

These are the images of the Dadarcha Raja 2011

Gold jewellery for Goddess Durga idol

The idol of Goddess Durga is bedecked with gold jewellery at the onset of the 9 day Navratri festival, in much the same manner as the gold jewellery for the Gauri and Ganapati idols during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi.

Five Navratri Festivals of the year

Most of you probably know that Navratri is celebrated just prior to the Dassehra festival and that it represents the celebration of Goddess Durga, the manifestation of the deity in the form of Shakti. This 9 day festival culminates with the 10^th day known as Vijayadashmi. Did you know, however, that actually Navratri is celebrated 5 times a year? That’s right - each time it is a 9 day festival in honour of the 9 forms of the Mother Goddess known as Shakti.

Durga Navami Festivals

1. Vasanta Navratri

• Also known as: Basant Navratri / Chaitra Navaratra / Raama Navratri
• When it is celebrated: In the months of March-April during the spring season.

2. Gupta Navratri

• Also known as: Gayatri Navratri / Shakambhari Navratri
• When it is celebrated: In the months of June-July known as Ashadha. To be more specific, it is celebrated during the waxing phase of the moon, known as Ashadha Shukla Paksha. I

3. Sharada Navratri: This is regarded as the most important of the navratri festivals,

• Also known as: Maha Navratri
• When it is celebrated: In the months of September-October during the onset of winter (known as Sharad). This is the month of Ashvina.

4. Paush Navratri

• When it is celebrated: In the months of December-January during the waxing phase of the moon, known as Paush Shukla Paush.

5. Magha Navratri

• Also known as: Gupta Navratri
• When it is celebrated: In the months of January-February during the waxing phase of the moon, known as Magha Shukla Paksha.