[Advaita-l] Significance of Navaratri

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Thu, 25 Sep 2003, Anand Hudli wrote:

> What is noteworthy is that the dharma-sindhu states that mlechchhas
> (barbarians) can only do
> a mental pUjA since they are not eligible to even get the pUjA done through
> a brAhmaNa.
>

This rule doesn't seem to have always been applied.  On Friday when we
came to take Shailajas' babysitter to the mandir, the Bangladeshi lady who
lives downstairs asked why everyone was all dressed up.  She didn't
recognize the word Navaratri but when I said Durga Puja she instantly knew
what I meant.  She said when she was growing up all the Muslims in her
locality would ask for prasad from the Durga Puja as they considered it to
be very lucky.

In Jersey City, on Friday and Saturday there was a big mela just like in
India.  The police closed off a block to traffic and several thousand
people danced the Garba.  Shailaja loved it.  Dancing, bhajans, sweets and
being able to stay up long after her bedtime--a perfect combination!

-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
It's a girl! See the pictures - http://www.braincells.com/shailaja/