Wishing you all a Wonderful Dassara. |
Dussehra: Glory to Durga Devi 2011
Dassara: Celebrating Devi’s Grace
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Wishing you all a Wonderful Dassara
May you and your loved ones Be blessed by Devi’s Grace! M&M & A |
Mahalakshmi Temple, Goa
Opening Pic: Maha Mandap (Great Hall) at the Mahalakshmi Temple, Goa
The Mahamandap (Great Hall) at the Mahalakshmi Temple in Bandivade, Goa provides a therapeutic escape from many of Goa busy attractions. It is a perfect place to sit undisturbed and commune with the divine. On this early morning, regular devotees went about their prayers silently and tourist laden buses had not yet arrived.
In front of the Deul (Konkani for Temple, also Devasthan), notice the Deepa Stamba (Light tower), a characteristic of Goa Konkani temples. Around the temple are guest rooms for traveling devotees at nominal costs.
History of the Temple: Continue reading “Mahalakshmi Temple, Goa”
Dassara, Dussehra: Celebrating Devi’s Grace
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Wishing you all a Wonderful Dassara. M&M & A |
Continue reading “Dassara, Dussehra: Celebrating Devi’s Grace”
Durga Puja – Dussehra
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Most compassionate and beautiful,
Yet relentless in battle against evil, Devi! Shower us with your grace! M&m amp; A |
Durga as Mahisasura-mardini, Cave Temples of Badami (6th century).
See Durga Stotram (Ode to Durga Devi) from my book Prarthana: A Book of Hindu Psalms
Other Durga Devi / Dassara Posts:
Durga Devi – All Powerful Shakti
After my earlier post on the Chicago Balaji Temple, reminded me about the Balaji Temple in Atlanta, GA. I was fortunate to visit the temple in Dec of last year. More than the main deity, “Durga Devi” in the seconday shrine intrigued me. Durga manifests the fertile woman, as the all powerful shakti, full of energy and ever in action. The earth is her body, and its regenerative ability and energy are apparent to even the common farm worker.
When Shiva, Vishnu and the other Gods were threatened by the demon mahisa, it is Durga, endowed by their weapons and her many arms to yield them, who slays the demon and restores the cosmic equilibrium. Durga is usually depicted as being calm and serene, with the demon trapped under her feet with its throat pierced by her javelin. The depiction of red represents the spilt blood and also alludes to her fertility.
Sri Venkateshwara (Balaji) Temple in Atlanta
See Balaji temple in Chicago, IL.
Other Durga Devi posts:
Arun Shanbhag 