Navratri is a Hindu festival. Navratri is a Sanskrit word, which means ‘nine nights.’ During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti Devi are worshipped. During the nine nights of Navratri, three goddesses – Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati, or Saraswati and nine forms of Durga are worshiped, which are called Navadurga. During these nine nights and nine days (10), nine forms of Shakti Devi are worshipped.
Indian feminists and modern Indian women have begun to question this discarded goddess symbolism as it has also been used as an active tool of patriarchal oppression. Some of the most prominent goddesses in other cultures and mythologies have also been mothers and epitomized the life of ideal motherhood—for example, Egyptian Isis, Greek Demeter, or in Catholicism, Mary as the mother of Jesus. But in no other culture are little girls worshiped as goddesses as is done in India.
The modern goddess movement turned to the reconstruction of many early traditions for a new generation of women who were constantly in conflict with their patriarchal societies, which worshiped goddesses but discriminated against and discriminated against their actual flesh-and-blood women. Used to exploit Many Western feminists and many women globally find Hindu deities to be inspirational and givers of inner strength.
Worshiping Girls For Nine Days
Small pre-pubescent girls who are worshiped on the eighth and/or ninth day of Navratri are often abused and discriminated against. There are many Devi temples where menstruating women or women of perceived lower caste are not even allowed to enter, there are many places of worship of the Goddess where only men are allowed into the inner sanctum and not women.
Small pre-pubescent girls who are worshiped as Kanjakas or Kanyas on the eighth and/or ninth day of Navratri are often abused, discriminated against, and ‘castrated’ for being born as girls for the rest of the day. considered ‘impure.’ She should be worshiped after menstruation starts.
nine days then everyone forgets goddesses. Image by Anil sharma from Pixabay
New Understanding of the Goddess
Changing times require a contemporary understanding of the Goddess, we are living in a highly polarized world, and with movements against sexual discrimination and harassment most recently #MeToo which emerged in the West but gained ground in India, it is in the concept of the Goddess It’s time to diversify.
Almost all cultures that consider the Earth as Mother must do something to prevent damage to the environment around them. Some feel, “the goddess may be a projection of the male imagination of womanhood, but women, as throughout history, can use the tools of subversion and subversion to find what they want in the symbol.”
A few years ago, Tap Route India developed a campaign that featured images of the three main Hindu goddesses – Durga, Saraswati, and Lakshmi, but with bruises and bruises on their faces that indicate violence against women. Were. Now the time has come, maybe all these symbols related to goddesses need to be reimagined to suit the present environment, and goddess worship of chest-thumping “Jai Mata Di, Mata ki Jai” should be replaced. It needs to be a safer and more respectful place for girls and women, not for only nine days.
Respect
In many homes, the girls do not have the same place and respect that the sons of the family have. Some prominent persons and political leaders of our society are also lions in giving speeches only on paper, but as soon as they enter inside the house, they forget what speeches they have given outside for women’s rights. It is a matter of regret that the constitution which can make a woman the President cannot make her the head of a temple.
Even today there are some temples where women are not allowed to enter. At the time of the death of the male head of the family, the turban is placed on the daughters’ heads. When a woman dies, her daughters or daughters-in-law do not have the same rights that remain with the son or husband. In many communities, women cannot even touch the turban being tied in the fraternity. Now little change is coming to light.
Logic
With Kanya Pujan, we have to take a resolution that why the girl whom we are worshiping cannot become a temple priest. At least women should worship in the temples of goddesses. There is logic in this, if society thinks, is it right? Why can’t she become the president of the temple? Can play dholak, can cook langar. But in some special temples, she cannot visit the same deity whose songs she tears her throat by singing songs or cooks food for them and offers them food. It has to be remembered that society has to change its mindset, but first women have to change their mindset.
Exploitation
In India, girls are worshiped as goddesses during Navratras. But some people forget all this after Navratri’s nine days. Girls are exploited and insulted in many places. Even today, in many villages in India, sorrow is observed at the birth of a girl child. We have to change our thinking toward girls and women. Respect girls like a goddess. Respecting them is as virtuous as worshiping God. It is also written in the scriptures that God himself resides in the house where women are respected.
Goddess face paint. Image by Anil sharma from Pixabay
