Ayudha Puja is a part of the Navratri[2] festival (festival of triumph), a Hindu
festival which is traditionally celebrated in India. It is also called
"Astra Puja", the synonym for Ayudha Puja. In simple terms, it means
“Worship of Instruments”. It is celebrated in Tamil Nadu as Ayudha Pujai (Tamil: ஆயுத பூஜை), in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as Aayudha Pooja (Telugu: ఆయుధ పూజ), in Kerala as Ayudha Puja (Malayalam: ആയുധ പൂജ), "Astra Puja" (Odia: ଅସ୍ତ୍ର ପୂଜା) or "Ayudha Puja" in Odisha, "Shastra Puja" (Marathi: आयुध पूजा/ खंडे नवमी) or "Ayudha Puja/ Khande Navami" in Maharashtra, and in Karnataka (in erstwhile Mysore State) as “Ayudha Puje” (Kannada: ಆಯುಧ ಪೂಜೆ). The festival falls on the tenth day of the bright half of Moon's cycle of 15 days (as per Almanac) in the month of September/October, and is popularly a part of the Dasara (well know as deepavali in TamilNadu) or Navaratri or Durga Puja or Golu
festival. On the tenth day of the Dasara festival, weapons and tools
are worshipped. In Karnataka, the celebration is for killing of the
demon king Mahishasura by goddess Durga.
After slaying of the demon king, the weapons were kept out for worship.
While Navaratri festival is observed all over the country but in South Indian states, where it is widely celebrated as Ayudha Puja, there are slight variations of worship procedure.[3][4]
The principal Shakti goddesses worshiped during the Ayudha puja are Saraswati (the Goddess of wisdom, arts and literature), Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth) and Parvati (the divine mother), apart from various types of equipment; it is on this occasion when weapons are worshipped by soldiers and tools are revered by artisans.[5] The Puja is considered a meaningful custom, which focuses specific attention to one’s profession and its related tools and connotes that a divine force is working behind it to perform well and for getting the proper reward.[4][6]
In the cross cultural development that has revolutionized the society, with modern science making a lasting impact on the scientific knowledge and industrial base in India, the ethos of the old religious order is retained by worship of computers and typewriters also during the Ayudha Puja, in the same manner as practiced in the past for weapons of warfare.[7][8] In Orissa, tools traditionally used for cultivation like plough, war like sword and dagger, and inscription writing like "karani" or "lekhani" (metal stylus) are worshiped
Jump to navigation Jump to search
The principal Shakti goddesses worshiped during the Ayudha puja are Saraswati (the Goddess of wisdom, arts and literature), Lakshmi (the goddess of wealth) and Parvati (the divine mother), apart from various types of equipment; it is on this occasion when weapons are worshipped by soldiers and tools are revered by artisans.[5] The Puja is considered a meaningful custom, which focuses specific attention to one’s profession and its related tools and connotes that a divine force is working behind it to perform well and for getting the proper reward.[4][6]
In the cross cultural development that has revolutionized the society, with modern science making a lasting impact on the scientific knowledge and industrial base in India, the ethos of the old religious order is retained by worship of computers and typewriters also during the Ayudha Puja, in the same manner as practiced in the past for weapons of warfare.[7][8] In Orissa, tools traditionally used for cultivation like plough, war like sword and dagger, and inscription writing like "karani" or "lekhani" (metal stylus) are worshiped
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Ayudha Puje | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Image of the goddess Durga
| ||||
Also called | Ayudha Puja also observed as Saraswati Puja | |||
Observed by | Hindus | |||
Celebrations | Ayudha Puja and Saraswati Pooja | |||
Observances | Veneration of implements, machines, weapons, books and musical instruments | LegendTwo historical legends relate to this festival. The popular legend which was also practiced symbolically by the Maharajas of Mysore alludes to a historical legend. It is said that on Vijayadashami day Arjuna, third of the five Pandava brothers, retrieved his weapons of war from the hole in the Shami tree where he had hidden it before proceeding on the forced exile. After completing his vanvas (exile period) of 13 years including one year of Agyatavas (living incognito) before embarking on the warpath against the Kauravas he retrieved his weapons. In the Kurukshetra war that ensued, Arjuna was victorious. Pandavas returned on Vijayadashami day and since then it is believed that this day is auspicious to begin any new venture. But in Karnataka, Ayudh Puja is celebrated by general public one day before of original festival day Vijayadashami (the Ayudh Puja Day).[10]Another legend is of a pre-battle ritual involving human sacrifice as part of the Ayudh Puja (considered a sub-rite of Dussehara festival that starts after the rainy season and is propitiated before launching military campaigns). This practice is no more prevalent. Now, instead of a human sacrifice, buffalo or sheep sacrifice is in vogue, in some Hindu communities. The past practice is narrated in the Tamil version of Mahabharata epic. In this ritual, prevalent than in Tamil Nadu, ‘Kalapalli’ was a “sacrifice to the battlefield”, which involved human sacrifice before and after battles. Duryodhana, the Kaurava chief was advised by astrologer (Sahadeva) that the propitious time for performing Kalapalli was on amavasya day (New Moon day), one day before the start of Kurukshetra war and Iravan (son of Arjuna), also spelt Aravan, had agreed to be the victim for the sacrifice. But Krishna, the benefactor of Pandavas smelt trouble and he devised a plan to persuade Iravan to be the representative of the Pandavas and also of the Kauravas. Krishna had suggested to Yudhishthira-the eldest of the Pandavas, to sacrifice Aravan to goddess Kali as a part of Ayudh Puja. After this sacrifice, Kali had blessed Pandavas for victory in the Kurukshetra war. Similar cult practices (considered as Draupadi cult practices) were prevalent in North Karnataka also but the ritual of human sacrifice was done one day after the Dasara on a stone altar outside a Kali temple.[11] This part is disputed as it is not mentioned in Mahabharata. As per Mahabharat, Irawan the son of Naga Princess Ulupi and Prince Arjun, died on battle field, fighting bravely against demon(daitya) Alambusha.[12] Mode of worshipVeneration of vehicles as part of Ayudha PujaPractices in southern states
MaharashtraIn Maharashtra, the festival is celebrated as Ayudha Puja/Shastra Puja, Vijayadashami, Dasara and Saraswati Puja. All weapons, vehicles, agricultural equipment, machines and metal items are worshiped with leaves of the shami tree (Marathi: आपट्याची पाने/सोने), marigold flowers and the 'dhaan' that is grown during 9 days of Navaratri. Marigold flowers have a special significance on Dasara day. [24] Saraswati Puja is performed and books, musical instruments, etc. are worshiped alongside the goddess. People perform a ritual called Simollanghan (Marathi: सीमोल्लंघन), crossing boundary of the village and collect leaves of the apta tree. The leaves signify gold. People visit each other's homes in the evening and distribute the gold (leaves) as a mark of love and respect.[25] Royal Dasara celebrations take place at various places like Kolhapur. |
No comments:
Post a Comment