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A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with Seeta Lakhani, Hindu Tutor at Eton College

The Hindu Festival of Navratri Honours God as a Female

Good morning.

Right now we are in the midst of a beautiful Hindu festival called Navratri which literally means nine nights. It’s a festival which honours God as a female.

The festival of Navratri celebrates the mythological story of the mother goddess battling a demon over a period of nine days and nine nights. On the tenth day she is victorious. Hindus around the world celebrate this triumph with nine nights of dance and music.

However, this isn’t just a bread-and-butter, good over evil story. Behind the colour and music and dance, lies a potent message. It’s a way of reminding Hindus around the world to feel empowered to battle their own inner demons. Things like jealousy, anger and pride.

This festival is a metaphor for the struggles we all face as part of our human condition. Coming together in music and dance and prayer, helps Hindus to feel uplifted and inspired; to feel hope and resilience in the midst of hardships; to feel powerful and to be able to achieve anything.

Prayer, whether it’s in quiet solitude, or in the midst of colour and dance, is a way of realising the strength within, a strength we often forget we possess. ‘I am the power that manifests everywhere’ says the mother goddess. This festival reminds Hindus that we are in fact a chip off the old block. This festival helps me to remember our divine nature and inner strength, and to become triumphant like the Mother Goddess.