Welcome to Navaratri 2024
Thursday, October 3rd to Saturday, October 12th
Please join us as we once again immerse ourselves in the classic, timeless, devotional story of The Ramayana - Ram’s Way.
All events of the Navaratri program will be livestreamed on the Temple YouTube channel.
Morning Arati: 6:30 - 7:30am
Daily Morning Puja to Sri Ram: 7:30 - 8:45am
Daily Readings from the Ramayana: 5:00 - 5:45pm
Vijay Dasami: Saturday, October 12 (5:30 - 8:00pm): Puja and Yajna
Navaratri is a ritual period of nine days when the great spiritual epic, the Ramayana, is honored and brought to life by performance of daily Puja to Ram and the reading of Ram’s story. It culminates with Vijaya Dasami, which means "Victory on the tenth day".
The Ramayana tells the story of one of the incarnations of the God Vishnu, who took the form of a human (Lord Ram) to rid the earth of the terrible plague of darkness being spread by a great demon king named Ravana. It can be interpreted as both the tale of a God man who incarnated to help alleviate suffering as well as our own inner journey of awakening and confrontation with darkness representing our own Ego.
As is our tradition, we will hold daily morning Pujas for Sri Ram at 7:30am PDT, immediately following the morning Arati. Evening readings of Ram’s story will occur at 5pm PDT just before the evening Arati at the Temple. Join us for nine days and nights as we symbolically live through the mythic struggle of the Ramayana and follow Ram’s Journey ever closer to his confrontation with the Heart of Darkness, the Demon King Ravana who represents our own Ego.
The Navaratri Program will conclude on Saturday, October 12th, 5:30-8:00pm PDT as we rejoice in victory on the tenth day with a special Vedic Fire Ceremony or Yajna using ‘Sarvato Bhadram Yantra and Mantra’ to pray for purification and blessings for all. Through Yajna, we purify and surrender the ego by symbolically offering all aspects of our mind, body and senses to the sacred fire.
Ways to Attend Navaratri 2024
All events livestreamed - Temple YouTube channel
October 3 - 6: Livestream only - Temple YouTube channel (a large overnight retreat is on campus through October 6 and we are unable to host in-person visits)
October 7 - 11: Livestream and In-person
Early morning Arati and Ram Puja - without reservation, arrive between 6am and 7:30am (no arrivals after 8am)
Afternoon reading and evening Arati - 5pm - Register to arrive between 4:30 and 6:00 (no arrivals before 4:30 or after 6:00)
Tuesday afternoon reading - 5pm - by reservation through reservation portal
Saturday, October 12: Vijay Dasami: Livestream and In-person
Evening puja and Yajna - 5:30pm - Arrivals between 5pm and 6:30pm (no arrivals after 7pm). Please email temple@mountmadonna.org to request reservation link for Vijay Dasami. Space is limited.
In Person (overnight): Overnight Accommodations May be available on some nights
ॐॐॐ