Navarathri : 3 days to go and counting...

oh maaaannnnn!!! Just got the Navarathri schedule! My class(es) are gonna be doing 6 outta 8 items! *GROAN* How I'm gonna find the stamina to dance all 6 items, I have nooooo freakin clue but I better find it before Wednesday!!! *WAAIILL!*

Anyway, just a short description of wat Navarathri and Vijayadasami's all about (taken from Sutra's note/leaflet to students):

Vijayadasami or the victorious 10th day is celebrated @ the conclusion of
Navarathri, a 9-day festival for the worship of the cosmic Energy in the form of Divine Mother.

The advent of the 9-day prayers is on the New Moon, the 1st day of Navarathri. The Goddess is characterized as Durga on the 1st 3 days of Navarathri. Durga represents the destructive force of negative attitudes, outlook, and beliefs in the individual. She is invoked in an effort to "cleanse" the mind of all negative tendencies that would impede spiritual progress of the aspirant during the 9-day prayers.

Having successfully invoked Durga, the destroyer of the negative, the aspirant seeks the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi, who personifies auspiciousness (and not just wealth).

During the 2nd 3 days, Lakshmi is invoked to develop the potential that is inherent as all beings : Divinity.

The last 3 days of Navarathri is the worship of the Goddess Saraswati, the personification of Wisdom, whereby the Supreme Mother Saraswati is invoked. This word means the Essence of the Self, which again, the aspirant is seeking in the journey to the Divine.

Having sought to destroy the negativity within, establish auspiciousness in its place, the aspirant realizes the Essence of the Self : Divinity.

On the 10th day, the aspirant achieves some degree of spirituality by conquering the negative and establishing the positive and in so doing perceives life and living as one blissful event of dance and music. Dance and music then become a fitting gift to the Divine.

Vijayadasami is considered one of the most auspicious days in the Hindu calendar, when new lessons are initiated to students by their teachers. In return, students pay obeisance to their teachers, not just for what they are about to be taught but as the teacher represents the personification of Knowledge.

In conjunction with this event, the students' presence will be auspicious for the beginning of a new lesson. Traditionally, a student establishes and strengthens the student-teacher relationship with a traditional offering to the teacher and obtains his/her blessings before the start of another year's study.

We've also been scheduled for a temple performance in Kajang (of ALL places!) on the 9th... and and... Ramli's decided for 5 of us, including me, to do Bakra Tunda!!! Of all the items, he had to choose this one! Maaannnn.... this is like, the one item that I'm sooo not confident in doing coz we've only just learnt it and haven't gotten it down yet... ugh... looks like additional practice sessions are gonna be needed BEFORE next Sunday... sigh... :o

Am actually rather excited and psyched up abt Navarathri coz we haven't performed since January this year, which was when we did our Alarippu to Moksha show. But am also quite worried coz am soooo afraid of screwing up in the middle of any item (i.e. blank out and forget my steps! God forbid!) especially Bakra Tunda and Kalyan Pallavi... :o( Items to be performed on 5th Oct:

1. Bakra Tunda*
2. Lakya Sindura
3. Sthai*
4. Lalitha Lavanga*
5. Kalyan Pallavi*
6. Shankarabaranam Pallavi
7. Mohane Deli Chahi*
8. Moksha*

* items that I'll be performing...

Gawd, let's all pray that I'll still be able to stand after Kalyan Pallavi! lol!