As we read through this special edition of Balamithra, we can feel the excitement of Diwali, Dussehra, and Navratri! The amazing drawings and articles bring these festivals to life and showcase the energy of our wonderful traditions.
Festivals are more than just days on a calendar. They help us connect with our culture, families, and the divine. Diwali teaches us that light always wins over darkness, Navratri reminds us of the strength of Devi, and Dussehra shows us how to face challenges with courage and good values. These festivals teach us important lessons that we carry with us every day.
Looking ahead to 2025, let’s promise to celebrate our festivals with even more energy and joy! Let’s fill our homes with lights and happiness, share our gratitude with everyone, and do more sewa for our community. Let’s not just celebrate, but also try to live by the lessons our festivals teach us. Each year, our celebrations should become more special and meaningful.
Remember, each festival reminds us that we are part of something much bigger our culture, our community, and our beautiful traditions. By celebrating together, we strengthen these bonds and ensure our customs live on for future generations.
May 2025 be a year full of celebrations, unity, and joy! Let’s make our festivals unforgettable and create memories that will last forever.
KNOW MY HINDU VALUES
MEENAKSHI SHAKHA PEARLAND
NAVRATRI: CELEBRATING DEVI
Namaste!
Navratri is a Hindu festival that is celebrated for nine nights and ten days, in the honor of Goddess Durgas’ victory over demon Mahishasura. This depicts and celebrates the victory of good over evil, all made possible by Devi Maa. The name of the festival comes from the words, Nava, which means Nine, and Ratri, which means nights. The festivities take place often in the months of September/ October.
The significance of Navratri in a Hindu’s life is that this is the season of reflection and weather change so concentrating on our physical and mental well-being becomes important. We observe fast or eat seasonal fruits and vegetables instead of huge meals, cooked in a sattvic way without onion or garlic for the nine days, and engage in fun and prayers in forms of dance and meditation. All these practices keep up our immunity and get our bodies ready for the seasonal change If you like dancing, then Navaratri is one of the best time to show your skills and participate in garba and dandiya, the traditional folk dances which can be done with live orchestra and/ or music My sister loves to go to garba as much possible
KIAAN
GUPTA
Each of the nine nights are dedicated to a different avatar of Goddess Durga representing wealth, knowledge and power These are: Maa Chandraghanta, Maa Kushmanda, Maa Shailputri, Maa Brahmacharini, Maa Skandamata, Maa Katyayani, Maa Kalaratri, Maa Mahagauri and Maa Siddhidatri There are suggested associated colors to wear on these days that my family likes to follow In my home, my parents fast for eight days and on Ashtami my sister and I fast with our parents; after that we invite young shakha balas and wash their feet, do their puja and give them gifts like lockets from Haridwar (that my parents get every year), and feed them halva, poori and kala chana After this is done, we open our fast and eat with them
Jai Durga Maa
KESHAV SHAKHA
HOUSTON
ANAY
SAMDANI
DIWALI
Diwali is the festival of light,it is mostly celebrated in India but it is also celebrated in other countries. It is celebrated because Bhagwan Ram had killed Ravan, the ten headed demon and He coming back to his home in Ayodhya and His path being lit by diyas, his path had diyas because it showed that light is good and dark is bad so it shows good over bad. Diwali is a festival where we worship goddess Laxmi-the God of wealth. For us when we celebrate Diwali we lighten the house with diyas, we clean the house and decorate it. We make sweets and share them with our friends and family. Diwali is a 5 day festival, those 5 days are Dhantrayodashi, Narak Chaturdashi, Laxmi Poojan, Bali Pratipada and Bhai Dooj.
On Dhantrayodashi we set a pooja by putting a Laxmi photo in a frame and a plate with diyas around it and in the plate we put some cash or coins. In the early morning we take a shower with Uptan which is made of rice flour and sesame seeds.
On day 2, early in the morning we take a shower with Uptan again. It is Narak Chaturdashi which is also called Choti Diwali. On this day it is believed that lord Krishna had killed Narakasura the demon.
On day 3, we do the main Laxmi pooja, we wear new clothes, we make special Prasad, we do diya pooja and put it around the house. We invite our friends and do fireworks with them.
On day 4, it is Padwa and Govardhan pooja,we do Govardhan puja. It is also called Diwali Padwa which is a new year for business communities.
On the last day it is Bhai Dooj,on Bhai Dooj the sister comes to the brothers house and ties Rakhi to the brother
I love Diwali and I look forward to it next year.
KESHAV SHAKHA
HOUSTON VEDA
THE STORY OF NAVRATRI
Once upon a time, 1000s and 1000s of years ago, there was a king called Rambha. One day, he saw a water buffalo and fell in love with her. So, he converted himself into a water buffalo and started living with her. Soon they had a son, and they named him Mahishasura. Mahisha means buffalo from his mother and asura, meaning the demon from his father.
Mahishasura was born with superhuman powers. But he was evil wanted more powers to cause more destruction. And he knew if he prayed hard with devotion, he would be able to get a boon from the Gods. So Mahishasura did just that and he stopped eating, and began to pray to Lord Brahma, the creator standing on one foot under a tree for years and years. Finally, Lord Brahma was pleased with Mahishasura’s Tapasya and appeared before him.
Brahma raised his hand in blessing and told Mahishasura “I want to grant you a boon, ask for anything you desire.” “I would like to continue living forever. I want to become immortal.” Mahishasura had a ready answer.
Brahma smiled and replied “All that is born must die, that’s the universal law. You cannot escape that.”
Mahishasura thought for a while and replied “Lord, can you give me a boon that I cannot be killed by a man or a God. If I must die, let it be from the hands of a woman. ”
Mahishasura was a gigantic strong demon. He was confident that no woman would be able to kill him. Clearly, he underestimated the power of woman! “It boon shall come true.” Brahma granted him his wish.
The moment Brahma left, Mahishasura’s arrogance grew and grew. He gathered a huge army and started attacking the humans on Earth, killing them, and destroying everything.
After defeating the humans, then he decided to fight the Gods themselves.
And he along with his large asura army attacked Amravati, the capital city of Indra Loka, the home of Lord Indra also where the heaven is. Lord Indra, the king of Devas tried to fight Mahishasura with all his strength. But that was of no use. Mahishasura was invincible, no God or man could defeat him. The asuras had seized Amravati and drove the Gods out of heaven.
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THE STORY OF NAVRATRI (CONTD..)
Indra ran for help to the Trimurti, Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and asked for help from them. Lord Brahma remembered the boon that he had given Mahishasura. And no woman living in three world is strong enough to kill this evil demon. So, the Trimurti decided to create a strong powerful woman. They closed their eyes and focused their energy and soon a intense pillar of light appeared in the sky. It was so bright that even the Sun looked dimmer. Not even the Gods could look at it . It was a mass of pure energy.
From this, the Gods created goddess Durga, who would be strong enough to kill Mahishasura.
KESHAV SHAKHA
HOUSTON
Shiva created her face. Vishnu gave her arms. Goddess Durga has 10 arms. Brahma gave her legs. The God of the oceans of milk gave her a red saree and a diamond necklace. Vishwakarma, the architect of the Gods presented her with earrings, bracelets, other jewellery he had made himself.
Once she was gorgeously dressed, the Gods armed her with all the weaponries needed to kill the demons and Mahishasura Lord Vishnu gave her his Sudharshana chakra, Lord Siva handed over his Trisula, and Lord Brahma gifted her his lotus along with his Kamandalam of holy water and wisdom Finally, she was given a Lion to sit on With all the blessings from God, she mounted on the Lion and set out to destroy Mahishasura
VEDA
GHODPAGE
As she approached Amravati, she let out a loud roar that shook the mountains and created huge waves in the seas Mahishasura got the news that a woman was there to attack him
He laughed “Ha! A silly woman to attack me, not worth my attention, let me just send my army to deal with her” So, the asuras went to fight Durga Devi Every single demon was killed by the Goddess
Lastly, Mahishasura himself went to fight Durga Devi From her breath, Durga devi created an gigantic army of soldiers to fight the demons Mahishasura meanwhile tried all the tricks he knew to confuse the Goddess He became a lion, an elephant, but he was badly wounded no matter what his form was
The battle lasted for 9 days Beyond doubt, Mahishasura took the form of buffalo to fight Durga On the last day, she beheaded him with the chakra that Vishnu had given her Thus, she set free the world from Mahishasura’s evil doings deeds Indra and other Gods returned to heaven again
Since then, Durga Mata is worshipped during Navratri and on the 9th day Maha Navami day, she is worshipped as Mahishasura Mardini, the one who killed Mahishasura
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THE STORY OF NAVRATRI (CONTD...)
The festival has the essence of victory of good over evil. Now to reflect the significance of this story in our present lives, the evil or the demons can also be found within.
What are the demons within us … Dasha Hara in Sanskrit, means removal of ten bad qualities within us:
Ahankara (Ego)
Amanavta (Cruelty)
Anyaaya (Injustice)
Kama Vasana (Lust)
KESHAV SHAKHA
HOUSTON
Krodha (Anger)
Lobha (Greed)
Mada (Over Pride)
Matsara (Jealousy)
Moha (Attachment)
Swartha (Selfishness)
We should attempt every day to be aware of these demons when it arise within us and work hard to overcome this every day of our life
Thank you, and I wish very happy Dussera / Navaratri to you and your family!
VEDA
GHODPAGE
NAVRATRI: A FESTIVAL OF JOY & DEVOTION
Navratri is a special festival celebrated in India to honor Goddess Durga. The word "Navratri" means "nine nights" in Sanskrit. During these nine days and nights, people worship the nine forms of Goddess Durga Know as known as Navdurga. Each form has a special significance and represents a unique quality of the Goddess. The Nine forms of Devi Durga are
1. Shailaputri (Daughter of the Mountain) represents strength, purity, and devotion.
2. Brahmacharini (The Ascetic) symbolizes penance, self-discipline, and devotion to God.
TANAJI SHAKHA
SUGARLAND NIVAN
3. Chandraghanta (The Warrior Goddess) represents bravery and grace, protecting her devotees from evil.
4. Kushmanda (The Creator of the Universe) is believed to have created the universe with her smile.
5 Skandamata (Mother of Skanda) symbolizes motherly love and care
6 Katyayani (The Warrior Goddess) represents courage and the power to fight injustice
7 Kalaratri (The Dark Night) destroys ignorance and evil
8 Mahagauri (The Radiant Goddess) represents purity, serenity, and kindness
9 Siddhidatri (The Giver of Supernatural Powers) grants wisdom, success, and spiritual knowledge
Each day of Navratri is dedicated to a different form of Goddess, and people pray, sing devotional songs, and perform rituals to seek her blessings Homes and temples are beautifully decorated
One of the most exciting parts of Navratri is the celebration through dance and music which brings everyone together People dress in traditional clothes
Navratri is also a time for remembering good values It teaches us to be strong, kind, and respectful, just like Goddess Durga The festival ends on the tenth day, called Vijayadashami or Dussehra, which celebrates the victory of good over evil
Navratri is a joyful time when families and communities come together to celebrate and pray for happiness and prosperity It's a festival full of color, energy, and devotion!
MEENAKSHI
Diwali is known as the Indian festival of lights. Diwali is celebrated by Hindus. People light diyas in their house and turn on all the lights.
The reason we celebrate diwali is to honor Lord Ram coming back to Ayodhya after spending 14 years in the forest. Lord Ram returned to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana and rescuing his wife Sita.
There are five days of Diwali. The first day of Diwali is called Dhanatrayodashi to honor Dhanwantari. He is the god of ayurveda.
The second day is called Naraka Chaturdashi. Narkasura was a demon. You might think why would a day of diwali be named after a demon? Well, Lord Krishna killed Narakasura on the second day of diwali.
The third day is called Lakshmi Pooja. ON this day, we honor and worship Maa Laskhmi.
The fourth day is called Govardhan Pooja On that day, Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhana mountain to proect everyone from the rain
The last day of diwali is called bhai dooj It is when brothers promise to protect their sister
This is everything you need to know about Diwali So, next time you celebrate diwali, think of all these days
I am Vedanshi Nattamai from Keshav Shaka, South Houston Vibhag. I started by packing for the SSV camp and I felt excited and nervous at the same time. The next day we were in the car all packed up and ready to rock and roll. When we reached we could not find a parking spot, so my dad dropped us off and tried to find a parking spot. Luckily after some time my dad found a parking spot. Later we checked in the SSV campsite and ate pav bhaji for dinner. It was truly delicious, so I had to go for a second serving.
KESHAV
SHAKHA
HOUSTON
I found my friends and all of the balagana got separated by their parents so that we could go to our cabin, Abhimanyu. In Abhimanyu we learned about each other and played some fun and interesting games. We did a new meditation where we stare or you could say glare at the candle for 45 mins straight without blinking once, all of us could not do it for 45 mins but we still had an enjoyable time. Later, Hetal ji took us to our cabins where we got ready for bed. On the first night, I could not sleep because there were 4 girls that were not sleeping and were talking the whole night then an aunty shut them to sleep.
The next day we woke up at 6:30 and got ready. We went on a brisk walk and ate some fruits, drank some water, and got ready for Ish chintan. After Ish chintan we went for breakfast where we got to meet our parents. We ate some poha for breakfast and we got started on our boudhik. We did boudhik for about 45 minutes and we started with yoga asanas. We did yoga for about 1 hour and ten minutes.
VEDANSHI NATTAMAI
We got a break for 5 mins and started to walk to Annapurna for bhojan. In lunch we went to our cabins for some free time and we could do whatever we wanted. After lunch we went to abhimanyu to start with our Yoga Nidra where we relaxed or basically slept for 30 mins.
After a sleepy session we got started on sanskritam where we did a Sanskrit skit and learned how to introduce ourselves and how to ask people what their names are. After that we did some group dance practice, which went on for 1 hour.
We then got ready for shaka and did Sayam Sanghasthan for 1 hour and 10 mins. Then we had snack time where Angat gana once got to make guacamole and one day we got to make sandwiches. After snack we do Yoga sutra chanting and reflection on Bhagavad Gita verses. This was my favorite part of the day where we did Katha. Katha lasted for about 30 minutes.
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At last we had dinner and we ended the day off with Trataka Meditation. Lastly we went to our cabins to sleep. This was a normal day in SSV camp and I think this was a wonderful experience as we learned so many new exciting things.
SSV (CONTD....)
At last we had dinner and we ended the day off with Trataka Meditation. Lastly we went to our cabins to sleep. This was a normal day in SSV camp and I think this was a wonderful experience as we learned so many new exciting things.
This camp was definitely a learning experience. It was energetic, knowledgeable, special, fun and lastly a must try.
KESHAV
SHAKHA
HOUSTON
VEDANSHI
NATTAMAI
DIWALI
Diwali is one of the most important festivals in Hindu culture. Diwali get it name from the Sanskrit word Deepawali that roughly translates to row of light. It is great to time to have fun with family, you know why Hindus celebrates Diwali. Hindus celebrate Diwali to rejoice to lord Ram return Ayodhya after 14 Exile after defeating the evil lord Ravan and reaccusing the goddess Sita, who had been capture by Ravan. Diwali is celebrated in October or November. The main reason Diwali is celebrated is it symbolizes the spiritual victory of dharma over Adharma good over Evil.
