Festivities at Fremont Temple during Navratri

Fremont Hindu Temple Garba group
Festivities at Fremont Temple1
Festivities at Fremont Temple

Ritu Maheshwari
India Post News Service

FREMONT, CALIFORNIA:  Fremont Hindu temple was transformed into a festive hub as devotes in the Bay Area celebrated Navratri as well as Durga Puja. The temple held beautiful Raas Garba and Dandiya everyday during Navratri season till October 15th.

Hundreds of devotees adorned in traditional dresses enthusiastically played Dandiya and Garba while offering prayers.A grand finale session of Dandiya was held on Sharad Poornima October 20th. This provided a consistent and free platform for local devotees to celebrate the festival. It was followed by “prasad” for the community. Amita Patel, Naresh Patel, and Fremont Hindu Hindu Temple Garba Group organized the daily performances.

Fremont Temple was decked with lights, overflowing with the hustle and bustle of festively dressed men, women and children, and reverberating with holy chants, mantras and devotional songs during the festivities. Chandi Yagna, Ashtami, Navami, Vijayadasami, Mata Ka Jagaran, Durga Puja, and Saraswati Puja were performed during this period.Mata Ka Jagran was a super hit with devotional songs. Devotees stayed up till past 2 a.m. in the morning to sing devotional songs.

“It is heartening to see Indian community come in large numbers to celebrate the festival and observe the rich culture and traditions that unite us and keep us anchored to our heritage,” said Dr Romesh Japra, Founder and Chairman, Fremont Temple.

Navratri is a multi-day Hindu festival celebrated in autumn every year. It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Indian subcontinent. In the eastern and northeastern states of India, Durga Puja is synonymous with Navratri, wherein goddess Durga battles and emerges victorious over the buffalo demon to help restore dharma.

Festivities at Fremont Temple
Festivities at Fremont Temple

During the nine days, devotees solemnly fast and worship the nine manifestations or forms of Goddess Durga, also known as Shakti. People came in large numbers to enjoy and participate in the festivities.