2006-09-27
“Navarathri Festival” – a celebration seeking the blessings of Goddesses Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswathy was celebrated at the Parliament for the third consecutive year.
A grand “Saraswathy Pooja”, organized by the honourable Speaker W.J.M Lokubandara with the assistance of the Secretary General of Parliament and her staff was held at the Parliamentary Complex on the September 29, 2006 at 2.00 pm. The Department of Hindu religious and Cultural affairs sponsored this event.
The priests of Ponnambalavaneswar temple of Colombo, Ramachandra Iyer Jeyashankar and Jeganatha Kurukkal Jenarthanan conducted the Pooja. The honourable Speaker, honourable Deputy Speaker, higher officials of Parliament including the Sergeant-at-arms and his deputies, Secretary General and her deputies, Ministers, Members of Parliament, the staff of the Secretary General of Parliament, all gracefully took part in the Pooja. A cultural event of “Bharatha Naatya” recital followed the Pooja.
The Bharatha Naatya performance presented by the students of Kalasuri Mrs.Vasugi Jegatheeswaran of Natya Kala Mandir and Ms.Subitha Gnanaraja, was very impressive and colourful.
The significance of “Navarathri” meaning “nine days” is fasting and worshipping the three Goddesses, Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathy for energy, wealth, and wisdom respectively. Each Goddess is worshipped for three days starting with Durga, hence the nine days. Especially the last three days devoted to the Goddess Saraswathy (Goddess for Wisdom) are full of art and cultural events.
It was pleasing to witness a gathering from all ethnic and religious community of the country, united to celebrate this festival without any religious differences.
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