Vanam Jwala
Narasimha Rao
(As narrated
by 77 year old Dr. V. Chandra Mowli:
A retired Indian Administrative
Service Officer)
As
the name indicates, Dasara is a festival of ten nights. In the south, the first
nine are called “Navaratri” and the tenth “Vijaya Dasami” or the victorious
tenth. Dasara could be later comer when compared to the antiquity of many Hindu
festivals.
No
reference to this season as a festive occasion is traceable in the Hindu
Puranas or in the works of early Sanskrit writers. Sutra works of the middle of
the first millennium BC refer to it as part of an annual sacrifice-a solemn but
not a festive event. Even in the pre-Christian centuries, the Romans were
celebrating this season as a festival, in a manner so0 remarkably similar to
that of the South Indians, indicating that some sort of connection between the
two cannot be ruled out.
In
ancient Rome, they observed twelve days of festivities at the termination of
the year. At the time of Romulus-founder of Rome, the Roman Year considered to
be only ten months totaling 304 days. It commenced with Vasanta Rutu, one month
before the vernal equinox and closed with Hemata Rutu at the Uttarayanam (winter
solstice). It did not commence with vernal equinox as most European Scholars
believe. The Sisira Rutu of two months was ignored as a period of snow and
darkness and unfit for any sacrifice. The winter is not so severe in Rome, nor
was it at the epoch of Romulus. It is likely that the colonists came from a
northern country where the winter was so severe as to stop all activity.
The
tenth month with which the year ended was called December, the ninth month
November, the eighth October and the seventh September. These are all
Indo-Aryan forms. Though “Vaara” which now means a week, its original sense was
‘any period of time’: vaaram meant often and often.
In
the reformed calendar introduced by Julius Caesar, the Uttarayanam occurred on
a date that was then December 25. From next day onwards, they had a festive
season of twelve days which ended on January 6, called the twelfth night.
December 25 was called “Natalis Solis Invictis” (birth of the victorious sun),
as it was from this day that the sun from his lowest height over the southern
horizon started growing higher and higher day by day.
The
sun was considered re-born, and the festivities commenced. The Saturn alia was
also celebrated during this period; a season of unrestrained license and
merriment in honor of Saturn, the ancient Roman God of Agriculture whose
fabulous reign was called the golden age. Presents would be exchanged and also
visits to each other. A festival called “Sigullaria” also occurred at the same
time at which earthenware figures were presented to children.
After
the introduction of Christianity the festivals underwent transformation.
Sigullaria came to be called “Presepio”-meaning stable. It was in a stable-
building in which livestock is kept-that Jesus was born.
The earthenware dolls came to represent Mary, Joseph, the ass, the oxen in the
stable etc., as well as the three kings or Magi. In southern Italy, the dolls
were usually called Pastori (shepherds). Even today in Naples people in certain
streets devote themselves exclusively to the manufacture and sale of such dolls
as Christmas approaches.
Instead
of commencing this festival after December 25, as in the pre-Christian
centuries, they now arranged to have it terminate on December 25, so that, the
supposed birthday of Savior replaced the birthday of the victorious sun. Nine
days before Christmas, the Presepio must be ready. All dolls are installed
except the Infant for He is not yet born. Music is played on all the nine days.
On the tenth day, the Babe is placed in the manger and the best tunes are
played. After this the dolls are packed away to be brought out again the next
year.
In
South India, the custom of procuring earthenware dolls and arranging a tableau
for ten days, exchange of visits, playing of music and other festivities are
established features. After ten days, the dolls are packed away to be brought
out again the next year. The close resemblance of the customs of Italy is so
remarkable as to rule out mere coincidence. Even the tenth day is described as
“Invicta” which is the same as “Vijaya”, the adjective in Vijaya Dasami.
Though
December 25 is considered to be the day of the birth of Jesus, it is not so. We
do not know for sure even the year of his birth: so they argue about the month
or the day? Latest researchers show that he was born four years earlier. As
someone facetiously remarked “Jesus was born four years before Christ”. The
tenth day on which the Babe is put in the manger is undoubtedly the pagan day
of “Natalis Solis Invictas”.
Before
Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar, endless confusion had crept into it,
as the priests in charge had been tampering with it to suit the politicians.
December 25 occupied a season that was really the autumn equinox or September
25. The Indian Dasara commences ten-eleven days this side or that side of
September 25, as a lunar calendar is bound to vary within these limits in
relation to the correct solar calendar of the seasons. We may not be wrong in
believing that the Italian celebrations are modeled on those of Indians and
which the Indians celebrate at the autumn equinox. It may be nearer the truth
to say that the Italians and that section of Indians among whom the Dasara
festival originated had a common home before they separated.
As
the Romans were in Italy by the 8th Century BC, the separation of
the tribes from the parent stock should have taken place earlier. We do not
know which branches of the peoples speaking Indo-Aryan Dialects flocked into
India in the first millennium BC. From the evidence of languages we find an
amount of correlation not only between Latin and Sanskrit but also between
Latin and the so called Dravidian Languages. In many cases where words are
common to all three languages, the Dravidian pronunciation is closer to Latin
than to Sanskrit. There are many words that are common to Dravidian Languages
and Latin but are not found in Sanskrit. Such words could not have become the
common property as a result of Roman trade with South India. Added to this, the
close resemblance of the South Indian Dasara to the Roman Festival is thought
provoking.
The
ninth day of Dasara is called “Ayudha-Puja” both in the north and the south. At
the autumn equinox the rains would have ceased and military expeditions would
set forth. Weapons kept idle during the rains would be taken out, polished and
worship was offered to them to ensure success in war. On the tenth day, the
king set out with his army to gain victory and hence Vijaya Dasami. The
indiscriminate worship of each one’s tools of the trade is meaningless.
In
ancient times they had a sacrifice which lasted one full year and was an
imitation on earth of the apparent revolution of the sun in the heavens. The
observances of nine, ten or twelve days had purely an astronomical significance
relating to the annual calendar. When the sacrificial religion of the Vedas was
displaced by sectarian worship of favorite deities, the Vedic forms were
converted to the purposes of new religions. Various explanations were offered
as to the significance of the Navaratri or Dasara, suited to the fancy of each
sect. Some said that Rama fought with Ravana for ten days and that his victory
was on the victorious Dasami. Others said that Durga vanquished Mahishasura on
Vijaya Dasami. Some others said that on that day Arjun conquered Kaurava kings
in Uttaragograhanam. If only the inventors of these stories had turned their
talents to more practical inventions, both they and this country might have
benefited from their genius.
Rama
did not besiege Lanka in the month of Aswayuja. Hanuman and party returned only
in late Aswayuja or early Karthik. Rama might have reached Lanka by the end of
Karthik. He was back in Ayodhya by Chaitra. Rama’s war with Ravana could have
been between Margashira and Phalguna or roughly between December and March. The
story about Durga is equally incredible. Even at the time of Buddha, the autumn
equinox occurred at the beginning of Karthik according to the calendar then in
use. Aswayuja would have been part of the rainy season. In still earlier times
it would have been more so. Unless Durga destroyed Mahishasura after the
commencement of Christian era, the explanation is untenable.
One
may conclude that the observance was linked to the seasons and for some
sections of the population it devoted the end of the old year and commencement
of new. Most Indians commence the year with Chaitra Shukla Padyami (the first
day of the bright half of Chaitra), which once coincided more or less with the
vernal equinox or the Shukla Padyami of Aswayuja. The Lunar dates were more
convenient for the layman who could not be expected to determine the solstices
and the equinoxes which the astronomers alone are capable of doing.
Whatever
explanation we may offer for the origins of Navaratri or Dasara, they would be
as far removed from the truth as the present Christian ceremonies are from
their originals and the Hindu festivals from their Vedic Prototypes.
What
is more to the point is that human beings need a break from the monotony of
their daily grind. Life would be intolerable if every day happens to be a
Monday or a Sunday. Our calendar must have red letter days in every season. We
must have days for work and days for rest. We must have Ekadasi for fasting and
Dwadasi fro feasting. We need days for atonement and days for merriment. An
engine needs an exhaust, an oven needs a chimney and human beings must have
holidays. That is how they can lay aside their cares, mix with their fellowmen
and bring happiness and cheer. If human beings do not shed their differences of
wealth, position and privileges once in a while and mix on equal terms with
others in society, we shall drift apart and society will disintegrate.
The
festivals are not for gods in high heaven who have no need for being feted by
us, but, it is you and I and our neighbor who need those festive occasions to
escape from our narrow lives and to rediscover god. End
