Vijaya Dashami

Jai Sreemannarayana,

Happy Dusshera, Navarathri subhakaankshalu to all of you!

Vijaya Dashami as i know is a very sacred day! This post is what i thought seemed pertinent to this day and my opinion about it.

• Vijaya Dashami also known as Dasara, Dashahara, Navaratri, Durgotdsav… is one of the very important & fascinating festivals of India, which is celebrated in the lunar month of Ashwin (usually in September or October) from the Shukla Paksha Pratipada (the next of the New moon day of Bhadrapada) to the Dashami or the tenth day of Ashwin. 
• This festival is celebrated not only in India but in almost all eastern countries
• Word DASARA is derived from Sanskrit words “Dasha” & “hara” meaning removing the ten (10). This is the most auspicious festival in the Dakshinaayana or in the Southern hemisphere motion of the Sun.  In Sanskrit, 'Vijaya' means Victory and 'Dashami' means 10th day. 'Thus Vijaya Dashami' means victory on the 10th day. 
• Since it is believed that the asura Mahisasuran was killed by Goddess Durga on this day, the day symbolises the victory of good over evil. Starting anything new on this day is considered auspicious because it is believed that it will continue for a long time.”

When i was a kid,my dad told me a sanskrit phrase "Ya devi sarvabhooteshu Yantra roopena samasthithaha" which means you can see goddess in sakala(entire) universe, on this auspicious time even in any Yantra(mechanical devices), or your ayudham(weapons) including our smart phones, computers, instruments, what ever we use to accomplish our goals to be victorious.

That was when i started seeing goddess durga/saraswathi in everything and just about anything, i remember cleaning my bicycle, my brother's TVS Champ, my dads Honda, spic & span, even oil it up to get that shine and last but not the least my Flute, (yes it is singular word), just one flute in "E" Shruthi. I used to keep the books/flute by goddess sarswathi during prayers and really cherished this day, especially this being a holiday in India.  I also remember sharing the Bangaram leaves(a green leaf in telangana) in hyderabad, giving Enaams(money) to your bike care takers, some very close helpers.

Importance of Guru on this day:

'Guru'. 'Gu' means 'darkness' and 'ru' means 'removal'. Guru is the one who removes the ignorance of disorder from our life and teaches us how to live a blissful life.

I mean if you pray your ayudhams, why not the teacher that actually teaches you how to use it, in many cases it could be training your vocal chords, your instrument. After all Guru's, thought process is always to get the best out of you.

The concept of offering gurudakshina  this day is said to have originated from the four ashramas, as written in Hindu scriptures. It is associated with the Brahmacharya stage where the student spends the first 25 years of his life in the guru's house and at the end of his stay, offers valuables or gifts to guru as a mark of respect. However, today this tradition of offering dakshina to the guru has been retained only among students of dance, music and arts.

The highlight of this day is to pay respects to gurus. Everyone of us should alot some time on this day to visit and honour our gurus, no matter how far they live. Try to learn something new from him/her, atleast say hi on this day.

 

I think this age of internet should facilitate this more than anything to find opportunity to do a video chat/IM/Watsapp/Skype, etc., you name it!. Just find your bliss in connecting with your teacher. Take some flowers/fruits to pray "Saraswathi" seated in them. Leave your egos aside, you are who you are because you learnt something from them.  Guru's position is next to mom and dad,  so accept it or not, they are in your life to guide you in becoming successful

( i used some google references to jot down what pertains to this post)

Artist Bio

Om Namo Narayanaya,

Dear bloggers i would like to officially introduce myself in this post, but before that, i request almighty for his blessings to let me continue to learn this divine music.  I am very thankful to my parents Sri P.L.N.Sharma and P.Jhansi Rani for inculcating this culture to me. My sincere pranamams to all my Gurus and mentors. May god shower blessings on all of us and may peace prevail.
"Sarve janaa sukhino bhavantu"

About myself:

Sreekrishna Pasumarthy is a well-known musician for his versatile vocal and instrumental flute music.

Over the past twenty years, he has collaborated with renowned music legends and performed at various festivals and venues in India and North America, including the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aaradhana, TANA, SAMPADA, and SAPNA. Sreekrishna has shared his vocal talents in numerous concerts and has provided vocal accompaniment for arangetrams and dance performances. He has also contributed to significant dance productions such as "Lakshmi Prabhavam," "Nowka charitham," "Bhaamakalaapam," "Godha Kalyanam," and "Chandalika," working with acclaimed Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi exponents. Actively promoting cultural exchange through the arts, Sreekrishna has collaborated in numerous events such as India Fest, Arts without Borders, NEOTA Annamacharya Aradhana, Cleveland Asia Fest, AIPNO, SEWA, and FICA. His journey into Carnatic music, a testament to his unwavering dedication, began at the tender age of five under the loving guidance of his mother, Smt.Jhansi Rani. He adheres to the Sripada Pinakapani Baani vocal music tradition, learning from the esteemed Malladi Brothers. He honed flute playing skills under the guidance of Sri J.A. Jayant. He feels fortunate to receive initial guidance from his other illustrious mentors in the Carnatic fraternity, who contributed to his musical prowess.   As an influential promoter of Carnatic music in northeast Ohio, he was a founding member of Sapthaswara Music Academy in 2016, which aims to teach music enthusiasts in and around the area and virtual learning online across several states. On a professional front, Sreekrishna graduated from Cleveland State University with an MBA and Master's in Computer Science. With over twenty years of experience in IT, he is presently employed by a healthcare firm in Cleveland.