Navratri is one of the most auspicious Hindu festivals celebrated with great pomp and enthusiasm across India. The nine-day festival of Navratri is dedicated to the worship of Maa Durga and her nine manifestations, collectively known as Navdurga. This year, Navratri began on October 15 and will end on October 24 with Dussehra. Educational institutes are buzzing with renewed energy as teaching as well as non-teaching staff and students are coming dressed in a colour-coordinated outfit bringing in a wave of the colour in the entire institute.
Auria Fernandes, Principal of Sharada Mandir School, Kadamba, informs that there are 40 teaching and non-teaching members. “It is so beautiful to see how colour can be a thing of togetherness. We even see our gardener wholeheartedly participate in the festivity and it shows that we are all one regardless of our position, we are one family and we need to bond as one. A week before Navratri, we send out a message on the Whatsapp group about the colours of the day and all are prepared to follow the colours. On Monday, we will be celebrating the day with the students who will also come dressed in traditional wear before we break for the Diwali vacations,” says Auria.
Rukmi Dangui, headmistress of Vidhya Vruddhi School, Ponda has been following the colours of Navratri for the last 2-3 years. “Though the teachers have to wear uniform to school, they are exempted during these nine days of Navratri. We already missed a day on Sunday and we have all female teachers who make it an extra effort to follow the colours. We conclude every Navratri with Saraswati Pujan on Saturday and Sunday and Dandiya Night on Saturday,” says Rukmi.
Annapurna Velguenkar, a teacher at Bhatikar Model High School, Margao says, “We often see different festivals celebrated with pomp and gaiety throughout our diverse country. Goa being so rich in culture, we get to see such festivals celebrated in many educational institutions. Our school is one such institution wherein all the staff members partake in this celebration with all their vigour. Navratri being the festival of the supreme Goddess, spans over nine days. Although the teachers and office staff have a uniform, during these nine days, all staff members come dressed in all nine colours, constructing an epic example of unity in diversity.”
Avril Antao, a teacher at Fatima Convent High School, Margao, says, “Navratri is an idyllic festival that everyone can partake. It is truly a delight to witness an entire staffroom immersed in the colour of the day. Many of the middle school students subscribe to Herald @ School, and the publication, in this week’s edition, explained the significance of the festival with vivid illustrations. Amidst happy and animated discussions about the festival, watching the teachers follow the colours each day definitely makes it a happy celebration for the entire school.” The school has been following the Navratri trend for the last 2-3 years.
The teachers at Kid’s Nest KILBIL Pre-Primary School, Khandola, Marcel, have found an interesting way of approaching Navratri for the children. Shivangi Dangui Talaulicar, a teacher at the pre-primary school explains, “We use this time of the year, to ask the children to come dressed in the colour of the day and then we talk about that one particular colour for the entire day. The child learns to associate the colour with the name of the colour. We create a narrative with the colour and everything associated with it,” says Shivangi about the colourful week.
Soham Aronlekar from Madkaikar Higher Secondary School of Arts and Science Corlim has been a part of the celebrations as he joined the institution as a librarian. He has been welcomed into the educational hub with much confidence as the teachers and non-teaching staff celebrate the nine days of Navratri. “Everyone makes a special effort, regardless whether men or women, all go out of their way to find the colours of the day in their wardrobe. Some even buy new clothes to wear for the day. People from all communities come together and it is all excitement in the higher secondary school. We even have different cultural programmes and on the last day of the celebrations, we have Garba and the best energetic dancer award. This year, the students could not participate in the festivities as they are answering their exams,” says Soham.
