The final day of navratri

Navratri or "Nine Nights" comes 4 times a year, and Hindus celebrate it twice a year. I don't know how other Hindus celebrate it (yes, people do celebrate a single festival very differently and showcase yet another example of 'unity in diversity') but I can tell you how my family celebrates it.

The navratri comes in October and March, and the former is celebrated with much gala. Remember garba, dandia? It happens in October. One thing common is that the final day involves us treating 9 young girls. As far as my memory goes, my mom invites girls who've not yet hit puberty. That's an other story that sometimes elder girls are also called if young girls are in 'shortage' -- c'mon, every family wants to treat 9 young girls and they are in huge demand that one day!

So, once the girls come in our home, Dad greets them joyously and calls them tough sounding names like "Chandraghanta", "Chamunda", "Skandamata", etc. I realized only recently that those names are actually the names of the various avatars of Goddess Durga who is the principal deity in Navratri. So, the girls -- ever so sweet and shy -- are ushered in the washroom where mom washes their feet. I wait for them to come out, and wipe their feet dry with a hand towel.

Yes, I wipe their feet dry. Yes, I felt embarrassed the first time I did it -- because the first time my classmate was also invited. But, you know what? This act humbles you. I'll talk about this later.

So, after the washing and wiping, they're all seated  in position and served delicious food. The norm is that only after at least one of them eats can anybody in our family can eat, due to which dad had to arrive at office later than usual. While they're eating, I keep a tab on their plates so they won't have to ask for anything. It takes time to judge what they might need at what time, but yes, now I'm kinda expert. When I hear a small kid coughing, I give her a glass of water.

When they're done eating, my brother picks up the plates and I help them wash their hands. Some girls are so young that they can't reach for the tap, so I lift them up. My mom then departs them with sweets, bananas, and a small gift in a plastic bag.

I was said that those 9 girls are forms of Goddess Durga who come to our home and grace us. I firmly believe that, because it's universally known that Gods reside in children's hearts.

Coming to the part of me wiping their feet. I remember that mom used to tell me to never hit a girl, even playfully. I used to find it odd, very odd. In my young age, I looked like a young Harry Potter with many acnes on my face. And girls used to burst them just like that, it pained a lot. But, I had to control my senses and not hit them back. Now the situation is very different, I have many reasons why I don't hit a girl. Nevertheless, I trace the primary reason to this act of wiping. While wiping, those small water droplets shine o their little toenails and I've mistaken it more than once to be a divine sight. I look up, I see them in their cute dresses and frocks and I see their half-grown teeth from their grinning face. And I notice my inner self utter, "O Mother! O Sister! You are so beautiful that I can never hurt you!". Quickly I add "Don't be mean to me. Because if you'll be mean to me, I'll punch the walls till my knuckles break!"

And this experience consistently humbles me, over and over. Imagine all those misconceptions -- "I am the best", "I can control women" and "I am the strongest" -- crashing the moment your hands reach those little girl's feet! Now this is in true sense an ego-breaking exercise. Remember all those God's stories? About Rama descending to Earth to break Ravan's ego, and Goddess Kali crushing the pride of Rakthbeej? Those little girls, I see those little girls as Goddesses themselves. So what if they don't recognize me the next time I see them down the street or they look away furtively once they notice me? It's only normal for them to act that way, for it is wrong to engage with strangers.