Ayudha Puja observed all over Mangalore

Ayudha Puja observed all over Mangalore

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, Oct 23, 2012 : The people of Mangalore offered Ayudha Puja, which comes on the ninth day of Navarathri, on Oct 23, Tuesday. The day is earmarked to thank God for supplying equipment, tools, and vehicles to help perform one’s duties.

 

 

 

People took the day off to clean, decorate, and worship equipment, vehicles, and machinery. The goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Parvathi are especially worshipped on this day.

Almost every piece of equipment used to perform one’s duties, such as agricultural tools, cameras, computers, and others is blessed and worshipped.

In olden days, kings used to worship their weapons on Vijaya Dashami, which happens to be the 10th day of Navarathri. In North India, they celebrate the 9th day of Navarathri as Navami Puja.

According to popular legend, Goddess Durga put away her weapons after killing demons in 9 days and worshipped them. Another legend says that the Pandavas took down the weapons they hid on a tree at the end of their exile and worshipped them before beginning to use them.

Ayudha Puja is not only a day to thank god for supplying work equipment, but also to ward off evil. People celebrate the day by bursting crackers and taking rest.