By Adv Pranita Deshpande
@advpranita_a
The Hague: Last week, Shri Vishnu School of Stichting Hindu Education Netherlands (SHON) celebrated Navratri, the feast of the nine nights with reflection, purification and a new beginning.
During Navratri, prayers are made to Durga Mata, the feminine aspect of the divine. She is the universal mother and is the primaeval source of all energy – the creative power of nature.
Durga Mata is worshipped for strength, protection, ethics and destroying inner and outer enemies. During these nights a lot of attention is paid to these aspects and the believers make a new beginning.
“It is a celebration of reflection and in the lessons, the nine aspects of this deity come to the fore.” Navratri is indeed a time to contemplate and celebrate the nine forms of Durga and the Navratri celebration also symbolizes victory over evil.
In Hindu primary schools, moralistic stories are told during these days and the students are prepared for facets of life that they will soon have to deal with as adults.
At Shri Vishnu school in The Hague, a typical day starts with a Bhajan, prayer and Havan. The pandit also tells one of the stories about Durga Mata.
In 1988 the Shri Vishnu primary school was the first special school for Hindu basis in the Netherlands. Shri Vishnu School is a part of the Stichting Hindu Education Netherlands (SHON).
The uniqueness of schools is that they also teach children the basic principles of Hinduism in addition to the usual subjects. They have more than 460 students and a beautiful school building in The Hague.
