It’s another auspicious and festive time marked by prayers, fasting and religious worship for many Hindus worldwide. The annual nine-day-long Chaitra Navratri festival, which begins after the spring harvest, commenced yesterday for its followers.
Considering Oakville and its neighbouring regions have grown exponentially over the past few years, this region has also seen an increase in its Hindu population.
Vaishno Devi Temple in Oakville, known among its devotees as one of the oldest temples in the Greater Toronto Area, is all geared up to celebrate the religious festival till March 30, 2023.
In some parts of India, the first day of Chaitra Navratri is also observed as the beginning of a new year based on the Hindu Lunar Calendar. The celebrations are known as Gudi Padwa and Ugadi, depending on the region.
In Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language, Navratri means nine nights. As the name suggests, the nine days in the month of Chaitra (as per the Hindu Lunar Calendar) are dedicated to worshipping nine incarnations (avatars) of the Hindu Goddess Durga, symbolizing power.
For those who may not know, Hinduism, polytheistic in nature, remains one of the oldest religions in the world, widely practiced in countries like India (also having the highest number of Hindu population), Nepal and Mauritius.
Statistics Canada reported in 2021 that Canada’s proportion of the Hindu population doubled over the past 20 years, rising to 2.3%.
“The number of devotees has increased four times in the past three years. Post-Covid, we are witnessing a turnout of 1500 devotees on any special occasion,” confirmed Rajiv Katarey, Director of Vaishno Devi Temple in Oakville.”
Organizers expect devotees from the Halton region and beyond to join the special prayers, scripture reading and feasts organized at the temple on Regional Road 25. In light of the religious events over the night of Saturday, March 25 and for 24 hours on March 29, they requested Mayor Rob Burton for special police patrolling in the temple premises during his recent visit to the temple.
“Beyond religious services, we organize community services and cultural events for seniors and kids. New immigrant families looking for cultural integration of their children are our frequent visitors. It’s overwhelming how people from far north and west drive down to join the special celebrations,” added Katarey.
Followers can visit the temple website to learn more about the temple hours and timings of the events.