Celebrate Navaratri & Vijay Dasami

You are invited to celebrate Navaratri and Vijay Dasami with Mount Madonna! Join us as we once again immerse ourselves in the timeless classic and devotional story of the Ramayana – Ram’s way. Navaratri (nava, nine; ratri, night) is a ritual period of nine days and nights when the great spiritual epic, the Ramayana, is honored and brought to life by performance of daily puja (ceremonial offering) to Ram and the reading of Ram’s story. It culminates with Vijay Dasami (victory on the tenth day).

The Ramayana tells the story of one of the incarnations of the God Vishnu, who took the form of a human, Lord Ram, to rid the earth of the terrible plague of darkness being spread by a great ten-headed demon king named Ravana. The Ramayana can be interpreted as both the tale of a god-man who incarnated to help alleviate suffering, as well as our own inner journey of awakening and confrontation with darkness representing our own ego.

Daily morning pujas for Sri Ram will be offered at 7:45 a.m. PT, immediately following morning arati (ritual of light). Evening readings of the Ramayama, Ram’s story, will occur at 5:00 p.m. PT, immediately followed by evening arati at the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple. 

Join us for nine days and nights as we symbolically live through the mythic struggle of the Ramayana and follow Ram’s journey ever closer to his confrontation with the heart of darkness.

The Navaratri program will conclude with Vijay Dasami on Wednesday, October 1, as we rejoice in victory on the tenth day with a yajna, a special Vedic fire ceremony, using “Sarvato Bhadram Yantra and Mantra” to pray for purification and blessings for all. Through practice of yajna, we purify and surrender the ego by symbolically offering all aspects of our mind, body, and senses to the sacred fire. 

Ways to Attend Navaratri

Monday, September 22 – Tuesday, September 30

• Navaratri via Livestream:
  Celebrate Navaratri & Vijay Dasami via livestream on the Temple YouTube channel.
  No advance reservations necessary.

Cost: FREE

• Navaratri Personal Retreats:
  In-person, overnight accommodations are available on some nights of Navaratri, and include access to the Mount Madonna campus and the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, lodging, meals, and all scheduled yoga or meditation classes. Arrive and check-in between 3:00 – 5:30 p.m. Check out of your room at 11:00 a.m.
  Advance registration required.

Cost: Personal retreat rates depend on your choice of accommodations.

• Navaratri Mountain Experience, Saturday, September 27:
  Book a Mountain Experience day visit to spend the day in celebration at Mount Madonna Center and the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple. Includes brunch, a guided tour, a scheduled yoga class, dinner, and the Ramayana reading at 5:00 p.m., followed by arati at 6:00 p.m. Arrive and check in at 10:00 a.m. and depart at 7:30 p.m.
  Advance registration required.

Cost: $85 for adults; $50 children 5 – 12 years old; FREE for children 4 years and under.

• In-person Rituals, Ceremonies, & Ramayana Readings – See below
  Find the full list of free in-person dates, times, and registration information below.

Cost: FREE

MORNING ARATI & RAM PUJA, 6:30 – 9:00 a.m.

• Monday, September 22 – Sunday, September 28:
  Livestream & In-Person | 6:30 – 9:00 a.m.
  Morning arati will begin at 6:30 a.m. followed by Ram Puja at 7:45 a.m.
  Arrive between 6:00 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. (No arrivals after 8:00 a.m.)
  No advance reservations necessary.

Cost: FREE. (Note: for a full day visit on Saturday, September 27, see the Mountain Experience option above, under “Ways to Attend Navaratri.”)

• Monday, September 29 & Tuesday, September 30:
  Livestream ONLY | 6:30 – 9:00 a.m.
  Morning arati will begin at 6:30 a.m. followed by Ram Puja at 7:45 a.m.
  No advance reservations necessary.

Cost: FREE

EVENING RAMAYANA READINGS & ARATI, 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.

• Monday, September 22, & Wednesday, September 24 – Friday, September 26:
  Livestream & In-Person | 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
  Evening Ramayana reading at 5:00 p.m. & arati at 6:00 p.m.
  Arrive between 4:30 and 6:00 p.m. (No arrivals after 7:00 p.m.)
  Pre-registration required for in-person attendance.

Cost: FREE

• Tuesday, September 23 & Saturday, September 27:
  Livestream & In-Person | 5:00 – 7:30 p.m.
  Evening Ramayana reading at 5:00 p.m. & arati at 6:00 p.m.
  Arrive according to your designated reservation time for Temple Darshan. (No arrivals after 7:00 p.m.)
  Advance reservations required. 

Cost: FREE. (Note: for a full day visit on Saturday, September 27, see the Mountain Experience option above, under “Ways to Attend Navaratri.”)

Ways to Attend Vijay Dasami

Wednesday, October 1

• Wednesday, October 1:
  Livestream & In-Person | 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
  Evening yajna, sindoor puja, arati, and kirtan (devotional singing) at the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple. Pre-registration necessary.
  Arrive between 5:00 and 6:30 p.m. (no arrivals after 8:00 p.m.).

Cost: FREE