Sacred Series: Navaratri & Vijay Dasami
Observing the Triumph of Light Over Darkness
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 through daily puja (ceremonial offering) to Ram and readings 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 arati (ritual of light) and puja for Sri Ram will be offered from 6:30 – 9:00 a.m. PT. Evening readings of the Ramayana and evening arati will take place from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. PT, except on the opening day, Sunday, October 11. All rituals and readings will be livestreamed from the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple, with in-person attendance available on select dates.
Join us for nine days and nights as we follow Ram’s journey through the Ramayana, reflecting on its timeless exploration of the struggle between darkness and light and the ultimate triumph of good over evil.
The Navaratri program will conclude with Vijay Dasami on Tuesday, October 20, as we rejoice in victory on the tenth day with Sindoor Puja, a yajna (ancient Vedic ritual), arati, kirtan (devotional singing), and prasad (blessed, accepted offering). Through the ritual 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
Sunday, October 11 – Monday, October 19
- Navaratri via Livestream:
Celebrate Navaratri via livestream on the Temple YouTube channel. No advance reservations necessary.
- In-Person Morning Rituals — No Reservations Required:
Monday, October 12 – Friday, October 16. See the complete schedule and arrival information below.
- In-Person Registration via Retreat Guru:
Sunday, October 11, afternoon; Monday, October 12 & Wednesday, October 14 – Friday, October 16, evenings. Advance registration required.
- Temple Darshan Reservations:
Tuesday, October 13, evening; Saturday, October 17, morning and evening. Advance reservations required.
MORNING ARATI & RAM PUJA, 6:30 – 9:00 a.m.
- Sunday, October 11:
Livestream ONLY | 6:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Morning arati and Ram puja. No in-person visit this morning; please enjoy the livestream.
Cost: FREE
- Monday, October 12 – Friday, October 16:
Livestream & In-Person | 6:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Morning arati and Ram puja. Arrive between 6:00 and 7:30 a.m. (No arrivals after 8:00 a.m.) No advance reservations necessary.
Cost: FREE
- Saturday, October 17:
Livestream & In-Person | 6:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Morning arati and Ram puja. Arrive between 6:00 and 7:30 a.m. (No arrivals after 8:00 a.m.) Advance reservations required for a Temple Darshan visit.
Cost: FREE
- Sunday, October 18 & Monday, October 19:
Livestream ONLY | 6:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Morning arati and Ram puja. No in-person visits on these mornings; please enjoy the livestream.
Cost: FREE
AFTERNOON RAMAYANA PERFORMANCE, READING, & ARATI, 2:30 – 7:00 p.m.
- Sunday, October 11:
Livestream & In-Person | 2:30 – 7:00 p.m.
Afternoon Ramayana performance by RLMZ, reading, and arati. Advance registration required for in-person attendance.
Cost: FREE
EVENING RAMAYANA READINGS & ARATI, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
- Monday, October 12 & Wednesday, October 14 – Friday, October 16:
Livestream & In-Person | 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Evening Ramayana reading and arati. Arrive between 4:30 and 6:00 p.m. (No arrivals after 7:00 p.m.) Advance registration required for in-person attendance.
Cost: FREE
- Tuesday, October 13:
Livestream & In-Person | 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Evening Ramayana reading and arati. Arrive according to your designated reservation time. (No arrivals after 7:00 p.m.) Advance reservations required.
Cost: FREE
- Saturday, October 17:
Livestream & In-Person | 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Evening Ramayana reading and arati. Arrive according to your designated reservation time for Temple Darshan. (No arrivals after 7:00 p.m.) Advance reservations required.
Cost: FREE
- Sunday, October 18 & Monday, October 19:
Livestream ONLY | 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Evening Ramayana reading and arati. No in-person visits on these evenings; please enjoy the livestream.
Cost: FREE
Ways to Attend Vijay Dasami
Tuesday, October 20
- Vijay Dasami via Livestream:
Celebrate Vijay Dasami via livestream on the Temple YouTube channel. No advance reservations necessary.
- In-Person Morning Rituals — No Reservations Required:
Tuesday, October 20. See the complete schedule and arrival information below.
- In-Person Registration via Retreat Guru:
Tuesday, October 20, evening. Advance registration required.
MORNING ARATI & RAM PUJA, 6:30 – 9:00 a.m.
- Tuesday, October 20:
Livestream & In-Person | 6:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Morning arati and Ram puja. Arrive between 6:00 and 7:30 a.m. (No arrivals after 8:00 a.m.) No advance reservations necessary.
Cost: FREE
EVENING VIJAY DASAMI PROGRAM, 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 20:
Livestream & In-Person | 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Evening Vijay Dasami program with Sindoor Puja, yajna, arati, kirtan, and prasad at the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple. Arrive according to the information provided with your registration. Advance registration required for in-person attendance.
Cost: FREE
Schedule
| Navaratri, Sunday, October 11 | |
| 6:30 - 9:00 a.m. PT | Arati & Ram Puja |
| 2:30 - 7:00 p.m. | Ramayana performance, reading, & arati |
| Navaratri, Monday - Monday, October 12 - 19 | |
| 6:30 - 9:00 a.m. PT | Arati & Ram Puja |
| 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. | Ramayana reading & arati |
| Vijay Dasami, Tuesday, October 20 | |
| 6:30 - 9:00 a.m. PT | Arati & Ram Puja |
| 5:00 - 5:30 p.m. | Hanuman Puja |
| 5:30 - 6:45 p.m. | Chalisa Path & Sindoor Puja |
| 6:45 - 8:15 p.m. | Vijay Dasami yajna |
| 8:15 - 8:30 p.m. | Arati |
| 8:30 - 9:00 p.m. | Kirtan & closing |
About Navaratri & Vijay Dasami
Navaratri
Navaratri (nava, nine; ratri, night) is a nine-day ritual in which the Ramayana – a classic Sanskrit epic from India – is honored and brought to life through daily puja to Ram and readings of Ram’s story. The Ramayana recounts the story of one of the incarnations of the Hindu God Vishnu, who took the form of a human, Ram, to rid the earth of the terrible plague of darkness being spread by a great ten-headed demon king named Ravana. It can be interpreted as both the tale of a god incarnated as a human to help alleviate suffering, as well as our own inner journey of awakening and confronting the darkness representing our own ego.
Vijay Dasami
Navaratri culminates with Vijay Dasami, which means “victory on the tenth day.”
The evening includes a special Vedic fire ceremony to offer prayers for purification and blessings for all. The puja and yajna will honor Vijay Dasami, a traditional annual Hindu holiday also known as Dushera, celebrating the victory of Lord Ram over Ravana. The ceremony symbolically represents the triumph of light over darkness or the surrender of the ego through offering all aspects of one’s mind, body, and senses to the sacred fire.
All ceremonies will take place at the Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple at Mount Madonna, and all events of the Navaratri and Vijay Dasami program will be livestreamed via the Temple YouTube channel.
