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
- Attend in-person morning and evening Navaratri observances from Monday, October 12 through Friday, October 16. Select the observances you would like to attend when registering.
Morning arati and Ram Puja take place from 6:30 – 9:00 a.m. Arrive between 6:00 and 7:30 a.m. (No arrivals after 8:00 a.m.)
Evening Ramayana readings and arati take place from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. Arrive between 4:30 and 6:00 p.m. (No arrivals after 7:00 p.m.)
Advance registration required.
Cost: FREE
- Join the Navaratri observances via livestream on the Temple YouTube channel. All rituals, performances, and readings will be livestreamed.
The morning observance on Sunday, October 11 and all observances on Sunday, October 18 and Monday, October 19 are available via livestream ONLY.
No advance reservations necessary to participate online.
Cost: FREE
- Experience a musical presentation of the Ramayana on Sunday, October 11. The Bay Area Ram Leela Mandali (RLMZ) presents Adhyatma, a musical satsang celebrating the yoga and tantra of the Ramayana, written and directed by Paramesh Gopi and performed by a full ensemble of musicians and performers.
Arrive at 2:30 p.m. for the musical theater performance from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., followed by a Ramayana reading and arati from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Advance registration required for in-person attendance.
Cost: FREE
Tuesday, October 13: Evening Ramayana reading and arati, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 17: Morning arati and Ram puja, 6:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, October 17: Evening Ramayana reading and arati, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
For the Saturday morning observance, arrive between 6:00 and 7:30 a.m. (No arrivals after 8:00 a.m.)
For evening observances, arrive according to your designated Temple Darshan reservation time. (No arrivals after 7:00 p.m.)
Advance Temple Darshan reservations required.
Cost: FREE
- Book a Personal Retreat overnight or extended stay during Navaratri. Select your preferred dates and number of nights, subject to availability.
Advance registration required.
Cost: Based on lodging selection and number of nights
Ways to Attend Vijay Dasami
Tuesday, October 20
- Attend morning arati and Ram Puja in person from 6:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Arrive between 6:00 and 7:30 a.m. (No arrivals after 8:00 a.m.)
No advance registration necessary.
Cost: FREE
- Attend the Vijay Dasami evening celebration on Tuesday, October 20 from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. The evening includes Hanuman Puja, Chalisa Path and Sindoor Puja, the Vijay Dasami yajna, arati, and kirtan.
Arrive according to the information provided with your registration.
Advance registration required for in-person attendance.
Cost: FREE
- Join Vijay Dasami via livestream on the Temple YouTube channel. Both the morning and evening observances will be livestreamed.
No advance registration necessary to participate online.
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.
