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2October2014
FestivitiesofDasara
TheGoddessDurgabeatsherdrums,herblackhairandfaircomplexionradiantinthe
moonlight.Sheisridingaferocioustiger,andherthickeyelashesenhanceherdarkeyes.Herred
andgoldsariSheisthemotherofallthings,andtheprotectorofwomen.Dasaraisabouttostart.
Dasaracelebratesthepowerofgoodanditseverlastingtriumphoverevil.But,itisnotconfined
toonlyoneday.EachofthedaysoftheweekleadinguptoDasaraarededicatedtoagoddess.
Forexample,Wednesdayisdedicatedtothegoddessofwisdomandknowledge,Saraswati.Itis
theultimaterepresentationofmyheritage,andIndianculture.
TheweekleadinguptoDasaraisfullofanticipationandexcitement.Everyday,each
householdperformsapoojaforthegoddessofthatday.Then,thefamilymustinviteother
womentotaketambulam,whichiscomposedoftheblessedbetelleavesandnuts.Everypooja
requiresareadingandsingingfromadifferentscripture,thispoojaisusuallyperformedbythe
women,sincethegoddessrepresentswomanhood.Thechildrenarecalledtowardstheendofthe
pooja,toprayandtotakeprasadam,whichisusuallyasweetmilkdrinkblessedbythegoddess.
Sundaywasthefirstpooja,Idressedinagreenandpinktraditionaldress,with
embroidery,andmirrors.Iputonthebindionmyforehead,andapplykumkum(aholypowder
madefromthesaffronflower),whichrepresentswomeninourculture,andIcouldsmellthe
holykumkumpowder.Iclosedmyeyes.Dasaraisthebesttimeofyear.AsImakemywayto
thepooja,Icanalreadyhearmymotherandtheotherwomensingingtheholyscriptures,and
praisingthegoddess.Therearenotmanypeople,onlyafewareseatedaroundtheshrineofthe
MotherDurga.InthepartofIndiathatmyparentsarefrom,DurgaisalsocalledAmmavaru,
meaninguniversalmother.Itakemyseat,andsincethereisnotmuchroom,Iam
uncomfortable.Mydressitches,andmyshawlslips.Istarttosweat.Thepoojawilltakeanother
fewhoursbeforeprasadam.Afterwhatseemslikeeternity,westandup,andprasadamispassed
out.ItisverysimilartoCommunioninChristianity.Except,theprasadamisblessedby
Ammavaru,andweconsumeittocleanseoursins.AnotherweekmoreandDasarawillbehere.
Itisdasaraday.Everyonebustleswithexcitement,andthecolorfulmorningisspentin
preparationsforthefestivitiesoftheafternoon.Mymomisbusydecorating,andpraying.I
slowlyopenmyeyes,andamalmostblinded.Itissuchabrightmorning,andcoincidentallyso.
Dasarasignifieslight,purity,andeverythinggood.Icrawloutofbedandbrushmyteeth.Today
wedecoratethehouse,andpreparetocelebrateDasaraatthetemple(HinduTempleandCultural
CenterofKansasCity).Iopenmysuitcasefullofmyfestivalandtraditionalclothes.Ashopping
triptoHyderabadismandatoryeverytimemyfamilyvisitsIndia.Theresultisthatwereturn
withheapsofcolorfulandbeautifulsilkdresses.Iselectareddress,veryrepresentativeof
Dasaratoday.Itwascompletelysilk(notidealforthehotweathertoday),withagoldcolored
border.Ihavetowashmyhair,whichisrequiredofafestivalday.Onceeveryoneisready,we
headtothetemple.Oncewearrive,wearegreetedbypoojarilu(priests)andmuggulu
(traditionalchalkart).Flowersarethrown,andtherearevibrantcolorseverywhere.Ispotsome
ofmyfriendsandwave.ThecrowdstandsinfrontoftheshrineoftheGoddess,andwepray.We
prayforthesafetyoftheworld,andforthepeaceofthepeople.Butmostofall,weprayfor
victory.BecausethatswhatDasaraisreallyabout.Itsaboutthevictoryoflightoverdarkness,
angelsoverdemons,anddevathasoverrakshasas.Everyculturemighthavesomethingdifferent,
buttheessenceisthesame.Thecorebeliefsarethesame.
Dasaraisatimeofforgiveness,festivity,andpeace.Wecelebratetheendofatimeof
war,andwecelebrateallthatwehavebeenblessedwith.Althoughwecallthemdevathas,and
otherscallthemangels,theyrepresentthesamething.Everytraditionfromeveryculturehasthe
samefoundation.Weallwantthesamething.Safety,comfort,andpeace.Iamproudofmy
Indianheritageandculture,butIamequallyproudofmyAmericanculture.IliketothinkthatI
havebeenblessedwiththebestofbothworlds.Icanseefirsthandhowtwoseeminglydifferent
culturescanbesosimilar.Wethinkofourselvesasdifferentpeoples,butinreality,weareall
humanbeings.
Cleartraditionoroccasionselected:
01
includesdetailsanddescriptionsthathelpthereader
understandtheexperience.Usessensorydetailtohelp
34 5
x2=
_____/10finalgrade
feeltheevent.Providesmoreinformationaboutwhatthe
writersawandfelt.
/10PEER1NAMEwriteacomment
/10PEER2NAMEwriteacomment
/10Selfgrade
Intro:
Includeshookthatcatchesthereadersattention
01
andsetsthescene.Backgroundoftheeventisincludedand
authorincludesathesis.
34 5
x2
_____/10finalgrade
/10PEER1NAMEwriteacomment
/10PEER2NAMEwriteacomment
/10Selfgrade
BodyParagraphs:
Structureofbodyparagraphsis
01
evidentandparagraphsconnectthroughtheuseof
transitions.Event,tradition,orothersocialoccasionis
34 5
x2
_____/10finalgrade
capturedthroughnarrativestorytelling.
/10PEER1NAMEwriteacomment
/10PEER2NAMEwriteacomment
/10Selfgrade
Conclusion
:
Narrativeconnectsbacktothethesisand
includesthevaluesofthetraditioninyoursocietyAND
howitmightchangetheperspectiveofsomeonereading
23
x2
_____/10finalgrade
yournarrative.Goesbeyondtheycoulddothesame
things.
/10PEER1NAMEwriteacomment
/10PEER2NAMEwriteacomment
/10Selfgrade
MLA
:
UsescorrectMLAformatting.
_____finalgrade
/5PEER1NAMEwriteacomment
/5PEER2NAMEwriteacomment
/5Selfgrade
Grammar
:
Standardconventionsofgrammarfollowed 01
innarrativeessay
34 5
_____finalgrade
/5PEER1NAMEwriteacomment
/5PEER2NAMEwriteacomment
/5Selfgrade
TOTAL
____________/50