The crystal Sri Chakra or Meru (seen above) is traditionally decorated with fresh sandalwood and a dot of kumkum as being representative of the devi’s position at the top of creation.
The evenings are devoted to the recitation of Lalitha Sahasranam; the 1008 names of the playful and most beautiful form of the goddess. One version of the origin story is that at the beginning of kali Yuga during which much of the traditional spiritual knowledge and dharma is lost, the great sage Agastya was worried about how to help people during this “age of darkness”. He came to the Varadaraja Vishnu temple….directly across the street from our yagya house….and prayed to the Vishnu there.
Vishnu appeared in the form of Hayagriva; Vishnu with the face of a horse. And dictated to him the 1008 mantras, or names of the divine goddess, saying that whomever listens to or recites these names will be protected on their spiritual path.
So it is with a sense of history that the chanting takes place and is quite enjoyable. It takes about an hour and then the first night of Navaratri is complete!