Area Hindus mark 10 holy days of festivities

The annual Hindu festival Navaratri, or nine holy nights, filled with prayer, folk dancing and revelry, starts tonight at the Hindu Mandir (temple) of Lake County near Grayslake.

Celebrations culminate Oct. 21, the 10th day known as Dashera, with a carnival and the burning of a roughly 24-foot wooden effigy of a demon on temple grounds, 20444 Peterson Road.

The temple serves an estimated 3,500 Hindu families from Lake, McHenry and northern Cook counties and southern Wisconsin.

Officials expect up to 2,000 people will attend the Oct. 21 finale when the demon's effigy is burned to the ground, a sight unlike any seen in area suburbs, said Anil Aggarwal, temple manager.

"We are expecting this kind of crowd because this is the very first Dashera," he said.

Navaratri and Dashera celebrations are observed at temples throughout the Chicago area suburbs. Aggarwal claims an event of this scale has not been undertaken by any temple within 80 miles of Grayslake.

The festival is celebrated across India in worship of the Goddess Durga aka Shakti, and Lord Rama. It symbolizes the triumph of good over evil.

Hindus believe during those nine days and nights, the Goddess Durga fought the demon "Mahishashura" destroying him on the 10th day, known as Dashera or Vijayadashmi in different parts of India,

Dashera also marks the end of an epic battle, portrayed in the Hindu tale Ramayana, with Lord Rama's victory over the Asura or demon king Ravana, who had abducted Rama's wife, Sita.

For more information and a list of activities during the 10 days, call the temple at (847) 223-8590 or visit www.hindumandiroflakecounty.org.