Kickoff Post for Our New Festive Survival Series
Hello, JuJu Family!
It’s that time of the year again.
The rain has settled in, your kid has outgrown last year’s kurta (how?!), and the air smells like ghee laddoos and Google Calendar alerts.
Over the next four months, we’re entering festive overdrive—and we’re doing it with a divine babysitter rotation.
Yes, really!
- 🛌 Sayana Ekadashi
- ✨ Who’s Running the Universe While Lord Vishnu Sleeps?
- ✨ Bonus Divine Drop-Ins
- 🎉 Coming Up on The Good JuJu
- 💬 Tell Us, JuJu Fam…
It all starts with a nap.
🛌 Sayana Ekadashi
July 6, 2025
This sacred day, also called Devshayani Ekadashi, marks the start of Chaturmas—a four-month period when Lord Vishnu takes his cosmic nap in the Ksheer Sagar (Ocean of Milk).
Think of it as his celestial PTO.
While he snoozes (from July 6 to Nov 1), other Gods take charge of the universe—and keep things running smoothly (well… mostly).
Meanwhile…
For parents, this marks the awakening of the festival prep monster.
From Janmashtami to Diwali, it’s four months of back-to-back celebrations, evening aartis, new kurtas, and a constant hunt for missing safety pins.
That’s why we’re launching the “Festival-Ready with Kids” series—to help you celebrate joyfully and practically, even with a toddler wrapped around your ankle.
✨ Who’s Running the Universe While Lord Vishnu Sleeps?
Timeframe | Who Takes Over | Festive Connection |
|---|---|---|
| July 6 – Aug 18 | Lord Shiva | Calm rituals, Shravan Mondays, Shiv Puja at home. |
| Aug 19 – Sept 6 | Lord Krishna | Mischief, Janmashtami, dahi handi, and bedtime flute tales. |
| Sept 7 – Sept 17 | Lord Ganesha | Ganesh Chaturthi magic and modak madness. |
| Sept 22 – Oct 2 | Maa Durga | Durga Puja celebrations, bhog, pandal hopping. |
| Oct 20 (Diwali) | Maa Lakshmi & Lord Kuber | Lights, sweets, wealth blessings, and sparkler negotiations. |
| Nov 1 | Lord Vishnu Wakes Up | Prabodhini Ekadashi. Cosmic “login” resumes. |
✨ Bonus Divine Drop-Ins
Because when one God takes a break, the others throw festivals!
🪷 Guru Purnima
July 10, 2025
Before the divine handover begins, we pause to bow to our earthly guides—teachers, parents, the preschool teacher with the patience of a saint.
👧🏽 With kids:
- Gratitude drawings, diya-lighting, and “Thank You” cards (glitter optional, regret likely).
🔱 Shravan Season
July 6 to August 18, 2025
With Lord Vishnu asleep, Lord Shiva takes charge. The Shravan month brings peaceful Mondays, simple offerings, and cool monsoon vibes.
🧘🏽 With kids:
- DIY Shivling with clay
- Pour water/milk and chant “Om Namah Shivaya”
- Share stories of Shiva drinking poison (hold the blue food dye).
🦚 Janmashtami
August 26–27, 2025
Lord Krishna steps in—he’s got flute solos, mischief, and morals. Midnight pujas can wait; we’ve got bedtime Krishna tales instead.
👶🏼 With kids:
- Cradle setup for “Laddu Gopal”
- Sweet treats like chhena ladoos
- Dahi handi fun
🐘 Ganesh Chaturthi
September 7–17, 2025
Elephant-headed and toddler-approved, Lord Ganesha brings 10 days of joy and modaks.
🎨 With kids:
- Clay Ganesha making
- LED diya aarti
- Bucket visarjan at home
🕊️ Pitru Paksha
September 7–21, 2025
A time to remember our ancestors with gratitude and maybe a story or two.
📖 With kids:
- Water + banana leaf = simple offering.
- Draw great-grandma or light a diya in her honor.
🐯 Durga Puja
September 28 to October 2, 2025
Maa Durga shows up with strength, grace, and a tiger. Nine days of power-packed festivities that smell like bhog and sound like dhaak.
💃 With kids:
- Dress-up as mini goddesses.
- Visit pandals early-morning.
- DIY bhog plate: khichdi, labra, and payesj.
🪔 Navaratri
September 22 to October 2, 2025
Also known as Ashwin Sharadiya Navaratri, this is the grand nine-night celebration leading up to Dussehra/Vijaya Dashami.
Nine nights, nine goddesses, nine reasons your kid will want to wear nine different outfits.
Navaratri is celebrated across India in dazzlingly different ways—from Garba nights in Gujarat, Golu displays in Tamil Nadu, to Kanya Puja in North India and Durga Ashtami in Bengal.
👧🏽 With kids:
- Ghatasthapana (Kalash setup) on Sept 22 – involve them in filling water.
- Daily Nawadurga storytelling – pick a goddess-of-the-day theme (Shailaputri to Siddhidatri) and share a story or show an image each evening.
- Dress in the color of the day – a fun daily ritual to match goddess themes (yes, we’ve included a color code below!)
- Create a mini Golu-style display with dolls or soft toys.
- Light a diya every evening and say a simple mantra together.
- Kanjak Puja (Sept 29, 2025) – Invite little girls from your neighborhood or playgroup.
- Offer puri, halwa, and chana.
- Let your child participate in the puja—it’s a lesson in respect and community.
📅 Navadurga Days & Colors
(India, 2025)
| Day | Date | Goddess | Color |
| 1 | Sept 22 | Shailaputri | White |
| 2 | Sept 23 | Brahmacharini | Red |
| 3 | Sept 24 | Chandraghanta | Royal Blue |
| 4 | Sept 25 | Kushmanda | Yellow |
| 5 | Sept 26 | Skandamata | Green |
| 6 | Sept 27 | Katyayani | Grey |
| 7 | Sept 28 | Kalaratri | Orange |
| 8 | Sept 29 | Mahagauri | Peacock Green |
| 9 | Sept 30 | Siddhidatri | Pink |
| 10 | Oct 1 | Mahavnavami & Ayudha Puja | – |
| 11 | Oct 2 | Vijayadashami (Dashami) | – |
🌕 Kojagari Lakshmi Pujo
October 16, 2025 (Thursday)
Celebrated mainly in Bengal on Sharad Purnima night, this is when Maa Lakshmi is believed to visit homes of those who stay awake and pray to her.
👧🏽 With kids:
- Let them help decorate the floor with alpona (rice flour art)—use fingers, cookie cutters, or chalk if needed.
- Offer puffed rice and sweets to the Goddess.
- Tell them:
- Maa Lakshmi comes silently to homes where people are kind, hardworking.
- And yes—even sharing their toys counts!
- Stay up “late” with a bedtime story about the moonlight and blessings.
📿 Pro Tip: If you’re breastfeeding, congratulations—you’ll be up anyway. Might as well whisper a few mantras to Maa Lakshmi.
💰 Dhanteras & Kuber Puja
October 18, 2025
Dhanteras marks the beginning of Diwali celebrations, and it’s when Lord Kuber (the god of wealth) and Dhanvantari (god of health & Ayurveda) are worshipped.
👧🏽 With kids:
- Buy something small and made of metal—utensil, coin, or even a gold chocolate coin!
- Set up a tiny “Kuber corner” with coins, candles, and a piggy bank.
- Tell them:
- Lord Kuber is like the guardian of treasure chests—he shares only when we show gratitude and don’t waste things.
✨ Tip: Kids hoarding candy post-puja? Perfect chance to introduce the concept of wealth management.
🌸 Lakshmi-Ganesh Puja
October 20, 2025
The main Diwali puja across India. Goddess Lakshmi (for wealth and peace) and Lord Ganesha (for wisdom and fresh starts) are worshipped together.
👧🏽 With kids:
- Let them help clean up their toy area—“Maa Lakshmi loves tidy spaces!”
- Dress them in something bright and let them light a flameless diya.
- Offer sweets they helped make (or at least tasted during prep).
- Do a mini aarti with bells and claps—short and sweet works best.
- Rangoli stickers: fast, fun, and floor-safe!
🪙 Bonus: Use gold-wrapped chocolate coins or coins from your own wallet to teach the idea of dhan (wealth) and daan (sharing).
🎉 Coming Up on The Good JuJu
Here’s what you can expect next in upcoming days:
- Janmashtami Joyride – Krishna stories, cradle crafts, and makhan.
- Ganesha’s Guide to Chaos – From eco-idols to crowd-free visarjans.
- Durga Puja, Bengali Style – Five days of bhog, dhaak, and toddler-sized devotion.
- Navaratri with Kids – Nine Goddesses, nine nights, and a whole lot of color-coordinated chaos (plus Golu corner ideas!)
- Diwali, Toddler-Proof – Pataka planning, glitter-free decor, and Lakshmi puja with less meltdown.
💬 Tell Us, JuJu Fam…
✨ Which God is most beloved in your home?
✨ Which festival are your kids really into (even if it’s only for the sweets)?
✨ What’s your best kept “how I survived Navratri with a toddler” secret?
Drop your answers in the comments. Let’s keep the joy high and the stress low this festive season.
With cosmic calm and sparkle,
💛 The Good JuJu Team
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