Navratri (Hindi: नवरात्री, Gujarati: નવરાત્રી) or Shardiya Navratri is celebrated with great zeal across Northern and Eastern India. Navratri is the symbolic celebration of nine nights of battle of the good against the evil with the result of victory of the good on the tenth day. During this period, Mother Durga is worshipped as the deity of power, energy and wisdom.
Navratri 2020 Starts on October 17, Saturday and Navrati ends with Saraswati Visarjan on October 23, Friday. The tenth day (dashami tithi) is Dussehra , which falls on October 25, Sunday.
For nine nights, people observe the festival with utmost devotion and prayers. Each day is dedicated to one avatar of Durga Maa. Based on this, devotees have to wear the right colours on each day. Do you know what colour to wear on each Navratri night? Take a look!
Day 1:Shailaputri /Pratipada
On Pratipada, Goddess Shailaputri is worshipped. Shaila means mountain and putri means daughter. Since Goddess Parvati is the daughter of the Mountain God, she is given importance on this day.
Day 2: Brahmacharini/ Dwitya
On Dwitya, Goddess Brahmacharini is a form of Durga Devi and she is one who reduces anger. Hence, the second day is dedicated for this Goddess.
Day 3: Chandraghanta/ Tritya
On Tritiya, devotees worship Chandraghanta. It is believed that she has a third eye and fights against evil demons. During puja, jasmine flowers are offered to make her pleased.
Day 4: Kushmanda/ Chaturthi
On Chaturthi, the day is dedicated for Goddess Kushmanda. Her name means cosmic eggand she is known to spread energy and warmth to everyone.
Day 5 Skandamata/ Panchami
On Panchami, Goddess Skandamata is one who rules over Budha (the Mercury planet). She is revered as it is believed that she is fierce and loving.
Day 6 Katyayini/ Shashti
On the sixh day called Shashti, Durga is said to have taken the form of Devi Katyayani so that she could kill the King of Demons. Women offer prayers to get a peaceful married and family life.
Day 7 Kalaratri/ Saptami
On Saptami, the day is specially dedicated to Goddess Kalaratri. She is said to be fierce and have also frightened the evil spirits all over the universe. She is the most destructive avatar of Kali Devi and rules over Lord Shani (Saturn Planet)
Day 8 Mahagauri/ Ashtami
On the eigth day, people worship Mahagauri. She wears only white clothes on this special day and rides a bull. On this day, Kanya Puja takes place- a special event dedicated for young virgin girls. This day is known as Mahashtami or even Maha Durgashtami. The day is celebrated with dance, fun and prayers.
On Navami, Devi Siddhidaatri is given importance. She is powerful to fulfill all your wishes and hence the ninth day is dedicated to her.
Day 10 Vijayadashami (Dussehra)
After the 9 days of prayers, the tenth day is kept aside for Vijayadashmi. A day when new things can begin in life. It is also called Vidyarambham- an event where children are introduced into the world of education. Sindhoor Khela is a very important part of the rituals on Vijayadashmi.
Ghatasthapana is one of the significant rituals during Navratri. It marks the beginning of nine days festivity. Our scriptures have well defined rules and guidelines to perform Ghatasthapana during a certain period of time at the beginning of Navratri. Ghatasthapana is invocation of Goddess Shakti and doing it wrong time, as our scriptures forewarn, might bring wrath of the Goddess Shakti. Ghatasthapana is prohibited during Amavasya and night time.
Ashwina Ghatasthapana on Saturday, October 17, 2020
Ghatasthapana Muhurat – 06:23 AM to 10:12 AM
Duration – 03 Hours 49 Mins
Ghatasthapana Abhijit Muhurat – 11:43 AM to 12:29 PM
Duration – 00 Hours 46 Mins
Puja vidhi
- Take a shallow pan like utensil also called as ‘paraat’ or a wide clay pot as the base and fill it with mud. Spread a layer of soil in the pot and then spread Saptadhanya or Navadhanya (seven/nine different grains). Add the second layer of soil and scatter the second layer of grains. Now add the third and final layer of the soil and sprinkle some water on it.
- Take a Kalash fill it with water and drop few coins, areca nut (supari), durva grass, scent and raw rice in it. Place five mango leaves (or five different fruit leaves) around the neck of the kalash. Tie a sacred thread around the neck of the kalash from outside. Place a coconut on the kalash.
- Now place the kalash in the centre of the grain pot. Apply haldi-kumkum. Sprinkle some water daily.
- Offer prayers to Goddess Durga and oblige her to reside into the kalash for Navratri.
- Perform ‘Panchopachara Puja’. The puja is performed by offering five items – lamp, incense sticks, scent/ chandan, flowers and fruits/bhog – to the goddess.
- On Vijayadashmi, the plants are distributed among devotees in the form of prasad.
Navratri is a major festival celebrated by the Hindus in India with much fervor and enthusiasm. In this festival, people worship the nine different forms of the Goddess Durga who symbolizes purity, power and divinity. The word ‘Navratri ‘means ‘Nine nights’. It is the longest Hindu festival of the year, spanning over nine nights and ten days.
In a year, Navratri comes four times-one each in the months of Chaitra, Aashadh, Ashwin and Magha. The Navratri that falls in Chaitra or Basant months in March or April is quite popular. In this Navratri, the ninth day is celebrated as Ram Navami. (The birth of Shri Ram).
Sharad Navratri falls in the months of September or October. It falls in the lunar month Ashwin, during Sharad Ritu.
The festival of Navratri is associated with a story wherein a battle occurred between Goddess Durga and demon Mahishasura. Mahishasura had been granted immortality by Lord Brahma and had been told that he could only be defeated by a woman. He attacked Trilok and the gods were not being able to defeat him.
Finally, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva together created Goddess Durga, who finally defeated Mahishasura. She battled with him for 15 days, throughout which the demon would keep changing his form. He would turn into different animals to confuse Goddess Durga. In the end, when he transformed into a buffalo is when Goddess Durga killed him with her trident.
In the East and various parts of Northeast India, Navratri is celebrated as Durga Puja, where the festival symbolizes the victory of Goddess Durga over demon Mahishasura, signifying the victory of good over evil.
In the Northern and Western parts of India, Ram Leela is held on Dusshera, where effigies of Ravana are set on fire to signify Lord Ram’s victory over Ravana.
