Navaratri is a Sanskrit word which literally translates to nine nights (Nava means ‘9’ and ratri means ‘nights’). It is a 9 day long festival observed by the Hindus. This festival symbolizes the victory of good over evil.
Generally sharadnavaratri is observed in the month of September / October. It starts on Aswayuja padyami (first day of Aswayuja masam) and ends on Aswayuja Navami (Ninth day of Aswayuja masam). Chaitra Navaratri is also celebrated during March/April.
Reason behind Navaratri festival:
Once there was a demon named mahishasura who was granted immortality by lord brahma on a condition that he could only be defeated by a woman. Considering no woman could kill him, he started troubling everyone in trilok (earth, heaven and hell) and no one was able to defeat him. Finally Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva together created goddess Durga who finally defeated Mahishasura. She fought with him for 9 long days.
During the fight the clever mahishasura kept changing his form to confuse goddess Durga. Ultimately on the 10th day when he took the form of Buffalo, goddess Durga pierced his chest with her trishul and killed him.
So we worship goddess Durga these nine days in nine different forms known as ‘Nava Durga’
1st day: on the very first day Maa Durga is worshipped as ‘Shailaputri’, daughter of king of mountains. We worship Devi Shailaputri to attain highest state of consciousness.
2nd day: on the second day goddess ‘Brahmacharini’, the second avatar of Maa Durga is worshipped to explore our inner divinity. She is store house of knowledge and wisdom.
3rd day: on the third day we worship goddess ‘Chandra ganta’ for peace, tranquillity and prosperity in life.
4th day: on the fourth day we worship goddess ‘Kushmanda’. She is considered as originator of universe.
5th day: Fifth day is dedicated to goddess ‘Skandamatha’. Skandamatha means mother of skanda (Karthikeya). She represents mother who can fight anyone when need arises to protect her kids (devotees). Worshiping this form of Maa Durga brings abundance of wisdom, wealth, power, prosperity and liberation.
6th day: Devi ‘Katyayani’ is worshipped on the sixth day to put an end to all our inner foes that are an obstacle on the path of spiritual evolution.
7th day: on the seventh day we invoke Devi ‘Kalaratri’. Kalaratri is a fierce form of Devi which represents the dark night. Maa Kalaratri is known for destroying ignorance and removing darkness from universe.
8th day: on the eighth day goddess ‘Maha Gauri’ is worshipped. She is that energy which propels our lives and also liberates us.
9th day: on ninth day we worship Devi ‘Siddhidatri’. Siddhi means perfection. Devi siddhidatri brings perfection in our life. She makes the impossible possible. She takes us beyond the ever reasoning logical mind to explore the realm beyond time and space.
In some places on these 9 days Maa Durga is also worshipped as Balatripurasundari, Annapurna Devi, Gayathri, Lalitha Devi, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Durga, Mahishasura mardini and Rajarajeshwari
The 10th day is celebrated as ‘Vijayadashami’ or ‘Dussera’ where Maa Durga killed mahishasura signifying victory of good over evil.
How to perform Navaratri puja:
Chandi saptha shathi Parayana (reading Chandi saptha shathi in Sanskrit) is done during the Navaratri under the guidance of Guru. If your family has any fixed tradition of worshipping goddess during Navaratri you follow your family tradition. If you can’t do Chandi Saptha shathi Parayana, you can follow a simple worship by which you can get the blessing of Maa Durga
Daily morning and evening after the bath, you lite a lamp in front of Goddess Murthi and offer a fruit or sweet (prepared with care at home).
Then you can chant below stotram
Not only above, there are many stotras of goddess. You can read them as well. If you can’t read all the stotram reading Atleast one of them is good. If you feel chanting stotram difficult you can also chant any name of Maa Durga or Maa Laxmi or Maa Saraswati for 108 or 1008 or more times with devotion. You can also visit any goddess temple and offer your prayers.
If in case anyone is unable to follow 9days of puja, we can start atleast from the 3rd day or 5th day or 7th day which also gives the same result. It is also told that at least the last three days i.e., Durgashtami, Maharnavami and Vijayadashami should be observed and we should worship Maa Durga to get her blessings.
Kanya Pooja
On the eighth day of Navaratri puja, invite nine small girls to your home (if you are not able to get 9 girls you can invite Atleast 1 or 3 or 5 girls). They are considered to be the nine forms of Maa Durga. Wash their feet and treat them with special meal and give them some small gifts they would like (include bangles and flowers). This ritual is called ‘Kanya puja’.
Also read understanding hindu calender (panchang)
Celebrations:
People together worship Maa Durga by keeping Durga idols in societies. After Durga Pooja in the Pandal people play garba, dandiya, bathukamma and dunchi (some of the dance forms)
