Navratri - Religious Significance and Puja Vidhi




Navratri is a festival popularly called the festival of worship and dance. The word Navaratri literally means nine nights at Sanskrit; Nava meaning Nine and Ratri significance nights. During these nine nights and days, nine kinds of Shakti/Devi i.e. feminine divinity are worshipped. The nine-day festival of Navratri is held in honour of the two manifestations of Goddess Durga.


The spiritual significance behind the party of Navratri is that the nine days are separated and dedicated to the Trinity of God worshipped in a female type.

In Hindu mythology that the festival is hugely celebrated across the world as the victory of goodness over evil as the Goddess Shakti (Maa Durga) killed buffalo - headed demon, Mahishasura following a very long struggle of nine days and nighttime on the tenth day, which is celebrated because Vijaya Dashmi Such adoration to Mother Goddess is exceptional to Hinduism.Also dusshera is celebrated around the same day as Lord Rama with all the blessings of Maa Durga has won over Ravana. The festival also marks the arrival of winter season, a period when nature undergoes several climatic changes. Goddess Shakti in the nine kinds, Maa Shailputri, Maa Brahmachaarini, Maa Chandraghanta, Maa Kushmaanda, Skanda Maa, Maa Kaatyayani, Maa Kaalratri, Maa Mahagauri and Maa Sidhidaarti is worshipped during those two days for good heath, wealth, prosperity, knowledge and auspiciousness.

Rituals for performing Puja through Navratri

Navratri puja is extremely simple and not very complicated. An individual can easily observe the fast; even though one can't observe the fast that he can easily recite mantra "Om Ang Haring Kalimg Shreeng Maha Durgay Namah". An individual must carefully work upon his/her aahar (meals), vyavhaar (behavior) and acharan (character) during the time of Navratri.
Aahar - One must always avoid non vegetarian foods and "Satvik" food like fruits, Kutu Ka Aata, Singara Ka Aata, Curd and Potatoes should be consumed. Usage of Onion and Garlic must be prevented.
Vyavhaar and Acharan - During Navratri festival all devotees should worship the feminine deity with religious emotion (bhav)

Here is the Way of performing Navratri Puja

Get your house cleaned and prepared. You are inviting Goddess into the home. Usually this is achieved on the Amavasya, a day before the start of Navratri.

On the very first day of this Navaratri, a little bed of sand (taken from any auspicious place) is ready from the puja room of the house and barley seeds are sown over it. On this Bed a Kalash made of Earthen/ Copper is maintained and filled with water. Over the pot a bowl filled with rice is retained. A sterile Coconut wrapped with mango leaves is subsequently kept over this kalash. This Kalash is thought to be a symbolic type of Goddess Durga. By keeping kalash a single invocates the goddess at the Kalash.

On the very first day, the shoots are about 3 - 5 inches in length. After the puja, these seedlings are pulled out and given to devotees as a blessing from god. This Kalash must not be touched during the nine days. One diya is lit close to the Kalash which is assumed to burn endlessly for fourteen days. This is known as Akhand Jyoti.
Lots of folks think that the length of this Shoots determines the Quantum of income that they'll have in forthcoming months. This belief could have been because India is basically an agrarian economy wherein the productivity of the land decided one's income.


Mahaashtami

The afternoon starts with a recital of Sanskrit hymns from the devotees; they offer prayer to the goddess. Kumari Puja or the worship of small women as the mother goddess is a special portion of these rituals observed in a number of conventional and household pujas.

Mahanavami

The festival of Navratri culminates in Mahanavami. On this day Kanya Puja is performed. Exotic young women representing the nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped. Their feets are washed as a sign of respect for the Goddess and then they are offered food mainly comprising kala chana, halwa and poori together with coconut pieces and dakshina (currency) and Red chunri is offerd to the kanjaks.


Vijaya Dashami

After the nine days of Puja, on Dashami, the final day also called Vijaya Dashami, the images of Goddess Durga are carried in processions round the area by the devotees and eventually are located in a nearby lake or river.


Colors of Navratri

Durga Navratri is the most sacred and most renowned festival season in India which has a special tradition of colors. Colours also play a very important role in this festival. People should opt colours according to each aspect of Devi. The colors represent the two avatars or incarnations or signs of Goddess Durga Maa.


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