Navratri is a nine days
festival dedicated to Goddess Durga. Navratri is a Sanskrit word which literally means nine nights. During these nine nights and ten days, Goddess Durga is worshipped in 9 different forms, known as Navdurga. The tenth day is celebrated as Vijayadashami when idols of Goddess Durga are immersed into the water body. Sharad Navratri in the months of September or October. It falls in the lunar month Ashwin, during Sharad ritu.Since it is even more popular and significant Navratri of all the Navratris, that is why it is known as Maha Navratri. On the tenth day after Sharad Navratri, Dussehra or Vijaya Dashmi is celebrated as the victory of good over evil. It urges people to get rid of the negativity inside them in the form of greed, jealousy, anger, lust etc. On the day of Dussehra, the Navratras are opened. During Navratras, the nine forms of Goddess Shakti are worshipped on the nine different days. They are -Maa Shailputri, Brahmaachaareenee, Chandraghanta, Kushmaanda, Skandmaata, Kaatyaayeenee, Kaalraatree, Mahagauri and Sidhidaatree.
On the first day of Navratri,"Ghatsthaapna" is done in which an urn is filled with water and religiously placed for doing pooja. An 'Akhand 'diya is lit ,which is burnt day and night . After this, fast is kept and prayers are offered to the Goddess for nine consecutive days. On the tenth day, 9 little girls are called home. They represent the Goddess. One pays obeisance to them and after serving them food, breaks the 9 day fast and eats.
Navratri is celebrated in whole India. However, Navratri is very popular festival in the western states of Gujarat, Maharashtra and the southern state of Karnataka. On the very first day of Navratri, Goddess Durga is invoked into a Kalash with full Vedic rituals along with chanting of Mantras. The invocation and dwelling of Goddess Durga into the Kalash is known as Ghatasthapana or Kalashsthapana and is done at an appropriate time of the day. In West Bengal Navratri is celebrated as Durga Puja. In West Bengal, Goddess Durga is worshipped on the last three days of Navratri and these three days are famously known as Durga Saptami, Durga Ashtami and Durga Navami. It would be correct to say that Durga Puja in West Bengal is a smaller version of 9 days Navratri. Kalparambha and Bilva Nimantran during Durga Puja, which is done on the sixth day of Navratri, is symbolically same as Ghatasthapana or Kalashsthapana in other states. Ashwin navratri 2018 Maa Durga Ghatasthapana (Kalashsthapana) & jyoti prajwalan puja timing (Muhurat)10 October 2018 early morning 6:32 am to 7:56 am & Abhijit Muhurat 11:51 am to 12:39 pm. Durga Ashtami will be celebrate on 17 October2018, Mahanavami and vijayadashami (dusshera) will be on 18 October 2018. |
