Sharad Navratri

Navratri is a nine-day festival which        holds immense significance for the     Hindus. Moreover, it is also one of              the most ancient festivals.
The festival was held in its most elemental form even in prehistoric times as Maa Shakti was worshipped. In order to have the blessings of Maa Shakti in human life, Hindus worship Maa Durga and all her feminine aspects of divine femininity over nine days and nine nights. The essence of the festival has found its way into the collective consciousness of the devotees.
As most festivals are intertwined with their seasonal aspect, Navratri is hardly an exception. Navratri is held at the two most important junctions of the year – during the onset of spring season and again during the commencement of the winter season. Navratri is celebrated four times in a year, but the most significant in terms of public celebration and elaborate rituals are Chaitra and Sharad Navratri. Chaitra Navratri marks the first day of Luni-Solar calendar of the Hindus, which generally falls in March or April. Similarly, Sharad Navratri marks the glorious period starting during the months of September-October. The ninth day during Chaitra Navaratri is celebrated as Ram Navami as the birthday of Lord Rama while Sharad Navratri culminates in Dussehra or ‘Vijayadashmi’.
In both Chaitra and Vasant Navratri, all nine days are dedicated to the worship of the nine forms of Maa Shakti with the elaborate customs and rituals. Chaitra Navratri is also known as ‘Vasant Navratri’ and is rooted in the legend of prince Sudarsana, who emerged victorious in war with the blessings of Maa Shakti and performed ‘havan’ in her honour during Vasanta Navratri. Sri Ram and Lakshman, during their ordeal to save Mata Sita from her captivity, performed a simiar ‘havan’ and emerged victorious in their task. Both Chaitra Navratri and Sharad Navratri are dedicated to nine forms of Maa Shakti – Durga, Bhadrakali, Jagadamba, Annapurna, Sarvamangala, Bhairavi, Chandika, Lalita, Bhavani and Mookambika and honour the nine forms of Maa Durga. During Sharad Navratri, VijayaDashmi is celebrated to mark Shri Rama’s victory over Ravana, creating an exhilarating mood.
The devotees sincerely worship the nine incarnations of Goddess Durga for nine days to overcome the effect of negative forces through her blessings and protection. Each day has its own significance as it is dedicated to one of her forms: Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri. Devotees observe fasting, chant mantras, sing hymns, recite chapters from Markandeya Purana and sing devotional songs during Navratri to be blessed with prosperity, health and wisdom in their life. While fasting and praying is a strong practice, it is believed abstinence from alcoholic drinks, grains, wheat and onion help seekers to be better able to imbibe the traits that Maa Durga in her different forms represent. ‘Jaagran’ and ‘Mata ki Chowki’ are an integral part of the tradition to invoke the goddess name and to be in harmony with the divine energy of Maa Durga.
Nine Days of Navratri
‘Nava-ratri’ is one of the most important Hindu festivals in the country. It is celebrated with immense zeal and enthusiasm all over the country. It is celebrated twice a year -once in Chaitra (March-April) and the other in Ashwin (September-October). Navartra literally means ‘nine auspicious nights’. It is actually the worship of the Goddess of power in order to seek her protection from any possible kind of threat and calamities that may destroy the peaceful life of people on earth. As she is the goddess of power, she is believed to have the power of creation, preservation and destruction.
Nine Days Navaratri Celebrations
Navaratri is separated into sets of three days i.e. into three sets. These sets are made in order to adore different facets of the supreme goddess. On the initial three days, the Goddess is invoked as the supreme powerful force called Durga. Goddess Durga is meant to all our contaminations, evils and defects. On the next three days, she is worshipped as the mother of spiritual wealth, Goddess Lakshmi, She is the one who is considered to have the power of showering on her devotees with the blessings of never-ending wealth. In the final set of three days, the Goddess is worshipped as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. The one is responsible for spiritual enlightenment and overall success in life.
She is also worshipped under nine different names for the nine days in Navratri. Every day, she assumes a new character, a new look and a new duty. She is worshipped as Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalratri, Maha Gauri and Siddhidatri. For the initial six the Pooja celebrations are limited to home. The celebrations acquire a festive form since the seventh day when the festivities of Navratri surround the atmosphere.

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