Jai Mata Di!! So today is the first day of Navratri and also HINDU NAV VARSH! May Maa Durga bless each one and fill your life with happiness. So coming back here, I am a big devotee of Maa Durga, hence, Navratri is no less than a festival for me and my family. These 9 days of Maa Durga fill our house with so much positivity.
For those who don't know, these nine days are considered very auspicious and those celebrating Navratris don't consume anything containing onion/garlic and of course No Non-Veg! (On a regular day I am a hardcore non-vegetarian but during Navratri, it's a strict NO!). Doing pooja in the morning and evening is a must along with singing aartis of Maa Durga.
Also, this is the first time I have fasted during Navratri. Never have I ever been a fan of fasting, but this time something from within told me to do it. I am glad I did. Let us dig into what avatars of Maa Durga these 9 days symbolise:
Day 1 of Navratri is dedicated to Maa Shailputri, who was the daughter of the Himalayas. She has the combined power of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva and she rides a bull.
Day 2 is dedicated to Maa Brahmacharini who is the epitome of penance and celibacy. She symbolizes the journey towards moksha.
Day 3 is dedicated to Maa Chandraghanta who has a moon on her head. She carried weapons and rides a lion, this beautiful goddess symbolise bravery and strength.
Day 4 is dedicated to Maa Kushmanda who created the universe with her laughter and let go of the darkness. She has ten hands and she blesses every soul with purity.
Day 5 is dedicated to Maa Skanda Mata, she is the mother of heroic warrior Skanda and she symbolises divinity. She is depicted as holding a baby and showering blessings.
Day 6 is dedicated to Maa Katyayani. She is depicted as seated on a Lion and has 3 eyes and 4 hands.
Day 7 is dedicated to Maa Kalratri. This beautiful goddess is depicted as dark-skinned and fierce holding a dagger. She helps all her devotees from evil.
Day 8 is dedicated to Maa Mahagauri, the wife of Lord Shiva, who is extremely fair-skinned. She wears white clothes and carries a trishool and a damru. She represents peace and wisdom.
Day 9 is dedicated to Maa Sidhiratri. She is said to bestow supernatural powers to her devotees and is depicted as sitting on a lotus in bliss.
Hope you will be able to understand the importance and significance of Navratris. Jai Mata Di.
Navratri is a nine-day festival in which nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped. It is one of the most significant festivals celebrated by Hindus all across India with great fervour. There are a total of four Navratris in a year, but only two - Chaitra Navratri and Sharad Navratri are celebrated widely. People in different parts of the country celebrate this same festival differently. Though they worship the same deity, performing differet rituals.
1 Shailaputri
Among the Navratri 9 days Devi names, the first day is the day of Devi Shailaputri. The literal meaning of Shailputri means the daughter (putri) of the mountain (Shaila). She is differently acknowledged by the names of Sati, Bhavani, Parvati, and Hemwati. She is the absolute embodiment of the power of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahadev. The Goddess is represented with a crescent moon on the forehead, trident in right and lotus in the left hand. She rides on Nandi bull.
Colour orange is devoted to the day of Shailaputri. It represents enthusiasm, success, and happiness.
2 Brahmacharini
The second day is of the deity Brahmacharini. She is the Maa of austerity and penance as her name Brahmacharini represents the female who practices Brahmacharya (renunciation from worldly pleasures). She walks on bare feet, carrying a Japa mala in her right hand and kamandalu in her left hand. She endows her devotees with grace, blissfulness, peace, and prosperity.White is the color of Brahmacharini synonymous with purity, virginity, inner peace, and sacredness.
3 . Chandraghanta
The third day is of Navratri Goddess Chandraghanta. Chandraghanta wears a half-moon shaped like a bell on her forehead, which describes the etymology of her name. She adorned her forehead with the half-moon after marrying Lord Shiva. She is revered by the followers on the third day for tranquillity and prosperity in life. She mounts on a tigress and is described with ten hands and three eyes. She carries Trishul, Gada, sword, and Kamadalu in her four left hands while her fifth hand is in Varadamudra. She holds a lotus, arrow, Dhanush, Japa mala in her right fourth hand and keeps her fifth right hand in Abhaya Mudra.on the third of Navartri, red color is worn by the devotees for passion, fearlessness, and sexuality.
4 Kushmanda
Deity Kushmanda possesses the power to live inside the blazing sun, hence the name Kushmanda. Having a luminous body as that of the sun, she is credited to create a world with her divine and radiant smile. The Navratri importance of this Goddess is that she bestows her worshippers with good wellbeing, strength, and strength. She is represented with eight hands, therefore known by the name of Ashtabhuja Devi. Her form is pictured with eight to ten hands holding a trident, discus, sword, hook, mace, bow, arrow, two jars of honey and blood. Her one hand is always in the Abhaya mudra form she blesses all her followers. She rides on a tiger.Royal blue is the hue of this day and Goddess stating elegance and richness.
5 Skandamata
The fifth day of Navratri is for Skandamata- mother of the war God Skanda (Kartikey). She rides ferocious lion and carries Lord Skanda(infant) in her lap. It is believed that she was chosen as the commander in chief of war against the demon, thereby she is also recognized as “Goddess of Fire.” The iconography of this female God is depicted with four hands, lotus flower in her upper two hands, one hand in Abhaya Mudra, and one right hand, she carries Skanda. She is often pictured seated on a lotus flower and is referred to as Padamasani.Wear a yellow color as it will keep you cheerful and energized
6 Katyayani
The sixth form of Maa Durga is Katyayani also adored as Mahalaxmi. Katyayani was born to destroy bull demon Mahishasura. Her defining characteristics include anger, vengeance, and ultimate victory over evils. All those who remember her with a pure heart and utmost faith are blessed with boons. She sits on a magnificent lion and is portrayed with four hands. Sword and lotus in her left hands and rights hands in Abhaya Mudra and Varadamudra.Green color is associated with new beginnings. It is worn to evoke a sense of fertility and growth.
7 Kalaratri
Maa with a dark complexion, furious soul, and a fearless posture. Her big red eyes, sticking out blood-red tongue and sobre on hand makes her the Goddess of death. Also, she is well-known by the names of Kali Maa and Kalratri. She is seen seated on a donkey adorning scattered black hair and three round eyes. She has four hands. Right hand in Abhaya Mudra and Vardara Mudra and sword and iron hook in the left hand.on this day, the grey color is worn. It balances the energy and keeps the
people down to earth.
8 Mahagauri
Mahagauri is the eight form of Goddess Durga and regarded as the most graceful form among the navaforms. Her beauty glows like pearl purity. Being the Goddess of purity, cleanliness, endurance, and peace, her worshipper's flaws and mistakes are burnt to ashes. Mahagauri has four arms. She keeps her right hand in the pose of alleviating suffering and trident in the lower right hand. Her upper left arm holds tambourine and the lower-left provides blessings.For Mahagauri pooja, wear purple color which epitomizes opulence, nobility, and power.
9 Siddhidharti
She possesses natural healing powers. She sits in a blissfully happy and enchanting pose. She is the Goddess Siddhidharti either journeys on a lotus or a tiger or lion. She has four hands. She holds Gada in one and chakram in the other. A lotus flower in one and shankha in the other.Wear peacock green color and manifest grace, integrity, and watchfulness.
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