Ramesh Saraf, Dhamora
Navratri is dedicated to the worship and adoration of the nine forms of Goddess Durga, who are considered symbols of power, courage, and women’s empowerment. Navratri means “nine nights,” and during this time, devotees perform special prayers, fast, and engage in devotional service to Goddess Durga. The Navratri festival is celebrated twice a year during the spring season as Chaitra Navratri and during the autumn season as Sharad Navratri. Sharad Navratri is celebrated during the month of Ashwin, which usually falls in September or October. Chaitra Navratri is celebrated during the month of Chaitra of the Hindu calendar, which is usually celebrated in March or April. Navratri is a Sanskrit word meaning nine nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti (Goddess Shakti) are worshipped. The tenth day is known as Dussehra.
The beginning of spring and autumn are considered important confluences of climate and solar influences. These two periods are considered sacred occasions for the worship of Goddess Durga. The festival dates are determined according to the lunar calendar. This worship dates back to prehistoric times, even before the Vedic era. The first three days of Navratri are dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga. This worship is dedicated to her energy and power. Each day is dedicated to a different form of Durga.
Navratri teaches us the victory of righteousness over unrighteousness and good over evil. It teaches us how a person can overcome negativity and realize his or her divine nature through the inherent goodness within him or her. The importance of religion in Indian life is immense. It is a result of India’s Ganga-Jamuna culture that people of all religions, while practicing their own religions, have lived together in this country for centuries with a spirit of brotherhood. This is why India’s religion and culture are considered the best throughout the world. There are many festivals associated with different religions that are celebrated with reverence, devotion, and pomp in every corner of India. Navratri is one of them.
During the nine days of Navratri, nine different forms of Adishakti Jagadamba are worshipped. These nine days are considered the most sacred days of the year. These nine days have historical significance in Indian religion and philosophy, and Hindu mythological texts describe many divine events occurring during these days. These nine forms of the Mother Goddess, also known as Navadurga, are: Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri.
Navratri occurs four times a year. It is celebrated from Chaitra, Ashadha, Ashwin, and Paush Pratipada to Navami. During the nine nights of Navratri, nine forms of the three goddesses, Mahalakshmi, Saraswati, and Durga, are worshipped, known as Navadurga. Durga means the remover of sorrows from life. Navratri is an important festival celebrated with great enthusiasm throughout India. The festival signifies the victory of truth over falsehood. According to Hindu beliefs, Navratri is celebrated twice a year. According to the Hindu calendar, the first Navratri is celebrated in the month of Chaitra and the second in the month of Ashwin. Navratri continues for nine days, during which people worship different forms of the Mother Goddess with devotion and faith. In India, Navratri is celebrated with different methods and rituals in different states. According to religious beliefs, Goddess Durga descends to earth during these nine days. To celebrate her arrival, these days are celebrated with great pomp and show across the country as Durga Utsav.
On the first day of Navratri, girls are worshipped. On the second day, young women are worshipped. On the third day, women who have reached maturity are worshipped. The fourth, fifth, and sixth days of Navratri are dedicated to the worship of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and peace. A yajna is performed on the eighth day. The ninth day is the final day of the Navratri celebrations. It is also known as Mahanavami. On this day, nine young girls who have not yet reached puberty are worshipped. These nine girls are considered symbols of the nine forms of Goddess Durga. Their feet are washed to honor and welcome the girls. At the end of the puja, the girls are presented with new clothes, items, and fruits as gifts.
Sharadiya Navratri, the festival of worship of Shakti, has been celebrated since ancient times, from Pratipada to Navami, with nine fixed dates, nine constellations, and nine powers, with ninefold devotion. Each form of Adishakti is worshipped separately during the nine days of Navratri. The ninth power of Goddess Durga is named Siddhidatri. She bestows all kinds of siddhis. Her vehicle is a lion and she sits on a lotus flower. She is worshipped on the ninth day of Navratri.
According to a legend associated with this festival, Goddess Durga slew Mahishasura, a buffalo-like demon. According to mythology, impressed by Mahishasura’s intense meditation, the gods granted him the boon of invincibility. After granting him the boon, the gods worried that he would misuse his power. Mahishasura expanded his empire to the gates of heaven, leaving the gods astonished. He usurped all the powers of the Sun, Indra, Agni, Vayu, Chandrama, Yama, Varuna, and other gods and became the master of heaven itself. The gods were forced to wander the earth due to Mahishasura’s wrath. Enraged by Mahishasura’s audacity, the gods created Goddess Durga.
It is believed that the equal power of all the gods was exerted in the creation of Goddess Durga. To destroy Mahishasura, all the gods gave their weapons to Goddess Durga, and it is said that the combined efforts of these gods made Goddess Durga even more powerful. During these nine days, the battle between the Goddess and Mahishasura took place, and ultimately, after slaying Mahishasura, she became known as Mahishasura Mardini. Kali is the first and foremost of the Navadurga and the ten Mahavidyas. Among Lord Shiva’s powers, the Dashamahavidyas, which take on multiple forms, both fierce and gentle, are capable of bestowing infinite siddhis. In the tenth place is Kamala Vaishnavi Shakti, who is also Goddess Lakshmi, the presiding deity of natural wealth. Gods, humans, and demons are all crippled without her grace, and therefore, her worship is equally described in both the Agama and Nigama scriptures. All gods, demons, humans, and Gandharvas yearn for her grace and blessings.
Fasting during Navratri eliminates toxins from the body, keeping it healthy and disease-free. Meditation, yoga, and devotional practices during Navratri bring peace to the mind, reducing stress and anxiety. The primary purpose of the Navratri fast is to control the senses and accumulate spiritual power. In fact, Navratri is a grand festival of inner purification. Thought pollution pervades the environment today. In such a situation, the importance of Navratri increases even more.
(The author is a freelance journalist)
