Navratri

THE WORD NAVARATRI MEANS 'NINE NIGHTS' IN SANSKRIT , NAVA MEANS NINE AND RATRI MEANS NIGHTS. IT IS AN ANNUAL HINDU FESTIVAL OBSERVED IN HONOUR OF THE GODDESS DURGA. IT SPANS OVER NINE NIGHTS (AND TEN DAYS). THERE ARE FOUR SEASONAL NAVARATRI. THE POST-AUTUMN FESTIVAL IS CALLED SHARADA NAVARATRI. THE FESTIVAL CELEBRATED IN BRIGHT HALF OF THE HINDU CALANDAR MONTH ASHWIN, WHICH TYPICALLY FALLS IN THE GREGORIAN MONTHS OF SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER.

THE FESTIVAL IS ASSOCIATED TO THE PROMINENT BATTLE THAT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN DURGA AND THE DEMON MAHISHASURA TO CELEBRATE THE VICTORY OF GOOD OVER EVIL. THESE NINE DAYS ARE SOLELY DEDICATED TO DURGA AND HER NINE AVATARS CALLED NAVADURGA. EACH DAY ASSOCIATED TO AN INCARNATION OF THE GODDESS.

DAY 1 - SHAILPUTRI

KNOWN AS FIRST DAY OF PRATIPADA. THIS DAY IS ASSOCIATED WITH MATA SHAILPUTRI (DAUGHTER OF MAUNTAIN), AN INCARNATION OF PARVATI. IT IS IN THIS FORM THAT DURGA IS WORSHIPPED AS THE DAUGHTER OF HIMAVAN (THE GUARDIAN GOD OF HIMALAYA); SHE IS DEPICTED AS RIDING THE BULL, NANDI, WITH A TRISHULA IN HER RIGHT HAND LOTUS IN HER LEFT HAND. SHAILPUTRI IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE DIRECT INCARNATION OF MAHAKLI. THE COLOUR OF DAY IS YELLOW, WHICH DEPICTS ACTION AND VIGIR. SHE IS ALSO CONSIDERED TO BE A REINCARNATES OF SATI ( SHIVA'S FIRST WIFE REINCARNATES AS PARVATI) AND IS KNOWN AS HEMAVATI.

DAY 2- BRAMHACHARINIATI

ON SECOND DAY , GODDESS BRAMHACHARINI, ANOTHER INCARNATIN OF PARWATI, IS WORSHIPED. IN THIS FORM, PARVATI BECAME YOGINI, HER UNMERRIED SELF. BRAMHACHARINI IS WORSHIPPED FOR EMANCIPATION OR MOKSHA AND ENDWMENT OF PEACE AND PROSPERITY. DEPICTED AS WALKING BARE FEET AND HOLDING A JAPAMALA ( ROSARY) AND A KAMANDALA (POT) IN HER HANDS, SHE SYMBOLIZES BLISS AND CALM. GREEN IS THE COLOUR CODE OF THIS DAY. THE ORANGE COLOUR WHICH DEPICTS TRANQUILITY IS SOMETIMES USED SO THAT STRONG ENERGY FLOWS EVERYWHERE.

DAY 3- CHANDRAGHANTA

ON THIRD DAY COMMEMORATES THE WORSHIP OF CHANDRAGHANTA. THE NAME DERIVED FROM THE FACT THAT AFTER MARRYING SHIVA, PARVATI ADORNED HER FORHEAD WITH THE ARDHACHANDRA (HALF MOON). SHE IS THE EMBODIMENT OF BRAVERY. GRAY IS THE COLOUR CODE OF THAT DAY. WHICH IS A VIVACIOUS COLOUR AND CAN CHEER UP EVERYONE'S MOOD.

DAY 4- KUSHMANDA

GODDESS KUSHMANDA IS WORSHIPPED ON CHATURTHI (FORTH DAY). BELIVED TO BE THE CREATIVE POWER OF THE UNIVERSE, KUSHMANDA IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ENDOWMENT OF VEGETATIONON EARTH, AND HENCE, THE COLOUR OF THE DAT IS ORANGE. SHE IS DEPICTED AS HAVING EIGHT ARMS AND SITS ON A TIGER.

DAY 5- SKANDAMATA

SKANDAMATA, THE GODDESS WORSHIPPED ON PANCHAMI(FIFTH DAY), IS THE MOTHER OF SKANDA (KARTIKEYA). THE WHITE COLOUR IS SYMBOLIC OF THE TRANSFORMIN STRENGTH OF A MOTHR WHEN HER CHILD IS CONFRONTED WITH DANGER. SHE IS DEPICTED RIDING A FEROCIOUS LION, HAVING FOUR ARMS, AND HOLDING HER BABY.

DAY 6-KATYAYANI

BORN TO SAGE KATYAYANA, SHE IS AN INCARNATION OF DURGA AND IS SHOWN TO EXHIBIT COURAGE WHICH IS SYMBOLIZED BY THE CLOUR RED. KNOWN AS THE WARRIOR GODDESS, SHE IS IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MOST VIOLENT FORMS OF DEVI. IN THIS AVTAR KATYAYANI RIDES A LION AND HAS FOUR HANDS. SHE IS A FORM OF PARVATI, MAHALKSHMI, MAHASARASWATI. SHE IS CELEBRATED ON SHASHTAMI. IN EASTERN INDIA MAHASHASHTI IS OBSERVED ON THIS DAY STARTING OF SHARDIYA DURGA PUJA.

DAY 7- KAALARATRI

CONSIDERED THE MOST FEROCIOUS FROM GODDESS DURGA, KALRATRI IS REVERED ON SAPTAMI. IT IS BELIVED THAT PARVATI REMOVED HER PALE SKIN TO KILL THE DEMON SUMBHA AND NISUMBHA. THE COLOUR OF THE DAY IS ROYAL BLUE. THE RED-COLOUR PORTRAYS PRAYER AND ASSURES THE DEVOTEES THAT THE GODDESS WILL PROTECT THEM FROM HARM. SHE IS CELEBRATED ON SAPTAMI(SEVENTH DAY). IN EASTERN INDIA, MAHA SAPTAMI IS OBSERVED ON THIS DAY BODHON OF SHARDIYA DURGA POOGA.

DAY 8- MAHAGAURIMAHAGAURI

Mahagauri symbolizes intelligence and peace. It is believed when Kaalaratri took a bath in the Ganga river, she gained a warmer complexion. The colour associated with this day is pink which depicts optimism. She is celebrated on Ashtami (eighth day). In eastern India, Maha Astami is observed on this day and starting with pushpanjali, kumari puja etc. It's a very important tithi and considered as birth day of Mahishasura mardini rupa of Chandi.

Day 9- On the last day of the festival also known as Navami (ninth day), people pray to Siddhidhatri. Sitting on a lotus, she is believed to possess and bestows all types of Siddhis. Here she has four hands. Also known as Mahalakshmi, The purple colour of the day portrays an admiration towards nature's beauty. Siddhidatri is Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva. Siddhidhatri is also seen as the Ardhanarishvara form of Shiva and Shakti. It is believed that one side of Lord Shiva’s body is that of Goddess Siddhidatri. Therefore, he is also known by the name of Ardhanarishwara. According to Vedic scriptures, Lord Shiva attained all the siddhis by worshipping this Goddess.

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