Saanvi Gupta
Navratri, the nine-night Hindu festival is celebrated differently in India’s various regions. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Devi are worshipped. She is Durga and Kali in Bengal, Ambika and Bhadrakali in Gujarat, Vaishnodevi in Jammu and Kashmir, Chamunda in Karnataka, Santoshi Ma and Bhavani in Maharashtra and Kamakhya in Assam. To most of us, she is just “Ma” the Universal Mother. Navratri is observed twice in a year. The first is at the onset of the Vikram era, the Hindu calendar followed in North India, in the month of Chaitra. The second occurrence comes exactly six months later, just before the winter. Thus, the two Navratri fall at the time of the turning of seasons when the sun’s rays are mild and soft. The beginning of spring and the beginning of autumn are considered to be important junctions of solar influences. That is why these two periods are taken as sacred opportunities for the worship of the goddess Durga. This time it will be observed from October 17 till October 25.
Nine avatars of goddess Durga are worshipped with nine different prasad or bhog on each day of Navratri. Here are the nine forms of goddess Durga and the bhog or prasad offered to them.
Day 1: Shailputri
Pure Ghee is offered as Bhog
The Navratri commences with the first night devoted to the worship of Shailputri. She is the first incarnation of Durga and was born to the lord of the Himalayas, Shaila and is known as Shailputri. Her two hands display a trident and a lotus. She rides a bull called Nandi. Also called Parvati, she pleased Lord Shiva through severe penance and married him. It is believed that she blesses her devotees with a life free of diseases and illness.
Day 2: Brahmacharini
Sugar and fruits/ Singhara (water chestnut) Atta Halwa is offered as Prasad
Brahmacharini is worshipped on the second day of Navratri. She holds a water pot (kumbha) in one hand and a rosary in the other. The name Brahmacharini is derived from two words- “Brahma” here means tapa or penance and “Charini” means an ardent female follower. Worshipping Durga in this incarnation blesses the devotee with great purity of mind and body, peace and prosperity
Day 3: Chandraghanta
Milk and Kheer is offered as Prasad
On the third day of Navratri, the third power of goddess Durga known as Chandraghanta is worshipped. Her forehead is bedecked with the crescent moon (Chandra) resembling the shape of a temple bell (Ghanta). Chandraghanta bestows her devotees with peace and serenity like a cool breeze on a moonlit night. Also, devotees get rid of all sins, sufferings and mental traumas.
Day 4: Kushmanda
Malpua is offered as Bhog
Kushmanda is worshipped on the fourth day of Navratri and signifies warmth and energy. The glow and radiance of Devi Kushmanda is as luminous as that of the sun. She bestows her devotees with good health, intellect and decision- making ability.
Day 5: Skandamata
Bananas are offered as Bhog
Skandamata is the fifth form of Goddess Durga. Skanda is another name for Lord Kartikeya and Mata means mother. Therefore, Skandamata means mother of Skanda or Kartikeya. The people who worship Skandamata are blessed with peace, prosperity and salvation. The devotees also worship Kartikeya as he is sitting in his mother’s lap.
Day 6: Katyayani
Honey is offered to her
Born in a fit of divine rage, she emits a radiant light from her body from which darkness and evil cannot hide. Like Kushmanda, Katyayani rides a lion, ready at all times to confront evil. She represents courage. It is believed that Sita and Rukmani used to worship her for getting a good husband. Therefore, it is observed that people worship her to improve marital life and to keep away from all the troubles.
Day 7: Kaalratri
Jaggery/Sweets made of Jaggery are offered as Prasad
Kaalratri is a fierce incarnation of Durga. Worshipping her removes all obstacles and darkness from the path of the devotees. She also liberates them from all sufferings, evil spirits and negativity. It is said that she licked the blood of demon Raktabeeja, who had the potential to create demons from his blood. This form of Durga is considered as the destroyer of all the evil spirits.
Day 8: Mahagauri
Coconut is offered as Prasad
Mahagauri was dark complexioned until Lord Shiva got pleased with her devotion and cleansed her with holy Ganga water. It is believed that she fulfills all the wants and desires of her devotees.
Day 9: Siddhidatri
Sesame seeds are offered as Prasad
Siddhidatri is worshipped on the ninth and last day of Navratri. As the name represents,” Siddhi” means supernatural power and ‘Datri” means giver. She gives knowledge to her devotees about supreme powers or meditative abilities.
Navratri have another aspect that makes them significant. It is a phenomenon of nature that when the seasons change, the inner chemistry of human beings also changes. Observing fast during these periods keeps one healthy. Therefore, the navratris provide people a religious reason to observe fast which helps one to gain at two levels; one at the physical level and the other at the spiritual level
(The writer is an astrologer and a Vastu consultant)
