Navratri Festival in India: Navdurga

Navratri also known as Nava Ratri or Navratra is a major religious festival in India. Navratri is a nine days celebration to worship nine incarnations of Devi Durga. Navratri comes twice in a year in the lunar months of Chaitra and Ashwin. Navratri that comes in Chaitra is called Chaitra Navratri or Chaitra Navratra. It is also called Gupt Navratri.

Chaitra Navaratri starts from the first day of the bright fortnight of Indian lunar month Chaitra. The day is called Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. Chitra Shukla Pratipada is also the Indian New Year day according to Vikram Samvat. It is celebrated as Bharatiya Nava Varsh in north India and as Ugadi in Telegu region.

Chaitra Navaratri starts from March 16,  this Year 2010.

Navratri that comes in the lunar month of Ashwina is called Ashwin Navratri or Ashwina Navaratra.

Festival of India: Navratri

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Navratri begins this year from Friday, October 8, 2010. Navaratri will continue ill October 16 People will worship nine forms of Devi Durga or Shakti during these days. Dashahara or Vijaya Dasami will come on October 17.

Navpad Oli will be observed between October 14 to 22. Jain community will observe Ayambil and worship Navpad during these days. The last day of Navpad Oli will fall on Sharad Purnima.

Durga Puja will be celebrated between Ocober 13 to October 16, mainly in West Bengal. Bengali people have celebrated Mahalaya on October 7.

Devi Durga is Goddess of Shakti (Strength, power, energy) in India. Godess Durga had had nine incarnations. Hindu people worship these nine incarnations of Durga or nine forms of Shakti during nine days of Navratri.

Nine incarnations or forms of Devi Durga are as follow:

1. Shailaputri

The Navratri festival begins with worship of Durga in form of Shailaputri where Shaila means mountain and Putri means daughter. (Daughter of Mountain, the Himalaya).

Devi Durga is considered as a daughter of Himalaya. Shailaputri is the first among nine Durgas. Other name of Shailaputri is Parvati. Parvati or Shailaputri worshiped Lord Shiva to be his wife. Lord Shiva, being satisfied with her devotion and sacrifice married her.

2. Brahmacharini

Hindus worship Durga as Brahmacharini in the second day of Navratri. Here Brahma means Tapa (Penance), Charini means who performs. Hence meaning of Brahmacharini is who performs or observe penance. Devarshi Narad told her to performed it to get Lord Shiva as her husband and she did accordingly. She is also known as Uma.

3. Chandraghanta
Chandraghanta form of Shakti devi Durga is worshipped in the thirdday of navratri. Chandra means the moon. Chandraghanta carries a half circular moon in her forehead, hence called with that name. Her golden color body and three eyed face are charmful and bright . She holds weapons in her ten hands and seated on a lion. Chandraghanta form of Shakti is ready to fight all evils, demons and danavas.

4. Kushmanda
Kushmanda means pumpkin. The fourth form of Durga loves offering of pumpkins. Hence, the name Kushmanda became famous. It is told that she creates the universe. This image has eight hands, holding seven types of weapons and a Rosary. Hindu community worship devi Kushmanda on the fourth day of Navaratri.

5. Skanda Mata

Fifth name of Durga is Skanda Mata having white color, four hands and three eyes,seated on a lotus. Skanda Mata is worshiped in fifth day of navratri. Skanda, General of gods’ army, is son of Devi Durga and Lord Shiva. Hence Durga is also worshiped as Skand Mata where mata means mother. She holds Skanda in her lap.

6. Katyayani

Sixth form of goddess Durga is Katyayani. Rishi Katyayan had observed penance and get Parama Shakti as his daughter. As a daughter of Katyayan, she is referred as Katyayani . She has three eyes and eight hands and seated on a lion. Katyayani is worshipped on the sixth day of Navratri.

7. Kalratri

Hindus worship horrifying image of Durga as Kalratri on Maha Saptami, the Seventh night of Navratri. Here Kal means death and Ratri means night. Kalratri is black as darkness of night, hairs unlocked, three dazzling and rounded eyes and flames coming out of her nostrils. She stands on a Shava (dead body) with a sharp sword in her right hand and a burning torch (mashal) is in the left. She blesses with her lower hands in fearless style. She is known as Shubhamkari while auspicious.

8. Maha Gauri

Maha Gauri, form of Durga as eight years old virgin is worshiped on Maha Ashtami, the eightth day of navratri. Maha means great and Gaur means white. Gauri is derived from Gaur and means a female with white color. Dust made the girl observing penance diry and Lord Shiva brought river Ganga to clean her that made her bright like lightening. Her body, face, clothes, ornaments and even her vehicle bull, all are white . Her are white and clean. She has three eyes. She rides on bull She has four hands. She is calm, peaceful and blessing.

9. Siddhidatri
Siddhi means attainment and Datri means doner or provider. Devotees achieve eight ultimate Siddhis Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Iishitva and Vashitva by worshiping ninth form of Durga as Siddhidatri. Devi Puran tells us that even Lord Shiva got this Siddhies by worshiping Maha Shakti Siddhidatri. Hindus worship her on Maha Navami, the ninth day of Navaratri.

View images of nine incarnations of Durga

Worshiping on the last three days are also called

Maha Saptami Pujan, Maha Ashtami Pujan and Maha Navami Pujan.