Navratri Festival Information 2022
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Sharad Navratri falls every year in September/October. It is one of the most significant Hindu festivals for nine days. This year, it will occur on September 26 and g on till October 4, 2022. The festivity celebrates Goddess Durga and her nine avatars and is celebrated for nine days and nights.
The Reason To Celebrate
The festival exemplifies how Dharma wins over anything or the victory of good over evil. Goddess Durga fought against the demon Mahishasura, which was causing chaos in the world. The trinities created Devas with their divine power and named the power “Durga.”
However, when the Goddess went to the battlefield, the demon got mesmerized by her beauty. He wanted Goddess Durga to marry her. In return, the Goddess put a condition that she will only marry her if she gets defeated on the battlefield. The demon accepted this condition of the Goddess, and the war took the Goddess nine days to defeat and behead the demon. The tenth day was the victory day which is also called Dussehra.
However, in some parts of India, such as North, the tenth day is celebrated for Lord Rama, who killed the demon king Ravana on this day. The day is also called “Vijayadashami.”
These nine days happen all over India, but states have their methods of celebrating these days. Different names are also called these days in different regions. For example, these nine days in Telangana are Bathukamma. It is Dasara in Mysore; the same is Vijaya Dashami in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala, the last day of this festivity.
Significance Of Navratri
During these nine days, the nine avatars of Durga are celebrated. The Goddess is decorated differently as per her avatar and worshipped accordingly. Every form of the Goddess blesses devotees with powers such as courage, strength, knowledge, vitality, etc.
Those who worship the Goddess attain her blessings, and the Goddess protects them and their family against any evil power. Durga is the Shakti; she is considered the mother of the Universe who protects every living being as a mother protects her children.
The interval of three days has a significant mark, such as the first three days are to overcome Tamas, the next three days overcome Rajas, and the last three days provide Sattva guna to a soul. Hence people worship the Goddess all these nine days and pray to her for the well-being of their family and themselves.
It is also believed that the first three nights are about Goddess Durga. The devotees pray to her, and she infuses them with strength and ferocity, which help to cut down the negativity of the mind.
The next three days are dedicated to Goddess Laxmi, who invites wealth and prosperity to the life of her devotees.
The last three days are dedicated to Goddess Saraswathi, the keeper of knowledge and wisdom. Hence devotees pray to her for the ultimate enlightenment and wisdom that helps them in life while making decisions.
All the nine nights, if someone worships the Goddess wholeheartedly, the ego gets destroyed, and the consciousness increases. Hence many people also meditate more during this period since the earth's vibrations remain high.
Several dance forms happen during Navaratri, which fills the mind with ultimate joy and devotion. The soul becomes calmer and purer, and the inner self comes out.
Way To Conduct The Nine Days
• You should clean your house and decorate the puja room
• People should spend these nine days peacefully; they can also observe fasting.
• Take an early bath during these nine days and wear clean clothes of light shades.
• Alcohol, non-vegetarian food, and sex should be prohibited these nine days.
• You should first worship Lord Ganesh, after which you should worship Matrika, Lokpal, Navagraha, and Varuna.
• You should offer puja to Goddess Mahalakshmi, Mahasaraswati, and Mahakali.
• Chant the mantras daily.
• You can also conduct a sixteen-step puja called Shodashopachara Puja.You can always call a priest and learn from him about the procedure of worshipping the Goddess.
In many regions, people sow wheat or Jowar in a clay pot and water it. They cover it with mango leaves and wait for the roots to shoot. Growing seeds invites wealth, prosperity, and progress in a household. However, this practice is not performed in India's South and Eastern parts.