Chaitra Navaratri चैत्र नवरात्रि
Durga · Full-day vrat
Chaitra Navaratri, also known as Vasanta Navaratri or Rama Navaratri, spans the first nine tithis of the Shukla Paksha of Chaitra and culminates on Rama Navami, the appearance day of Shri Rama. Beginning with Ugadi-Gudi Padwa pratipada ghatasthapana, devotees invoke the nine forms of Durga — Shailaputri through Siddhidatri — one each day, paralleling the autumnal Sharada Navaratri. The festival marks the Hindu New Year in much of North India, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra, and is celebrated with special fervour in the Shakti peethas of Vaishno Devi, Jwalamukhi and Chintpurni. The Devi Mahatmya of Markandeya Purana is the principal liturgical text.
Rituals (vidhi)
- 1.Ghatasthapana kalasha installation and akhanda-jyoti on Pratipada morning
- 2.Daily parayana of Durga Saptashati (Chandi Path) — 700 verses across nine days
- 3.Worship of one Navadurga form per tithi with corresponding flower and naivedya
- 4.Kanya-pujan of nine pre-pubescent girls as Devi-svarupa on Ashtami or Navami
- 5.Sowing barley (jayanti) seeds in the kalasha and observing daily sprout-growth
- 6.Concluding with Rama Navami abhisheka and Ramayana Sundara Kanda parayanam
Significance
Chaitra Navaratri is regarded in the Devi Bhagavata as the spring-tide propitiation of Adi Shakti, when sattva is naturally ascendant in nature and sadhana yields manifold phala. The phala-shruti of the Durga Saptashati promises destruction of obstacles, victory over adversaries, wealth, progeny, dispelling of graha-pida and bhuta-badha, and ultimately the supreme boon of bhakti and mukti. Observing the nine-day vratam with kumari-pujan is said to confer the punya of a thousand ashvamedha yajnas and to please Devi as a mother is pleased by her child.
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