Happy Navratri - Jai Mata Di

‘Navratri’ is celebrated by Hindus, where the nine different forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped on nine days. Word ‘Navratri’ is a Sanskrit word, where ‘nav’ means nine and ‘ratri’ means night.

The festival is celebrated to worship the ‘Shakti’ (power) of Goddess Durga. The devotees during the festival observe a nine day fast and I feel so proud to share with you all that my mom and dad religiously follow this festival and they are one amongst who fast for nine days. Some people like my lovable maternal uncle (mama) don’t even have food for all the nine days and survive on just liquid still wondering how he manages.

Mom and Dad

Adarniya Mamaji

Navratri is mainly celebrated in the state of Gujarat. The traditional dance of ‘Garba’ is performed by the devotees in front of the Goddess. This year the festival begins on Wednesday and during the nine days of Navratri there is a custom of wearing different color dress Sari or churidhar followed mainly in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The nine Navratri colors for 2011 are:

Pratipada - September 28, 2011 (Wednesday) - Blue 

Dwitiya/Tritiya - September 29 (Thursday) - Yellow

Chaturthi - September 30 (Friday) - Green

Panchami - October 1 (Saturday) - Grey

Sashti - October 2 (Sunday)  - Orange

Saptami - October 3 (Monday) - White

Ashtami - October 4 (Tuesday) - Red

Navami - October 5 (Wednesday) - Purple

Vijayadasami - October 6 (Thursday) -  Pink

During navratri our daily schedule starts Early in the morning after waking up, resolute for the way you want to pray for nine days. After bathing, daily worshiping is a must.

According to our family's custom, if you are doing Kalash Sthapana on the first day of the Navratri, then it would be done in the ABHIJINH MUHURAT. This year for Mumbai it was around 6.30 to 7.30am and we did around 7.00am.

On navami we do Kumari Pooja. However, in this matter Family's custom is more important. The days are fixed for Kumari Poojan and it depends upon the custom of family or clan, it can be done from sixth day till ninth day of Navratri.In Maa Durga's worshiping recitation of Durga Shaptshati is done in Navratri. It has 13 chapters. By reciting the Durga Saptashati, deep wishes can be fulfilled.

Devotees of lord Ram recite Ramayana also in Navaratri but we don’t do. And in end they do Aarti of Shri Ram and Seeta ji.

Devotees of Hanuman worship Shri Hanuman in Navratri by either reciting Sundarkand or Hanuman Chalisa.

And to conclude I would like to wish my fellow bloggers a very Happy Navratri.

May this navratri maa durga fulfill all your dreams and brings happiness in your life. This Navratri, may you be blessed with good fortune as long as Ganeshji’s trunk, wealth and prosperity as big as his stomach, happiness as sweet as his ladoos and may your trouble be as small as his mouse. May your life be filled with happiness on this pious festival of Navratri, Jai Mata Di...