Chaitra Durga Ashtami or Maha Ashtami that falls on the eighth day of the Navratri festival is of great significance for Maa Durga devotees. The last two days of the 9-day festival - Ashtami and Navami Tithi are celebrated will much fanfare across the country. Elaborate aartis, prayers, rituals and ceremonies are organised in households and temples to worship Goddess Durga as well as her incarnation Maa Mahagauri on the second-last day of Navratri. (Also read | Ram Navami 2024: Date, puja timings, rituals, history and celebrations)

One of the most popular traditions of Ashtami is the special ceremony of Kumari Pujan where nine young girls are worshipped as Navadurga and served a delicious prasad of chana, poori and suji halwa. It is believed that goddess Chamunda emerged from the forehead of Maa Durga and slayed demons Chanda and Munda, and Raktabija, who were associates of Mahishasura.


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This year Chaitra Durga Ashtami is being celebrated on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Many devotees observe fast on the day of Maha Ashtami. Some may abstain completely from food while others consume only fruits and milk.

Chaitra Durga Ashtami is the time to worship Maa Durga and spread joy and festive vibe. Make sure to wish your loved ones via SMS, WhatsApp, Facebook and other social media platforms in case you are not able to meet them on Ashtami. Here're some of the wishes, images and messages you can send:

Furthermore, when specifying the masa, one of two traditions are applicable, viz. amnta / primnta. If a festival falls in the waning phase of the moon, these two traditions identify the same lunar day as falling in two different (but successive) masa.

In the eastern and northeastern states of India, the Durga Puja[5] is synonymous with Navaratri, wherein goddess Durga battles and emerges victorious over the buffalo demon Mahishasura to help restore dharma.[4] In southern states, the victory of Durga or Kali is celebrated. In the western state of Gujarat, Navaratri celebrations are constituted by arti, followed by garba. In all cases, the common theme is the battle and victory of good over evil based on a regionally famous epic or legend such as the Devi Mahatmya.[2][3]

Celebrations include worshipping nine goddesses during nine days, stage decorations, recital of the legend, enacting of the story, and chanting of the scriptures of Hinduism. The nine days are also a major crop season cultural event, such as competitive design and staging of pandals, a family visit to these pandals, and the public celebration of classical and folk dances of Hindu culture.[6][7][8] Hindu devotees often celebrate Navaratri by fasting. On the final day, called Vijayadashami, the statues are either immersed in a water body such as a river or ocean, or the statue symbolising the evil is burnt with fireworks, marking the destruction of evil. During this time preparations also take place for Deepavali (the festival of lights) which is celebrated twenty days after Vijayadashami.[4][9][10]

Sharada Navaratri is the most celebrated of the four Navaratri, named after Sharada which means autumn. It commences on the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashvini.[13] The festival is celebrated for nine nights once every year during this month, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October. The exact dates of the festival are determined according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, and sometimes the festival may be held for a day more or a day less depending on the adjustments for sun and moon movements and the leap year.[2][6][11] In many regions, the festival falls after the autumn harvest, and in others, during harvest.[14]

The festivities extend beyond goddess Durga and various other goddesses such as Saraswati and Lakshmi. Deities such as Ganesha, Kartikeya, Shiva, and Parvati are regionally revered. For example, a notable pan-Hindu tradition during Navaratri is the adoration of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, music, and arts, through Ayudha Puja.[15] On this day, which typically falls on the ninth day of Navaratri, peace and knowledge is celebrated. Warriors thank, decorate, and worship their weapons, offering prayers to Saraswati.[16] Musicians upkeep, play, and pray their musical instruments. Farmers, carpenters, smiths, pottery makers, shopkeepers, and all sorts of tradespeople similarly decorate and worship their equipment, machinery, and tools of trade. Students visit their teachers, express respect, and seek their blessings.[15][17] This tradition is particularly strong in South India, but is observed elsewhere too.[17][18]

In many regions, the festival falls after spring harvest, and in others, during harvest. It also marks the first day of the Hindu lunisolar calendar, also known as the Hindu Lunar New Year, according to the Vikram Samvat calendar.[19][20]

Pratipada, also known as the first day, is associated with the form Shailaputri ("Daughter of Mountain"), an incarnation of Parvati.[29] It is in this form that Durga is worshipped as the daughter of Himavan (the Guardian God of Himalaya). She is depicted as riding the bull, Nandi, with a trishula in her right hand and lotus flower in her left. Shailaputri is considered to be the direct incarnation of Mahakali. The colour of the day is yellow, which depicts action and vigor.[33] She is also considered to be a reincarnation of Sati (Shiva's first wife, who then reincarnates as Parvati) and is also known as Hemavati.[34]

On Dwitiya (second day), Goddess Brahmacharini ("Unmarried One"),[29] another incarnation of Parvati, is worshipped. In this form, Parvati became Yogini, her unmarried self. Brahmacharini is worshipped for emancipation or moksha and endowment of peace and prosperity. Depicted as walking bare feet and holding a japamala (rosary) and a kamandala (pot) in her hands, she symbolizes bliss and calm. Green is the colour code of this day. The orange colour which depicts tranquility is sometimes used so that strong energy flows everywhere.[citation needed]

Goddess Kushmanda is worshipped on Chaturthi (fourth day). Believed to be the creative power of the universe, Kushmanda is associated with the endowment of vegetation on earth, and hence, the colour of the day is orange. She is depicted as having eight arms and sits on a tiger.[citation needed]

Skandamata, the goddess worshipped on Panchami (fifth day), is the mother of Skanda (or Kartikeya).[29] The white colour is symbolic of the transforming strength of a mother when her child is confronted with danger. She is depicted riding a ferocious lion, having four arms, and holding her baby.[citation needed]

Born to sage Katyayna, she is an incarnation of Durga which killed the buffalo-demon, Mahisa[29][28] and is shown to exhibit courage which is symbolized by the colour red. Known as the warrior goddess, she is considered one of the most violent forms of Devi. In this avatar, Katyayani rides a lion and has four hands. She is celebrated on Shashti (sixth day). In eastern India, Maha Shashti is observed on this day and starting of shardiya Durga Puja.[citation needed]

Considered the most ferocious form of Durga, Kalaratri is revered on saptami. It is believed that Parvati removed her pale skin to kill the asuras Shumbha and Nishumbha. The colour of the day is royal blue. The goddess is depicted in a red-coloured attire or tiger skin with enraged and fiery eyes and dark skin. The red colour is believed to represent prayer and assurance of the goddess's protection to the devotees from harm.

Mahagauri symbolizes intelligence and peace. It is believed when Kaalaratri took a bath in the Ganga river, she gained a warmer complexion. The colour associated with this day is pink which depicts optimism. She is celebrated on Ashtami (eighth day). In eastern India, Maha Astami is observed on this day and starting with pushpanjali, kumari puja etc. It is a very important tithi and considered as the birthday of Mahishasura mardini rupa of Chandi.[citation needed]

On the last day of the festival also known as Navami (ninth day), people pray to Siddhidhatri ("Giver of Perfection").[29] Sitting on a lotus, she is believed to possess and bestows all types of Siddhis.She mainly bestows nine types of siddhis- 'Anima (the ability to reduce one's body to the size of an atom).' , 'Mahima(the ability to expand one's body to an infinitely large size)', 'Garima (the ability to become heavy or dense.)', 'Laghima (the ability to become weightless or lighter than air.)', 'Prapti (the ability to realize whatever one desires'), 'Prakamya (the ability to access any place in the world') , 'Isitva (the ability to control all material elements or natural forces.)' and 'vasitva ( the ability to force influence upon anyone.)' Here she has four hands. Also known as Mahalakshmi, The purple colour of the day portrays an admiration towards nature's beauty. Siddhidatri is Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva. Siddhidhatri is also seen as the Ardhanarishvara form of Shiva and Shakti. It is believed that one side of Lord Shiva's body is that of Goddess Siddhidatri. Therefore, he is also known by the name of Ardhanarishwara. According to Vedic scriptures, Lord Shiva attained all the siddhis by worshipping this Goddess.[citation needed]

Navaratri is celebrated in different ways throughout India.[38] Certain people revere different aspects of Durga and some people fast while others feast.[11] The Chaitra Navaratri culminates in Ram Navami[39] and the Sharada Navaratri culminates in Durga Puja and Vijayadashami.[11]

Navaratri is celebrated as the Durga Puja festival by Bengali Hindus, Odia people, Assamese people, Bihari people, Tripuri people, Maithils, Nepalese people, Bhutanese people, Burmese people as well as some minor tribal ethnicities in Bangladesh and India such as Santal people, Chakma people, Manipuri people and others. It is the most important annual festival to Bengali Hindus and a major social and public event in eastern and northeastern states of India, where it dominates the religious life.[40][41] The occasion is celebrated with thousands[42] of pandals (temporary stages) that are built in community squares, roadside shrines, and large Durga temples in West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, eastern Nepal, Assam, Tripura, and nearby regions. It is also observed by some Shakta Hindus as a private, home-based festival.[41][43][44] Durga Puja festival marks the victory of the goddess Durga in the battle against the shape-shifting, deceptive, and powerful buffalo demon Mahishasura.[45][46] 152ee80cbc

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