Shardiya Navratri 2023: Dates, Muhurta, Colours, and Significance

Navratri is an important Hindu festival. There are four Navratris in a year, they are

Out of these four nine-day periods, the Gupta Navratris are mainly observed by saints, sadhus, and those wishing to gain tantric knowledge. It is observed quietly and secretly. There are no public celebrations or pujas.

The Chaitra Navratri and Shardiya Navratri are observed and celebrated by the devotees of Maa Durga. Among these two Navratris, the Shardiya Navratri, also known as the Maha Navratri, is observed by all the devotees of Maa Durga with a lot of pomp and splendor.

Navratri is a major festival in Bengal, Gujarat, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.

This year's Shardiya Navratri begins on October 15, 2023, and concludes on October 24, 2023. The auspicious time for Kalash Sthapana is from 11:44 AM to 12:30 PM on October 15.

Pratipada Muhurta falls between 11:24 PM on October 14, 2023, to 12:32 AM on October 16, 2023.

Devotees usually observe the nine-day fast, ending it either on Ashtami (October 22, 2023, 07:58 PM) or Navami (October 23, 2023). Those ending on Ashtami perform the puja and Kanya Pujan on the 9th morning.

Dussehra, the festival's culmination, falls on October 24, 2023.

Navratri is a celebration of Maa Durga’s victory over the rakshas (demon) Mahishasura. Maa Durga is an embodiment of Goddess Parvati. The Gods Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu requested Devi Parvati to take this avatar to kill Mahishasura.

The three gods gifted their combined strengths and gave her their weapons to Maa Durga to fight the evil demon. The nine days are commemorated to mark Maa Durga’s victory over the demons.

Each of the nine days is dedicated to an avatar of Maa Durga. The nine avatars of Maa Durga and their importance are:

The first avatar is Maa Shailputri. In this avatar the goddess was born as the daughter of Himalaya, thus the name Shail (mountain) and putri which means daughter.

Maa Shailputri is depicted sitting on a bull named Nandi, she holds a trishul in one hand and a lotus flower in the other. It is believed that she governs the moon and is thus considered to be Mother Nature.

And, she should be offered pure ghee or white-coloured sweets. Devotees who worship her are blessed with fortune and good health.

Maa Brahmacharini is the second avatar. This avatar represents the Goddess Parvati as an unmarried maiden when she sat for a long meditation to please Lord Shiva and attain him as her husband.

In this form, the Goddess is shown with bare feet, holding a rudraksh mala in one hand and a sacred kamandal in the other hand. Worshipping this avatar blesses the devotees and their families with a peaceful, happy, and long life. She is offered sugar and fruits.

Maa Chandraghanta is the third avatar of Goddess Durga, she is also known as Chandika or Ranachandi. This is the married form of Devi Parvati. In this form, the goddess has ten arms, a crescent moon on her forehead, and rides a tiger.

Goddess Chandraghanta is powerful and strong and is known to destroy evil. She is offered kheer (sweet rice porridge), and sweets made from milk. Worshipping this form of Maa Durga relieves devotees of suffering and pain.

The fourth day belongs to Maa Kushmanda. Her name has a special meaning - “Ku” means little, “Ushma” means energy or warmth, and “Anda”, means egg - which translates to little cosmic egg - i.e. our Universe, she created the universe with her smile.

It is believed that when the universe was being formed, it was dark and lifeless. Then a light appeared and gradually the things we see today started to become visible. She gave life to the universe and it is she who created Shiv and Parvati and Brahma and Lakshmi, and the three main goddesses Mahalakshmi, Mahakali, and Mahasaraswati.

Since she is the one who has brought this universe to life, she is also known as Shakti. Maa Kushmanda rides a lioness and has eight hands. In the right side hands, she holds Kamandal, Dhanush, Bada and Kamal, and in the hands on the left side, she holds Amrit Kalash, Japa Mala, Gada, and Chakra.

Devotees of Maa Kushmanda are blessed with intelligence, success, fame, and respect. She is offered a bhog of Malpua.

On the fifth day, Maa Skandmata is worshiped. This avatar of Maa Durga is also known as Panchami. She is the mother of Lord Kartikeya who is also known as Skanda, she represents the maternal form of Maa Durga.

Skanda Mata has four hands, she holds a lotus in two and a kamandal and bell in the other two hands. She is shown sitting on a lotus with lord Kartikeya sitting in her lap. This is the loving and kind avatar of the Goddess Druga.

She blesses her devotees with power, abundance, wealth, and saves them from all evil and sin. Skanda Mata is offered a bhog of Bananas.

The sixth avatar of Maa Durga is Goddess Katyayani. She is the most fierce incarnation of the goddess. Maa Katyayani was the daughter of Sage Katyayana of the Katya family.

She represents a form of Shakti as she was the one who had killed the demon Mahisasur. She is shown seated on a lion and has four hands. She carries a lotus in two hands, a sword in one hand, and blesses her devotees with one hand.

Maa Katyayani is powerful, strong, and brave. She signifies the victory of good over evil. She blesses her devotees with a happy and peaceful life. Goddess Katayayni is offered a prasad of honey and fruits.

The seventh form of Goddess Durga is Maa Kalratri. She is also known as Shubhankari - meaning the one who does good - auspicious things. Maa Kalratri is the destructive and terrifying form of Maa Durga.

She is known to scare away negative energies, evil spirits, ghosts, and other untoward elements , she has killed demons such as Chanda, Munda, and Raktbija. Maa Kalratri has dark skin; she is shown riding a donkey.

Goddess Kalratri has four hands in which she holds - a trident, a sword, and a noose. The third eye on her forehead is said to hold the entire universe in it. Maa is offered a bhog of Jaggery.

She blesses her followers with courage and happiness; and provides respite from pain, and clears obstacles from their path.

The eighth manifestation of Goddess Parvati is Maa Mahagauri. She comes into being after the demons are killed. Maa Kalratri lets go of her dark colour to attain a beautiful, glowing, and fair complexion, hence the name Maha Gauri.

She is shown sitting on a white bull wearing a pristine white saree with a golden border. She has four hands. She carries a trident, a drum, and a lotus. Her fourth hand is raised to give blessings to her devotees. This form of the goddess signifies peace, purity, and calmness.

She relieves her devotees of their suffering and blesses them with happiness. Maa Mahagauri is offered a bhog of coconut.

The ninth avatar of Goddess Durga is known as Siddhidatri , Maa Kushmanda created Goddess Siddhidatri at the time of creating the universe. Goddess Siddhidatri then blessed Lord Shiva with 18 kinds of perfection. It is believed that half of Lord Shiva’s body is of Maa Siddhidatri. Hence, he was given the name Ardhnarishwar.

Maa Siddhidatri is shown sitting on a lotus wearing a red saree. She has four hands in which she carries a conch shell, a lotus, a mace, and a discus. She signifies knowledge, intellect, wisdom, and perfection. Goddess Siddhidatri protects her devotees from untoward events and incidents. She is offered a prasad of sesame seeds.

Rituals have an important place in Navratri. They hold special significance and provide a disciplined lifestyle for the nine days. Even people who do not keep a fast for the nine days follow the rituals during Navratri.

1. Begin with a clean red cloth and a picture of Maa Durga.

2. Offer sacred items like sindoor, haldi, mehendi, akshat, and fresh flowers to the picture.

3. Prepare an earthen pot, filling it with soil, sow barley seeds, and place a beautifully decorated Kalash with water and a coconut atop it.

4. Conduct the Kalash puja, lighting incense sticks and a diya filled with ghee.

5. Present bhog and a chosen sweet dish, paying attention to the specific goddess's form being worshipped.

6. Conclude the ritual with aarti. In the evening, repeat the lighting of incense sticks and diya, followed by another aarti session.

1. Daily, sprinkle water over the sown barley to nurture its growth.

2. Maintain the sanctity of Maa Durga’s picture by offering sindoor, haldi, mehendi, akshat, fresh flowers, and bhog.

3. Perform aarti both in the morning and evening to honor the goddess.

4. Dedicate time to reading or listening to the Durga Saptashati path, following the prescribed method.

1. On the eighth or ninth day, conclude the fast with a havan and kanya pujan. Invite either eight young girls (on the eighth day) or nine girls (on the ninth day) who have not yet reached menstruation.

2. Offer prasad to the girls, applying a tika on their foreheads, symbolizing blessings.

3. Express gratitude by gifting the young ones with tokens of appreciation, money, and fruits.

4. Offer prasad comprising halwa, puri, and black chana to Maa Durga.

5. After the girls complete their meal, apply a tika on their foreheads and present them with gifts, money, and fresh fruits as a gesture of thanks.

6. Conclude the festivities with a final aarti session, bidding a heartfelt farewell to Maa Durga.

7. If an idol was brought home, immerse it in water to symbolize the deity's return to her divine abode.

8. Sprinkle the sanctified Kalash water within your home, bestowing blessings, and place the grown barley seeds in your mandir or beneath a nurturing tree, signifying continuity and growth.