Maha Navami

Mahanavami is the 9nth day of Durga Navaratri Festival. Maha Navami starts with Mahasnan and Shodashopachar Puja. Maha Navami celebrated in the month of  Ashwiyuja sukla paksha Navami. This is the most important Hindu festival in India. Maha Navami is celebrated on Tuesday, 23rd October, 2012.

It is believed that Goddess Durga is adored as Mahishasura Mardini on Maha Navami. It is called as Maha Navami, On this day Mahishasura was killed by Goddess Durga and got the name Mahishasura Mardini. On this day Navami Homa is performed by the people and it is the important  ritual during Durga Puja. The best time to perform Homa is at the end of Navami Puja.

The rituals associated with Navratri Maha Navami different  from region to region. In South India, Maha Navami is celebrated as Ayudha Puja. All books, utensils and tools are kept for puja.

Maha Navami rituals are the final rituals associated with Durga Puja. The next day is Durga Murti immersed in to river. A major bhog is held on the day and Prasad is offered to Goddess Durga. Food items prepared on the day is shared by devotees.

In some places, animal sacrifice is held on the day. But it is still held in rural regions and famous Durga Mata and Kali MataTemple.

In some places in India, worshipping of girls is done called Kanya Puja. On Maha Navami Goddess Durga is worshipped as Aparajita Devi which means the one that can never by defeated. Also Sugar cane stalks are offered to Goddess Aparajita Devi on Maha Navami.

durga ashtami

Durgashtami is celebrated in the 8^th day of Navaratri. Durgashtami also called as Mahashtami and Veerashtami. Durga Ashtami is the most fortunate day to perform KanyaPuja, Suvasini Puja, DampatPuja. Sandhi Puja is one of the most important ritual during Durga Ashtami Durga Puja in Bengal. It is performed at the end of Durga Ashtami and the beginning of Maha Navami.

Durga Ashtami Puja is celebrated in the all accross India mainly Mysore in Karnataka, Kolkata in West Bangal, Kullu in Himachal Pradesh,  Jharkhand and other eastern parts of India. The day is regarded significant as life is "breathed" into the idol of Durga by priests who perform elaborate rituals amidst chanting of religious verses.

The devotees of Goddess Durga start the celebrations on the morning of Maha Ashtami with Pushpanjali. Devotees perform the ritualistic bathing and fasting before offering Pushpanjali. They offer Fresh flowers to mantra is recited after the priest. After reciting the Sanskrit couplets everyone showers flowers at the Goddess's feet.

Evening Aarati is performed with fire. The fire emblem light and is the purifier of sins. In the evening, Sandhi puja is conducted, which marks the inter-linking of the Maha Ashtami with Maha Navami. It is performed at the end of Durga Ashtami and the beginning of Maha Navami. Sandhi Puja is one of the most important ritual during Durga Ashtami-Durga Puja. The 48 minutes interval or Sandhi when Ashtami Tithi transits into Navami is highly sacred. Half of it falls in Ashtami and another half in Navami. At this time Durga is worshiped as Chamunda (a form of Kali who killed the demon Chand and Munda).