Durgashtami is celebrated in the 8th 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).
