India is a country of festivals and celebration. It has a very rich historical
and cultural background. Each Indian festival has a proper meaning, reason and
significance behind its celebration. Fun and enjoyment are the aspects of the
festivals, which sets the festive mood. Navratri, as the name suggests, means
nine nights. It is one of the important Hindu festivals. It is dedicated to the
worship of Goddess Durga, the deity of Power. Like other festivals of India,
Navratri also has a significance and meaning attached to it. Each day of the
nine-day festival are dedicated to the worship of different forms of Goddess
Durga, which unfolds the religious importance of the occasion. Go through the
following lines to know more about the significance of Navratri festival.
Significance of Navratri
The First Three Days of Navratri
The first three days of Navratri are devoted to the worship of the Goddess Durga.
This is the period, when her energy and power are worshipped. Each day is
dedicated to a different appearance of Durga. Kumari, which signifies the girl
child, is worshipped on the first day of the festival. Parvati, who is the
embodiment of a young woman, is worshipped on the second day. The destructive
aspects of Goddess Durga symbolize the commitment to acquire triumph over all
the evil tendencies. Hence, on the third day of Navratri, Goddess Kali is
worshipped, who represents the woman who has reached the stage of maturity.
Fourth to Sixth Days of Navratri
When a person acquires triumph over evil tendencies of ego, anger, lust and
other animal instincts, he/she experiences a void. This void is filled with
spiritual wealth. For the purpose, the person approaches Goddess Lakshmi, to
acquire all the materialistic, spiritual wealth and prosperity. This is the
reason why the fourth, fifth and sixth day of Navratri are dedicated to the
worship of Lakshmi - the goddess of prosperity and peace.
Although the individual has acquired victory over evil tendencies and wealth, he
is still deprived of true knowledge. Knowledge is required to live the life of a
humane, even though he/she is prospered with power and wealth. Therefore,
Goddess Saraswati is worshipped on the fifth day of Navratri. All the books and
other literature materials are gathered in one place and a 'diya' (earthen lamp)
is lit in front of the deity, to invoke the goddess and seek her blessings. Till
the time the books are kept at the puja room, the students would not study.
Seventh and Eighth Day of Navratri
The seventh day is dedicated to worshipping Saraswati, the goddess of art and
knowledge. Prayers are offered with an aim to seek spiritual knowledge. A 'yagna'
is performed on the eight day. This comprises of a sacrifice honoring goddess
Durga as well as bids her farewell. The sacrifice or offering is made out of
clarified butter (ghee), rice pudding known as kheer and sesame seeds.
Ninth Day of Navratri
The ninth day is the final day of Navratri celebrations. It is also known as 'Mahanavami'.
On the day, Kanya puja is performed to worship nine young girls, who have not
yet reached the stage of puberty. These nine girls symbolize one of the nine
forms of goddess Durga. The feet of girls are washed to welcome the goddess and
show respect to her. The girls are offered a set of new clothes as a gift from
the devotees at the end of the puja. |
|
