Shardiya Navratri 2023 Starts On October 15th: Know Significance, History And Navratri Devi Names

The nine days of worship of Goddess Durga, Shardiya Navratri is going to start on Sunday, 15 October 2023 and last till Monday, 23 October 2023. It is believed that during these nine days whoever worships Goddess Durga with true heart and devotion, will find peace, happiness and prosperity since the goddess takes away all their troubles.

During Navratri, for the nine days, nine different forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped. Shardiya Navratri is the most auspicious and important festival among Hindus.

Shardiya Navratri 2023 | Photo: Freepik

According to the Hindu calendar, this festival starts in autumn from the Pratipada of Ashwin Shukla Paksha and is celebrated with great enthusiasm across the country, especially in Maharashtra, Bengal and Gujarat.

Navratri Significance

Navratri has special significance in Hinduism and is celebrated twice a year. The beginning of the Hindu New Year is considered to be from Chaitra Navratri, while Shardiya Navratri is considered to be a symbol of victory of good over evil.

During Navratri, devotees fast for the entire nine days to get Goddess Durga's blessings, and on the last day, they hold a puja and break their fast.

On the first day, the Kalash is established which is also called Ghatasthapana. And Durga Utsav is celebrated in West Bengal for the last four days of Navratri i.e. from Shashti (Dedicated to Maa Katyayani who rides a lion and has four Durga'shands) to Navami. Garba dance during the nine-day festival is very famous in Gujarat.

Why is Navratri celebrated?

The festival of Navratri has a special significance. The festival of Navratri is celebrated four times a year - Magh Navratri (during winter- January), Chaitra or Vasanta (during spring March-April), Ashadha (during monsoons -August), and Sharadiya (during autumn). Shardiya Navratri symbolises the victory of truth over falsehood. There are two mythological stories related to it in the scriptures:

According to the first one, Goddess Durga killed a demon named Mahishasura, who had sought a boon from Lord Brahma that no god, demon or person living on earth could kill him. After getting the boon Mahishasura started creating terror in the world. Then Goddess Durga was born to kill Mahishasura. There was a fierce battle between Goddess and demon for nine consecutive days that shook the Trilok ¡ª earth, heaven and hell. According to legends, Mahishasura was very clever as during the fight he kept changing his forms to confuse the Goddess and but on the tenth day when the demon took the form of a buffalo, the Goddess Durga pierced his chest with her 'Trident' killing him instantly.

According to another story, Lord Ram worshipped Goddess Durga for nine days before his battle with Ravana to save mother Sita from Lanka. Pleased with his devotion, she blessed him with victory. On the tenth day, Ram defeated Ravana and conquered Lanka. This day is celebrated as Vijayadashami or Dussehra which will be celebrated on Tuesday, 24 October 2023.

9 forms of Navratri Devi | All about 9 incarnations of Goddess Durga

1. Goddess Shailputri

Navratri begins with the worship of Goddess Shailputri who is also known as the Daughter of Mountain because in Sanskrit daughter means 'putri' and mountains means 'shail' (Shail+Putri = Shailputri). She rides on a white bull called Nandi and holds a Trishul in one hand and a lotus in the other. On this day devotees offer pure desi ghee or food made of it to Goddes Shailputri so that they get her blessing for a healthy life. Her favourite colour is white.

2. Goddess Brahmacharini

On the second day of Navratri, devotees worship Goddess Brahmacharini--also known as the mother of devotion and penance--by offering her foods made of sugar to get her blessings. This form symbolises Goddess Parvati when she was engaged in deep meditation for many years to please Lord Shiv. She is adorned with white clothes with a chanting rosary (rudraksha mala) in her right hand and a kamandalu in her left hand. Her favourite colour is red.

3. Goddess Chandraghanta

On the third day, devotees worship Goddess Chandraghanta also known as the destroyer of demons. She has 10 hands and nine of them hold a trident, mace, bow, arrow, lotus, sword, bell, and a waterpot and one hand remains in Abhay Mudra that blesses her devotees. She has a crescent moon on her forehead, which this why she is called Chandraghanta. She rides on a tiger and her favourite colour is royal blue. It is believed that if devotees offer her kheer, she takes away all their pain.

4. Goddess Kushmanda

On the fourth day, devotees worship Goddess Kushmanda also known as Goddess of The Cosmic Egg. She is claimed to have created the world with her divine and radiant smile. She has eight hands and she rides on a lion. During this time, devotees offer her malpua which is considered to be her favourite food. Her favourite colour is yellow.

5. Goddess Skandamata

Also known as Panchami or the Goddess of motherhood and children, Goddess Skandmata is worshipped by her devotees on the fifth day of Navratri. She has four arms two of them hold a lotus, and the other two held sacred kamandalu and a bell. She has three eyes and a bright complexion. Goddess carries Lord Kartikeya or Skanda on her lap that is why she is called Skandmata. Her favourite colour is green and her favourite food itemis bananas.

6. Goddess Katyayani

On the sixth day of Navratri, devotees worship one of Goddess Shakti's forms 'Katyayani' or the warrior goddess. She has four hands that carry a sword, shield, lotus, and trident. She rides on a lion. Her favourite colour is grey. Devotees worship the goddess by offering her honey as prasad.

7. Goddess Kalaratri

The seventh day of Navratri is dedicated to one of the most ferocious forms of Goddess Parvati, called Kalaratri, also known as Kali who sacrificed her skin colour and embraced a dark complexion to kill demons Shumbha and Nishumbha. She rides on a donkey. She has four hands and carries a sword, a trident and a noose, and the fourth one is on Abhaya and Varada Mudra to bless devotees. Her favourite colour is orange and devotees offer jaggery as prasad get her blessings.

8. Goddess Mahagauri

Asthami or the eighth day of Navratri is dedicated to the four-armed deity Devi Mahagauri who rides on a bull or a white elephant and carries a Trishul and a damru in her hands. Her favourite colour is peacock green. Devotees offer coconut to maa Mahagauri.

9. Goddess Siddhidatri

Goddess Siddhidhatri is the last form of Goddess Durga who sits on a lotus. She has four hands and holds a mace, discus, book and lotus in her hands. Her favourite colour is pink. The ferocious goddess is pleased with sesame seeds for safety and security from unnatural events.

10 points on Navratri that you should know about

1. Navratri is the most important and auspicious festival of India which is celebrated by Hindus around the world and dedicated to the nine forms of Goddess Durga.

2. The word Navratri comes from the Sanskrit language - Nav' means ' Nine ' and ' Ratri ' means ' Night

3. Navratri comes four times a year - Magh Navratri, Chaitra or Vasanta Navratri, Ashadha Navratri, and Sharadiya Navratri out of them two - Chaitra and Sharadiya Navratri festivals are celebrated with great pomp.

4. Navratri is a nine-day-long festival that is dedicated to the worship of the nine avatars of Goddess Durga.

5. Ghatasthapana also known as Kalash establishment is one of the significant rituals during Navratri that marks the beginning of nine days of festivities.

6. Sharad Navratri begins on the first day of the lunar month Ashwin which falls on Sunday, October 15th this year, and ends on Monday, October 23rd.

7. Durga puja begins on the 6th day of Navratri till the tenth day. During the nine-day festival, devotees pray, take part in the Dandiya Raas and Garba, and offer prasad to please Goddess Durga.

8. The nine-day festival is dedicated to nine forms of Goddess Durga - Shailaputri /Pratipada, Brahmacharini/ Dwitya, Chandraghanta/ Tritya, Kushmanda/ Chaturthi, Skandamata/ Panchami, Katyayini/ Shashti, Kalaratri/ Saptami, Mahagauri/ Ashtami, Siddhidaatri/ Navami, Vijayadashami (Dussehra)

9. Devotees fast for nine days and avoid grains, onions, meat, and alcohol.

10. In many places, devotees do Kanya Poojan or Kanjak Poojan on Ashtami (the Eighth day of Navratri) while some do it on Navami.

Sharad Navratri 2023 Dates, Know the colour for each day of the Navratri and All about 9 Forms of Goddess Durga:

Note: Dates/timings may be subject to change; details mentioned here are as per the information available.