Maa durga

Goddess Durga

Goddess Durga.

Durga (Sanskrit: दुर्गा)  identified as Adi Parashakti, is a principal and popular form of the Hindu Goddess.

 She is a goddess of war, the warrior form of Parvati, whose mythology centres around combating evils and demonic forces that threaten peace, prosperity, and Dharma the power of good over evil.
Durga is also a fierce form of the protective mother goddess, who unleashes her divine wrath against the wicked for the liberation of the oppressed, and entails destruction to empower creation

Durga is depicted in the Hindu pantheon as a Goddess riding a lion or tiger, with many arms each carrying a weapon, often defeating Mahishasura ( buffalo demon). 

The three principal forms of Durga worshiped are Maha Durga, Chandika and Aparajita. Of these, Chandika has two forms called Chandi who is of the combined power and form of Saraswati, Lakshmi and  Parvati and of Chamunda who is a form of Kali created by the goddess for killing demons Chanda and Munda. Maha Durga has three forms: Ugrachanda, Bhadrakali and Katyayani.
Bhadrakali Durga is also worshiped in the form of her nine epithets called Navadurga.

Navratri

avaratri is a nine nights (and ten days) Hindu festival that is celebrated every year. Navaratri is an amalgamation of two words, where Nav means Nine and  Ratri means Nights so it is nine nights of celebration. Theoretically, there are four seasonal Navaratri that fall every year. However, only two of them - Chaitra Navratri and Sharad Navratri - are celebrated with fervour. The other two are 'Gupt Navratri'.

The post-monsoon autumn festival called Sharada Navaratri, it is observed in the honour of the divine feminine Devi (Durga), celebrated in the month Ashvin, typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October.

According to the Gregorian calendar, Chaitra Navratri typically falls around March or April. Chaitra is the first month of Hindu lunar calendar and because of it, this Navratri is known as Chaitra Navratri. All nine days during Navratri are dedicated to nine forms of Goddess Shakti. Most customs and rituals which are followed during Shardiya Navratri, are also followed during Chaitra Navratri.

Chaitra Navratri is also known as Vasanta Navratri. Rama Navami, the birthday of Lord Rama usually falls on the ninth day during Navratri festivity. Hence, Chaitra Navratri is also known as Rama Navratri.

Chaitra Navratri falls in the Hindu month of Chaitra. From observing fasts to worshipping nine forms of the Goddess, Hindus around the world celebrate the festival.

Chaitra Navaratri Significance:

Chaitra Navratri is a nine-day festival that signifies the victory of good over evil. It is believed that worshipping Goddess Durga during Chaitra Navratri can help get salvation and seek her blessings for the future. Goddess Durga is a symbol of Shakti which means ultimate strength.

Nine Days Of Navratra

Day 1 (Pratipada)- Ghatasthapana, Chandra Darshana Shailputri Puja

Day 2 (Dwitiya)- Sindhara Dooj, Brahmacharini Puja

Day 3 (Tritiya)- Gauri Puja, Saubhagya Teej Chandraghanta Puja

Day 4 (Chaturthi)- Kushmanda Puja, Vinayaka Chaturthi

Day 5 (Panchami)- Naag Puja, Lakshmi Panchami Skandamata Puja

Day 6 (Shasthi)- Skanda Sashti, Yamuna Chhath Katyayani Puja

Day 7 (Saptami)- Maha Saptami, Kalaratri Puja

Day 8 (Asthami)- Durga Ashtami, Mahagauri Puja Annapurna Ashtami, Sandhi Puja

Day 9 (Navami)- Rama Navami

Day 10 (Dashami)- Navratri Parana

Chaitra Navratri is more popular in northern India. In Maharashtra Chaitra Navratri begins with Gudi Padwa

Navdurga

Navadurga  (Navadurgā, lit. Nine forms of Durga), are nine manifestations of the goddess Durga in Hinduism, especially worshipped during the festival of Navratri where each of the nine manifested forms are venerated respectively for each night.

The nine forms of Goddess Durga (also synonymous with Gauri) or (Parvati) are: Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Kaalratri, Katyayani, Mahagauri and Siddhidhatri

All the nine forms of Devi represent nine different qualities. Shakti means energy and Devi Shakti is that primordial source of unseen energy which maintains and sustains this creation. Navratri celebrates and honors the nine different aspects of Mother Divine, also known as Nav Durga.

The Devi Shakti, or the feminine spirit, manifests itself in many forms. It encompasses and supplements qualities such as strength, transformation, anger, beauty, compassion, fear, and power. These qualities are reflected in each individual, in different events and in this universe as a whole.