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Saptami is the second day of the most celebrated festival of India, Durga Puja. Durga Puja is celebrated because to remember the victory of Maa Durga. She killed Mahishasura, the evil buffalo who shattered the entire Dev Lok.
Maha Saptami falls on the seventh day of Sukhla Paksha in Ashwin month. Maha means great and saptami means seventh day. Thus Maha Saptami means the great seventh day.
There are many legends associated with the significance of Saptami. One is that, on the day of Saptami Lord Rama prayed to Maa Durga to help him defeat Ravana and free Sita Mata. Then it was believed that Maa Durga should be worshipped with hundreds of Neelkamal. Lord Rama managed to arrange only ninety nine, but one was missing. So he decided to gouge out his own blue eyes which looked like neelkamal and offer it to Maa Durga. She was very pleased with him and blessed him. Thus he won that battle.
On Maha Saptami, a banana plant on which nine leaves are attached is immersed in water and is made worn a Saree.It is popularly known as "Naba Patrika". It is then placed next to Ganesha's idol. Nine plants are also revered which represents nine forms of Maa Durga. Maha Saptami is incomplete without Maha Snana. A mirror is placed in a way that the reflection of Maa Durga can be seen in the mirror and that mirror is given a ritualistic bath which is called Maha Snana. Then a kalash filled with sacred water, five mango leaves and a coconut is placed before Durga Maa's idol. It is believed that the priest consecrates Maa in that kalash with chanting of hymns from sacred texts.
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