This year Navratri will start on Thursday, October 3, 2024 and will end on October 12.
According to the Hindu calendar, Shardiya Navratri is starting from October 3. In Navratri, 9 forms of Maa Durga are worshiped with rituals.
It is believed that worshipping the Mother Goddess during Navratri bestows special blessings from Goddess Durga.Although Maa Durga’s vehicle is a lion, but when she comes to earth, her vehicle changes. This time Maa Durga will come to earth riding a palanquin.
This nine-day festival is dedicated to the worship of nine forms of Goddess Durga. Navratri is a Sanskrit word which translates to ‘nine nights’. There are a total of four Navratris in a year. Two of which are celebrated on a large scale. Chaitra Navratri during the spring season and Sharad Navratri. In Sharad (Austral) Navratri, religious customs similar to Chaitra Navratri are followed. Worship of Mother Bhagwati has special significance in Navratri, it is believed that in these nine days, devotees who worship the mother with true devotion, Maa Shakti fulfills all their wishes.
Nav Durga is the name given to the nine forms of the goddess Durga, which are worshipped during the nine-day festival of Navratri. The names of the nine forms are:
- Maa Shailputri
- Maa Brahmacharini
- Maa Chandraghanta
- Maa Kushmanda
- Maa Skandamata
- Maa Katyayani
- Maa Kalaratri
- Maa Mahagauri
- Maa Siddhidatri