Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri/ Mahanavratri begins with performing Ghatasthapana and observing Vrata. After Durga Avahan, Devotees perform Durga Puja, chant Mantra, perform Arti, offer Bhog, and distribute Prasad.
Navratri comes every year just after the last Shraddha of Pitru Paksha, i.e. Matamah Shraddha/ Sarva Pitru Amavasya.
Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri is one of the most sacred festivals of Hindus. Mahanavratri commences on Ashwin Shukla Paksha Pratipada Tithi, in Sharad Ritu.
Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri/Maha Navratri festival ends on the last day of Durga Puja with Durga Paran. Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri begins on 15th October 2023, this year.
Hindus celebrate the Navaratri festival four times a year. Chaitra Navratri or Basant Navratri, Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri.
How many Navratri festivals are celebrated in a year?
The other two Navratri festivals are Shakambhari Navaratri or Paush Navratri and Ashadh Navratri, both of which are Gupt Navratri. Shakambhari Navaratri begins on Friday, 30th December 2022, and ends on Friday, 6th January 2023.
Navaratri is one of the most devotional festivals or auspicious periods for Hindus. People celebrate it throughout India and different parts of the world.
The arrival of Goddess Durga on Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri/ Mahanavratri
Maa Durga is coming on a Monday, which means on an elephant. This arrival is a good sign for economical growth, prosperity, and an increase in the rain as well.
Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri/ Mahanavratri/ Utsav 2023/ Navdurga Puja and Vrat
Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri or Sharad Navratri festival is a joyous festival celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion throughout India, Nepal, and many cities of the world.
Navratri begins on Sunday, 15th October 2023, this year.
This is an auspicious period for purchasing new garments, jewelry, property, or vehicles.
It is also good for laying the foundation of a house and starting an important event or a new business, throughout India.
In West Bengal and the eastern regions of India, it is one of the most important festivals.
Pujo or Durga Puja in West Bengal 2023
Durga Puja (Bengal) is a part of Maha Navratri Puja, celebrated on Sashti. This is the sixth day of Navratri in North India, West Bengal, Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and other parts of India.
In Bengal, people celebrate this Puja with the Sthapana and display of artistic and beautiful idols of Goddess Ma Durga and Puja Pandals with different and new themes. They observe Durga Puja for five days from the sixth day to the ninth Day.
Decoration of Puja Pandals
People decorate Huge Puja Pandals beautifully with different themes before bringing the idol of Ma Durga. They clean their HousesThese are twelve sections of zodiac circle having 360° numbered clockwise Ascendant is known as the first house and the last house is known as the twelfth house Each house represents specific traits used for prediction. More a few days before the Puja starts.
Durga Shashthi Puja 2023 will begin on October 20. People celebrate this festival with great enthusiasm and visit Pandals to see the idols of Goddess Durga in different Pandals.
Durga Puja festival celebrations
Bengali people purchase new garments and Saris, one month before the festival. They give a gift to all the family members during the Durga Puja festival. They perform Puja rituals, followed by dance, music, and the distribution of sweets and Prasad.
Bhasan/ Visarjan
Visarjan (Bhashan): They perform Visarjan after Durga Puja. On the last day of Durga Puja, they observe Murti Visarjan or Bhashan of the Idol of Goddess Durga by immersing the idol in water or river.
Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri/ Mahanavratri/ Utsav celebrations/Dandiya dance, Garba in Gujrat and Maharashtra
People perform Garba and Dandiya Raas dances as Navratri celebrations in different parts of India, especially Maharashtra and Gujrat during the night.
They also enjoy traditional and delicious food for celebrating the festival.
People are well dressed up in Garba dresses, special Navratri Indian outfits, and new Indo-western combinations.
Kerala
In Kerala, the last three days are considered important beginning with Poojavaippu, performed on the evening of Durgashtami.
On Maha Navami, the next day, people observe Ayudha Puja or Goddess Saraswati Puja and worship their tools, books, and musical instruments.
They remove books on the following day, on Vijayadashami, which is Puja Eduppu. This day is good to start a child’s education or Vidhyarambham.
Tamil Nadu
In Tamil Nadu, people dedicate the first three days to Goddess Lakshmi, the next three days to Goddess Durga, and the last three days to Goddess Saraswati.
They arrange traditional dolls Kolu and Golu at homes, shops, and temples.
They also organize music and dance for entertainment in temples and halls.
Karnataka
In Karnataka, the festival Navratri coincides with Mysore Dasara, dedicated to Goddess Chamundeswari, a form of Durga.
People visit Kollur Mookambika temple in Udupi.
Telangana and Andhra Pradesh
The nine days are dedicated to Goddess Mahagauri. People make flower stacks to celebrate Bathukamma Padunga, a ritual during the festival.
Observing fast or Vrata during Navaratri or Durga Puja
People observe fast for nine days. Devotees may keep fast for only two days, the first day, Pratipada, and the last day, who cannot observe fast for the consecutive nine days.
In some places, this festival ends on Mahashtami, and the duration is only eight days.
Maa Durga is coming to us on an elephant, which is a good sign of prosperity, happiness, and rain.
Havan or Homam
After observing the last Vrat or fast on Saptami or Ashtami, Navratri Puja ends on Ashtami or Navami.
Navratri ends with Ashtami Paran/ Navratri Paran, Kanya Bhoj, and Ashtami Havan or Navami Havan, Puja, and Snan-dan.
Recite Durga Saptashati Mantras for Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri/ Maha Navratri
Devotees recite Durga Saptashati Mantras and perform Puja, Havana, and Vrat according to the prescribed rituals. They do this to please nine forms of Goddess Durga or Shakti during the auspicious Navratri period.
Chandi Jaap
Chandi Jaap can be performed if required during Navaratri Puja days for blessings from Ma Chandi.
Avoid eating non-vegetarian meals, if possible do not eat even onion and garlic. Do not eat anything from a stranger during the nine days of Navratri.
Method for kalasha sthapana-or-Ghata sthapana and Mantras for Navaratri
Link: https://astroask.com/kalashsthapana-or-ghatasthapana/
Muhurat for Kalashsthpana/ Ghata Sthapana for Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri, Mahanavratri/ Utsav 2023
Dates for Kalashsthapana/ Ghatasthapana of Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri /Navratri Vrat, Puja, Path, Daan, Havan or Homa, and Dussehra are as follows:
Ghatasthapana Muhurta begins from 06:21 AM to 10:12 AM (IST) on the 15th, of October 2023 during Chitra Nakshatra and Dvi-Svabhava Lagna. Duration is 3 hours, 50 minutes.
Abhijit Muhurat
Abhijit Muhurat is from 11: 44 to 12: 30 on 15th October 2023.
Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri/ Maha Navratri, 2023, Puja dates, and significance
In 2023 Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri begins on 15th October, Sunday on the Pratipada tithi of Ashwin Shukla Paksha in Sharad Ritu.
The auspicious Navarati Puja or Durga Puja begins with the ritual of establishing a Kalash.
In the morning of the Pratipada Tithi of Ashwin Shukla paksha, the devotees observe a fast followed by establishing a platform of soil and planting barley over it.
Then the Kalash is established on a platform made of soil or mud along with an idol of the goddess placed on it.
Reciting and performing Puja rituals of Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri/ Maha Navratri Vrat
Recite Durga Saptashti to perform the puja rituals. During the Navratri puja, light a lamp day and night for the entire nine days during Navratri.
People recite Ramayana during this period. Ramleela or the play of Ramayana is displayed to remember Lord Rama, in different parts of the country by the artists.
Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri/ Dates and Tithi of Mahanavratri Vrat and Dussehra
Dates for Kalashsthapana/ Ghatasthapana of Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri/ Navratra Vrat, Puja, Path, Daan, Havan or Homa,during Navratri and Dussehra are as follows:
First Navratri Vrat (Prathama) – 15th October 2023, Sunday,1st day. Ashwin Shukla Paksha Pratipada Tithi, Navratri Kalash Sthapana or Kalash Sthapana, Chandra Darshan, Shailputri Puja.
Second Navratri Vrat (Dwitiya) – 16th October 2023, Monday, 2nd day. Ashwin Shukla Paksha Dwitiya/Tritiya Tithi, Brahmacharini Puja.
Third Navratri Vrat (Tritiya) – 17th October 2023, Tuesday, 3rd day. Ashwin Shukla Paksha, Chandraghanta Puja.
Fourth Navratri Vrat (Chaturthi) – 18th October 2023, Wednesday, 4th day. Ashwin Shukla Paksha Vinayaka Chaturthi/ Panchami: Upang Lalita Vrat, Kushmanda Puja.
Fifth Navratri Vrat (Panchami) – 19th October 2023, Thursday, Navratri 5th day.
Ashwin Shukla Paksha Panchami, Skandamata Puja, Bilva Nimantran, Saraswati Avahan, Nakshatra: Moola/ Poorvashadha.
Sixth Navratri Vrat (Shashthi) – 20th October 2023, Friday, Navratri, 6th day. Ashwin Shukla Paksha Sashthi, Katyayani Puja, Saraswati Puja, Poorvashadha- Nakshatra.
Durga Puja- Durga Shashthi Puja (Bengal).
Seventh Navratri Vrat (Saptami) – 21st October 2023, Saturday, Navratri 7th day, Oli begins.
Ashwin Shukla Paksha Saptami/ Ashtami. Uttarashadha Nakshatra, Saraswati Avahana, Kalratri Puja/ Mahanisha Puja.
Oli begins (Jain), today.
Eighth Navratri Vrat (Ashtami) – 22nd October 2023, Sunday, Navratri 8th day. Ashwin Shukla Paksha Ashtami/ Navami, Mahagauri Puja, Ashtami Havan, Sandhi Puja, Maha Navami Puja, and Maha Navami Havan. Kanya Bhoj for Navami. Saraswati Puja.
Ninth Navratri Vrat (Navami) – 23rd October 2023, Monday, Navratri 9th day. Goddess Siddhidatri Puja, Ashwin Shukla Paksha Navami. Saraswati Balidaan.
Navratri Parana and Ayudha Puja
Ashwin Shardiya Navaratri or Navratra ends with Navratri Parana on Tuesday, 24th October 2023. Saraswati Visarjan is in Shravan Nakshatra. Vijay Dashami begins after Navratri Parana.
Dashahara, Dussehra, Dashami, or Vijayadashami 2023
It will begin on the 24th of October 2023, Tuesday.
Vijayadashami or Vijaya Dashami starts just after the end of the Tithi Maha Navami.
Dashahra or Dussehra is an important auspicious yoga period or Muhurat, for starting a new event.
This is an auspicious day of children’s Vidya Arambha and Astra Shastra Puja.
Puja rituals are performed for tools, guns, and vehicles during the Vijaya Dashami festival.
Dussehra marks a significant victory of good over evil, which means the victory of Rama over Ravana, the king of Sri Lanka.
It represents the end of the power of Asura (demon).
