Rituals of Chaitra Navratri

Navratri is divided into sets of three days to adore three different aspects of the supreme goddess or goddesses. During Navratri, different forms of mother Goddess are worshiped. On the first three days, people worship the goddess Durga or Goddess of Energy is worshiped.



The next three days are devoted to Lakshmi, also known as Goddess of Wealth. And for the last three days, the devotees worship Saraswati or Goddess of Knowledge. On the fifth day, it is a custom in the Hindu religion to worship Saraswati in order to invoke our spirit and knowledge.

 

On the eighth and ninth day, Yagna (sacrifice offered to the fire) is performed to honor Goddess Durga and bid her farewell. The festival of Navratri concludes in Mahanavami. On this day Kanya Puja is performed where nine young girls representing the nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped. In some regions, a young boy also accompanies them who symbolize Bhairav; he is considered as protector against all evils.

Fast is observed by devotees during all the nine days of Navratri. Prayers are also offered for good health and prosperity throughout these days. Navratri, besides being a period of introspection and purification, is also considered an auspicious time for starting new ventures.