Hindu Media Wiki

Navaratri basically represents a celebration of the Goddess Durga, with nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights Navratri is “Nine Nights festival”.

The commencement of spring and autumn are considered to be an important junction of atmospheric and solar influences, and this is the reason why these two periods are taken as sacred prospects for the worship of the Divine Durga Maa. The dates of the festival are determined according to the astrophysical calendar. Goddess Durga has nine Avatars and all these nine avatars are worshiped in this nine days festival, called Navratri.

Navratri is a very important and major festival in the western states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, during this festival the traditional dance of Gujarat called “Garba” is performed with full zeal and enjoyment. The festival has a great value in North India as well, including Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and the northern state of Punjab.

food allowed for navratri vrat or fast

• Singhare ka atta (water chestnut flour)
• Kuttu ka atta (buckwheat flour)
• Rajgira ka atta (amaranth flour) and rajgira (amaranth)
• Sama ke chawal ka atta (barnyard millet flour)
• Vrat ke chawal (barnyard millet)
• Arrowroot flour or paniphal flour

Spices & herbs allowed for navratri fasting

• Cumin or cumin powder ( jeera or jeera powder )
• Black pepper powder and rock salt (sendha namak)
• Green cardamom (chhoti illaichi), cloves (laung), black peppercorns (saboot kali mirch), cinnamon (dalchini) and nutmeg (jaiphal)
• Dry pomegranate seeds (anardana) – you can make chutney or raita or use it as a souring agent.
• Ginger – both fresh as well as dry, including dry ginger powder
• Green chilli or hari mirch and lemons.
• Ajwain or carom seeds

Navratri 2016 Dates

Day 1 - October 1, 2016 (Saturday) - Pratipada, Ghatsthapana, Shailputri Puja

Day 2 - October 2, 2016 (Sunday) - Pratipada, Chandra Darshan, Shailputri Puja

Day 3 (Dwitiya) - October 3, 2016 (Monday) - Brahmacharini Puja

Day 4 (Tritiya) - October 4, 2016 (Tuesday) - Chandraghanta Puja

Day 5 (Chaturthi) - October 5, 2016 (Wednesday) - Kushmanda puja

Day 6 (Panchami) - October 6, 2016 (Thursday) - Skandamata Puja

Day 7 (Shashthi) - October 7, 2016 (Friday) - Katyayani Puja

Day 8 (Saptami) - October 8, 2016 (Saturday) - Kalaratri Puja

Day 9 (Mahashtmi) - October 9, 2016 (Sunday) - Mahagauri Puja, Durga Maha Ashtami Puja, Saraswati Puja

Day 10 (Navami) - October 10, 2016 (Monday) - Siddhidatri Pooja, Maha Navami, Ayudha Puja, Navami Homa

Day 11 (Dashami or Dussehra) - October 11, 2016 (Tuesday) - Navratri Parana, Durga Visarjan, Vijyadashmi (Dussehra)

When navratri fast Ends or Completes

Some people do kanjak pooja on 8th day (ashtami) and some do it on 9th day (navami) and few people do it on dussehra (10th). mostly it is done on 8th or 9th day. The day kanjak pooja is done, on that day we do the immersion of khetri along with red cloth (chunri) in moving water or it can be kept under pippal tree in a temple.

Normally, Pooja is completed early morning itself. if you also want to do kanjak pooja on 9th then keep fast on 8th (ashtami) as many people keep fast on 1st and last day of navratri.

Reference http://www.pandit.com/recent-articles/

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