Navratri Starts On Thursday 7th October 2021
Sharad Navratri Puja Timings:
Pratipada Tithi Starts = 4:34 PM on 6-October-2021
Pratipada Tithi Ends = 1:46 PM on 7-October-2021
About Navratri Festival:
Navratri Festival is celebrated for nine-day and is dedicated to goddess Durga Devi. Navratri is a Sanskrit word that literally means nine nights. During these 9 nights and 10 days, the goddess Durga is worshipped in 9 different ways, known as Navdurga. The tenth day is celebrated as Vijayadashami when the idols of goddess Durga are immersed in the body of water.
Navratri is celebrated in most states of India. However, Navratri is a very popular festival in the western states of Gujarat, Maharashtra and the southern state of Karnataka. On the first day of Navratri, the goddess Durga is invoked in a Kalash with Vedic rituals complete with chanting mantras. The invocation and habitation of the goddess Durga in the Kalash is known as Ghatasthapana or Kalashsthapana and takes place at an appropriate time of the day.
In West Bengal, Navratri is celebrated as Durga Pooja. In West Bengal, goddess Durga Mata is worshipped in the last three days of Navratri and these three days are known as Durga Saptami, Durga Ashtami and Durga Navami. It would be correct to say that Durga Pooja in West Bengal is a smaller version of Navratri for 9 days. Kalparambha and Bilva Nimantran during Durga Puja, which takes place on the sixth day of Navratri, are symbolically equal to Ghatasthapana or Kalashsthapana in other states.
Purunas Says 7 days Navratri, 5 days Navratri, 3 days Navratri, 2 days Navratri or even 1 day Navratri as an alternative to 9 days Navratri.
Jyoti Kalash, Kumari Puja, Sandhi Puja, Navami Homa, Lalitha Vrat and Chandi Path are other famous rituals and events which are observed during 9 days Navratri.