Navratras and Ashtami Puja!

ManuSethi · Jul 25, 2012

Hi All,
I am a Sikh…we don’t celebrate the ‘Navratras’ or do ‘Ashtami puja’ but I really want to practice it…!
Can anyone tell me how to keep Navratras fasts and what specific puja to do during these days? Also, some people celebrate Ashtami and some Ram Nvami…!
I really like the ‘prasad’ of these two pujas…Pori, Halwa, Chane….and those cute small girls who I see wandering around in groups dressed up beautifully.
Can I just do the Ashtami puja without keeping fasts or is it necessary to keep fasts before this puja?
Last but not the least...When is the next Navratras?

Thanks a lot!

littledaisy · Jul 26, 2012

Hi,

Its great to hear that you want to practice celebrating Ashtami puja and Navratras..
Navratras are usually nine day fasting for Maa Durga...It is believed in these nine days she fought the battle with all the demons and for her success...people keep fasts and many people practice sleeping on the floor and even walking bare feet to their offices, colleges etc...

These nine days are considered to be very auspicious for performing any good activity like house warming or naam karan of a baby or any other puja.

Though many people usually celebrate Dussera after fasting for 9 days but there are people who celebrate Ashtami i.e the 8th day and Navmi i.e the ninth day according to their beliefs..

Navratras come twice a year...one in March-April and second 9 days before Dussera i.e in Oct-Nov.
The Oct Nov Navratras are the major ones.

There is no specific puja you need to perform just you can light up a diya and do Maa Durga Aarti.

Yes you can keep fast or do not keep them and you can celebrate Ashtami, its upto ur belief.
Ashtami puja is nothing but paying respect to Maa Durga in the form of small girls and offering them prasad.

Enjoy!

BandanaSen · Jul 28, 2012

Hi
It is true that navratras come twice a year. Once in Mar-Apr and then in Oct-Nov. The Bengali community celebrates Durga Puja during the Oct- Nov period. This is also the period of Dusshera. There is an interesting story behind the Oct-Nov Navratras.
Lord Rama had invoked Devi Durga before setting out to battle Ravan. Since this was not the proper time to invoke Devi Durga, the Oct Nov Navratras came to known as AKAL-BODHAN. The Devi was pleased with his worship and eventually Lord Rama emerged victorius.
The proper time to invoke Devi Durga was the Mar-Apr period. This was when Ravan worshipped Devi Durga. This puja is also known as Basanti Puja. All the rituals of the Basanti Puja are the same as the popular Oct- Nov Durga Puja. Even today,some Bengalis celebrate Basanti Puja though it is not as popular.

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Navratras and Ashtami Puja!

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