Navratri is a significant festival dedicated to Devi Mata Durga. Navratri is celebrated four times a year. The first Navratri is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Chaitra, followed by Gupt Navratri in Jyestha month, Sharad Navratri in Ashwin month again, and finally Gupt Navratri in Magh month. Gupta Gundicha is being also celebrated in Prabhu Shri Jaganath temple complex, Puri. Despite the differences in timings, all nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped on these festivals.
Chaitra Navratri and Sharada Navratri both involve worshipping the nine forms of Goddess Durga over nine days. However, on the Mahanavami of Chaitra Navratri, Ram Navami is celebrated, marking the birth of Lord Rama. In contrast, during Sharad Navratri’s nine days, Goddess Durga fought Mahishasura for the welfare of the world and vanquished him on the tenth day. In addition, on the tenth day of Sharada Navratri, Lord Rama also defeated the demon king Ravana, reinstating righteousness, known as Dussehra .
Sharda Navratri is celebrated to fulfil worldly desires, while Chaitra Navratri is observed for spiritual aspirations, attainment of Siddhi and Moksha .
Chaitra Navratri falls during the spring and summer seasons, whereas Sharada Navratri occurs during the autumn. Many rituals and customs observed during Sharad Navratri are also followed during Chaitra Navratri. Navaratri basically is observed in honor of the goddess Mata Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. In other words actually there are four seasonal Navaratri. However, in practice, there are two festivals called Sharada Navaratri and Chaitra Navaratri. There are 2 Gupta Navaratris or “secret nine nights” as well, one starting on the Shukla paksha Pratipada of the Magha Month (Magha Gupta navaratri) and another starting in the Shukla Paksha Pratipada of Jyestha Month.
The festival of Navratri is celebrated annually with pomp across the country. The nine-day auspicious Chaitra Navratri hold the most significance. During this nine-day-long period, devotees worship Maa Durga and her nine incarnations – Maa Shailputri, Maa Brahmacharini, Maa Chandraghanta, Maa Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Maa Katyayani, Maa Kaalratri, Maa Mahagauri and Maa Siddhidatri. Each day of the festival is devoted to the worship of the nine avatars. During the
nine-day festival of Chaitra Navratri devotees celebrate Goddess Durga’s birth of the cosmos and all living things within it. Devotees believe that Maa Durga arrives from heaven during Navratri and visits her devotees.
Meanwhile, many Hindu devotees also dedicate this festival to Lord Ram. They celebrate Ram Navami on the last day of Chaitra Navratri as it is believed that Prabhu Shri Ram Chandra was born during this time.
Chaitra Navratri is a time for praying, meditating, fasting and enjoying with loved ones during the nine days. During this time, Maa Durga’s devotees give up consuming non-vegetarian food, alcohol, and tobacco. They also consume food prepared without garlic and onion. Devotees also pray to Maa Durga and her nine incarnations, read mantras, and decorate their homes. Devotees believe that by practising these rituals they will be blessed by Maa Durga.
Significantly, Gupt Navratri is an opportune time for Sadhaks and Tantriks to delve into spiritual practices such as meditation, chanting of mantras, and performing hawans. The festival holds deep religious fervor, as devotees seek blessings for prosperity and well-being.
As the Gupt Navratri unfolds, devotees are encouraged to immerse themselves in the worship of Goddess Durga, invoking her divine presence through heartfelt devotion and sincere prayers.
Magha Navratri, also known as Gupta Navratri, is a nine-day festival honoring the nine manifestations of Shakti, or the mother goddess. Basanta Panchami is also celebrated during this period to worship Maa Sarswati independently.
The Jhamu Jatra of Maa Mangala of Kakatpur in the Chaitra month is an important festival of Maa Mangala . During this festival many unique traditions are witnessed. One of those is the Kalika Dance. As per mythology, origin of Kalika Dance is associated with a popular mythological legend.
In mythology Goddesses Durga, Kali and Saraswati have been described as incarnations of Maa Mangala. Goddess Durga had slayed demon Mahisasura. However, ahead of that She had killed another demon, Raktabirjya.
This demon had got the blessings that when a drop of his blood would fall on the ground, a number of more Raktabirjyas would be created automatically from his blood.
Hence, when Goddess Durga was trying to kill him, more numbers of demons were getting created. Hence, Goddess Durga thought of Goddess Mangala and She created Goddess Kali whom she asked to open out her mouth, so that the moment Goddess Durga strikes Raktabīja with weapons, She would drink off the blood as fast as it runs out of his body. She instructs that Goddess Kali would drink off all the jets of blood in such a way that not a drop of it escapes and falls on the ground. Ultimately, even as every drop of the blood that streamed from the demon was consumed by Goddess Kali, Raktabīja was be headed/killed.
On the basis of this legend, on the night of the third Tuesday in the month of Chaitra during the Jhamu Jatra of Maa Kakatpur Mangala the Kalika dance takes place.
Gupta gundicha is a unique ritual of Mahaprabhu in Puri Jagannath temple during Sharad Navratri. On the auspicious occasion of Sharad Navaratri Durgotsav, this ritual of Gupta Navaratri is being observed.
In this unique custom, Prabhu Shri Madhaba ( worshipped in Ratna singhasan ) along with Mata Durga (worshipped in Nilachal Tapoban) stepped into Narayani temple at Dolamandap Sahi .
During Durgapuja ( Shola puja), Prabhu Shri Madhab ( worshiped in Ratna singhasan along with Prabhu Shri Jaganath and his siblings) is being worshipped in Maa Bimala temple for eight days from the beginning of the puja while in the last eight days of the Puja, Maa Durga and Prabhu Shri Madhab pays a visit to Narayani temple, located in Dolamandap Sahi, in front of lion gate.
The servitors carry Maa Durga and Prabhu Madhaba in a chaudola. Bhuga in the name of mandua prasad is being offered to Mata Durga and Prabhu Madhab. After chandanlagi ritual, Mata Durga and Prabhu Madhaba returns back to Sri Mandira.
