NAVRATRI
DAY 1 - ROYAL BLUE
“Navaratri” is a festival of nine days and on the tenth day, we celebrate Vijayadashami which signifies success of righteous over unrighteous. On the first nine days, the Devi Upasakas, will worship nine avatars(forms) of Durga.
The nine Avatars(forms) of Durga are Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandra Ghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamatha, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Maha Gowri and Siddidatri. Their importance are:
1. Shailaputri – This is the first form of the Durga Devi. She got this name as she was born as a daughter of Himavanta. She holds a Trishula on her right hand and a lotus on the left. She has a vrushabha(Bull) as her Vahana(vehicle). Her other names are Parvati, Haimavati etc. She got married to Lord Shiva. On the first day of Navaratri, we worship Shailaputri and the Yogis start their penance on this day by keeping their mind on the “Muladhara” chakra.
The nine Avatars(forms) of Durga are Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandra Ghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamatha, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Maha Gowri and Siddidatri. Their importance are:
1. Shailaputri – This is the first form of the Durga Devi. She got this name as she was born as a daughter of Himavanta. She holds a Trishula on her right hand and a lotus on the left. She has a vrushabha(Bull) as her Vahana(vehicle). Her other names are Parvati, Haimavati etc. She got married to Lord Shiva. On the first day of Navaratri, we worship Shailaputri and the Yogis start their penance on this day by keeping their mind on the “Muladhara” chakra.
DAY 2 - YELLOW
2. Brahmacharini – This is the second form of Durga. Here “Brahma” means penance. Her name signifies that she is a great Tapaswini. Her face is enlightened with a great light and awesome to see it. She holds a Japamala on the right hand and a Kamandalu on the left hand. She made a great penance to get Shiva only as her husband as instructed by Sage Narada and therefore she got this name. For the first 1000 years, she ate only fruits. Then, for hundreds of years she ate only leaves after which she fasted for many years. She offered Bilwa leaves to Shiva to please him. As she also left eating parnas(leaves), she is also called Aparna. On worshipping her, we get penance, renunciation, sacrifice etc. On worshipping Brahmacharini on the second day, Sadhakas concentrate their mind on “Swadhishtana” chakra.
DAY-3 GREEN
3. Chandra Ghanta – Devi Durga’s third form is Chandra Ghanta and she got this name as she has a half-moon shaped ghanta on her head. Her face is always calm and gives peace to those who worship her. We worship her on the third day of Navaratri. Her body always glows with golden shining and has ten hands. She has a lion as her vehicle. On this day, the Sadhakas mind enters the “Manipura” chakra when doing penance. We get liberated from all the materialistic loss. She is the destroyer of demons and gives peace to all her devotees.
3. Chandra Ghanta – Devi Durga’s third form is Chandra Ghanta and she got this name as she has a half-moon shaped ghanta on her head. Her face is always calm and gives peace to those who worship her. We worship her on the third day of Navaratri. Her body always glows with golden shining and has ten hands. She has a lion as her vehicle. On this day, the Sadhakas mind enters the “Manipura” chakra when doing penance. We get liberated from all the materialistic loss. She is the destroyer of demons and gives peace to all her devotees.
DAY 4 GREY
4.Kushmanda
About: After taking the form of Siddhidatri, the Mother Goddess started living within the Sun thereby liberating the Sun's energy to the universe. Since then, this form of the Goddess has been known as Kushmanda, namely for her power and capability to live inside the Sun. The glow and radiance of her body is as luminous as that of the Sun.
Day of worship: 4th day of Navratri
Governing planet: Sun
Mantra: Om Devi Kushmandayai Namah ॐ देवी कूष्माण्डायै नम
Iconography: Rides on a lioness and has eight hands. She holds a kamandalu, Dhanush, Bada and Kamal in Her right hands. Her left hands hold Amrit Kalash(pot of nectar), japa mala(prayer beads), Gada and Chakra - in that order.
Specific power: She created the universe in the flash of Her smile and is believed to bestow siddhis(supernatural powers) and niddhis(wealth) to Her devotees
DAY-5 ORANGE
5. SKANDAMATA-Skandamata is the mother of Skanda or Lord Kartikeya, who was chosen by gods as their commander-in-chief in the war against the demons. She is worshipped on the fifth day of Navaratri. Emphasizing her pure and divine nature, Skanda Mata is seated on a lotus, and she has four arms and three eyes. She holds the infant Skanda in her right upper arm and a lotus in her right hand, which is slightly raised upward. With her left arm, she grants blessings to the Hindu faithful, and she holds a second lotus in her left hand.
