Chaitra Navratri 2020: Significance, Dates, Puja Muhurat



Chaitra Navratri 2020: Significance, Dates, Puja Muhurat
Chaitra Navratri 2020: Significance, Dates, Puja Muhurat
Chaitra Navratri 2020: Significance, Dates, Puja Muhurat

What is Chaitra Navratri?

The festival of Navratri celebrated in the month of Chaitra is known as Chaitra Navaratri. It is a nine-day celebration in which Goddess Durga, the epitome of absolute divine power, is welcomed in homes by devotees and worshipped in all her nine forms with great jubilation and happiness. Hindu devotees mainly worship three main forms of Goddess Shakti - Durga, Saraswati, and Lakshmi - to seek their divine blessings during this blissful time of the year. The nine forms of Shakti worshipped on each day of Chaitra Navratri are Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandmata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Maha Gauri and Siddhidatri.

The festival commences on the first day of the Hindu calendar during Shukla Paksha of Chaitra Masa falling in the month of March-April every year. This year, it will begin on 25th March 2020 and will end on 2nd April 2020. Chaitra Navratri is also called Vasanta Navratri as it marks the beginning of the spring season in India. This festival culminates with Ram Navami, the birthday of Lord Rama.

Significance of Chaitra Navratri

The most auspicious occasion of Chaitra Navratri holds immense significance for the Hindu people as it is the best time to please Goddess Durga and seek her blessings. The religious rituals and ceremonies of Chaitra Navratri has a great symbolic value attached to them. The first three days of Chaitra Navratri is devoted to Maa Durga, the Goddess of Energy; the next three days is devoted to Maa Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth; and the last three days is dedicated to Maa Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge.

As the festival of Chaitra Navratri begins on the first day of the Hindu Lunisolar Calendar, the first day of the nine-day extravaganza is celebrated as –

1 - Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra

2 - Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh

3 - Navreh in Kashmir

4 - Chaitra Vishu or Puthandu in Tamil Nadu

Legends behind Chaitra Navratri

According to the epic Ramayana, Lord Rama, and Lakshmana worshipped Maa Shakti for nine days and performed yagna on the last day to seek her blessings. These blessings gave them the courage to fight Ravana and release Mother Sita from his captivity.

According to another legend, once there was a king named Sudarshan who offered his prayers to Maa Shakti and became victorious in seeking her blessings. To thank the Goddess, the king in return performed a yagna and therefore, this day came to be celebrated as Chaitra Navratri.

When is Chaitra Navratri: 2020 Chaitra Navratri Dates

Navratri Day
Date
Day
25thMarch 2020
Wednesday / बुधवार
26th March 2020
Thursday / गुरूवार
27th March 2020
Friday / शुक्रवार
28th March 2020
Saturday / शनिवार
29th March 2020
Sunday / रविवार
30th March 2020
Monday / सोमवार
31st March 2020
Tuesday / मंगलवार
1st April 2020
Wednesday / बुधवार
2nd April 2020
Thursday / गुरूवार
Dashami
3rd April 2020
Friday / शुक्रवार




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