Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The city is going to celebrate the Navratri festival with pomp and gay abandon two years after the Covid pandemic put a spanner in the works. Navratri will start on Monday (September 26) and will last till October 5. There are a total of four Navratris in the whole year—two Gupt Navratris, a Chaitra Navratri and a Shardiya Navratri. This year, Shardiya Navratri starts on Monday.
Nine forms of Maa Durga are worshipped during Navratri. According to the Hindu calendar, Navratri will start on the Pratipada Tithi of the month of Ashwin and continue till the Navami Tithi. This year’s Shardiya Navratri is considered special, as Maa Durga will come riding on an elephant.
Pt Pavan Pathak said that, this year Maa Durga will come with an elephant as her vahana. It is considered to increase happiness, prosperity and efforts for peace in the world.
People in the city are excited to welcome the Goddess and pandals for performing garba have already been set up at most of the prominent places of the city. It is after two years that a mass gathering for performing garba is being officially allowed. People who have been waiting for this ‘Garba season’ of the year are enthusiastically preparing their dance and costumes. It is after a long time that the Goddess will be welcomed on a grand scale and everybody will come together to perform garba.
Akhand Jyoti ritual
On the day of Pratipada Tithi of Ashwin Shukla Paksha, a resolution is made after a ritualistic morning bath. After taking resolution of a fast, barley is sown by making an earthen altar. The ghat is installed on this altar. The idol of the Kuldevi is installed on the ghat and worshipped and Durga Saptashati is recited. A lamp, known as ‘Akhand Jyoti’, should be kept burning at the time of worship.
Tithi for Establishing Maa Durga
Date: September 26, 2022
Amrut Muhurat: 6:18 am-7:48 am
Shubh Muhurat: 9:18 am-10:48 am
Abhijit Muhurat: 11:54 am-12:42 am
— By Pt Pavan Pathak
