Shardiya Navratri 2023 : Shardiya Navratri, also known as Maha Navratri, is a significant Hindu festival that marks the arrival of Maa Durga on Earth. It falls in the month of Ashwin during the Pratipada date of Shukla Paksha. This nine-day festival is celebrated with great zeal and devotion by millions of devotees.
Shardiya Navratri 2023
During Shardiya Navratri, devotees worship the various forms of Maa Durga, seeking her blessings and protection. It is believed that during these nine days, Maa Durga removes all the troubles and obstacles from the lives of her devotees and showers them with her choicest blessings.
The word ‘Navratri’ itself means ‘nine nights’ in Sanskrit. These nine nights are dedicated to the nine different forms of Maa Durga, known as the Navadurga. Each day of Navratri, a specific form of Maa Durga is worshipped, starting with Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri, and finally, Siddhidatri.
Devotees observe fasts and perform religious rituals during Navratri. The fasting period is considered highly auspicious and is believed to purify the mind, body, and soul. Many devotees choose to abstain from consuming non-vegetarian food, alcohol, and certain other substances during this time. Instead, they opt for a sattvic diet that includes fruits, milk, and other vegetarian dishes.
