Navratri is a festival that continues for 9 days and over after victory on demon Mahisashur on 10th days. It begins on the first day of Shukla paksha. There are two Navratri’s followed in Hindu religion – Chaitra Navratri and Sharada Navratri. Chaitra Navratri is marked as the beginning of the new year and it falls in March or April. Sharada Navratri falls in September or October. This festival is celebrated in honour of Maa Durga’s 9 forms – Maa Shailputri, Maa Brahmacharini, Maa Chandraghanta, Maa Kushmanda, Maa Skandamata, Maa Katyayani, Maa Kalaratri and Maa Siddhiratri. And the tenth day is celebrated as Vijaydashmi on this day Maa, the deceased demon Mahisashur. It is a victory of good over evil.

Sharda Navratri holds more significance and Chaitra Navratri emphasizes renewal and new beginning. It is also related to the birth of Lord Rama on 9th day Navaratri and is celebrated as Ram Navami. During Chaitra Navratri people used to prefer various pratices like- kundali reading, match making, career horoscope etc.

As India is the country of different religions and Navratri is also celebrated in many different ways in different religions. There are some special guidelines that are observed during these days.

The guidelines are as follows:

Do’s

• One should visit a temple or set up a small shrine for Maa Durga at home and worship daily with offerings of flowers, bhog and light diya. It will bring a sense of peace in your life.
• It is believed that offering water to Maa is highly auspicious during Navratri as it invites purity and positivity into living space.
• Wear clean clothes and stay barefoot at home. Also take a shower before doing puja. It maintains cleanliness and sacredness.
• Fasting is an important part of Navratri that allows your body to detox and which brings you closer to spirituality. Some people use to consume only fruits or milk while fasting and some people prefer to have one meal a day.
• Decorate the mother Divine with garland, flowers, bangles colourful clothes, It shows devotion and respect towards Maa.
• As these 9 days are periods of purity, it is advised to follow the brahmacharya while this duration signifies self-discipline and spiritual dedication.
• Light Akhand jyoti, it is considered as highly auspicious. It is lit with desi ghee continuously for nine days for bringing Maa Durga’s blessings.
• On the eighth day many people perform kanya pujan, but some people also perform it on the ninth day. Nine girls are symbolised as nine forms of Maa Durga. People wash their feet with water and offer them special meals for seeking blessings from them.

Don’ts

• Avoid garlic and onion in this duration as these are considered as tamasic bhojan. Prefer to have satvic bhojan.
• Avoid shaving and cutting of hairs during this duration.
• Avoid consumption of alcohol. It is considered as an impure that will affect your mind and soul while doing fast.
• Avoid eating non-veg as these types of food will disrupt spiritual growth and purity during this duration.
• This period is very beneficial for those who want to seek blessings of Goddess Durga. The energy of this duration is very high in positive as well as negative ways. If you want to attract abundance and prosperity then this time can be fruitful for you. Then there are some astrological remedies that can help you in seeking those things if practised in this period.
• On the first day of Navratri, take 11 kauri and 3 gomti chakra. Tie them in red cloth and mark with turmeric paste and keep it in your mandir. After kanya pujan ties this bundle to the higher place in the kitchen it will attract abundance.
• Reciting Shri Sookat in these 9 days, once can overcome the financial crisis.
• Goddess Laxmi is said to have 18 son’s. If there is a Friday in Navratras the chanting with 18 son’s names starting with OM and ending at NAMAH preferably 21/51/101 times devotees may be blessed with their desired wealth.
• Reading Durga Saptshati once or twice a day in Navratra will help you in seeking peace and Maa will show you a path to overcome obstacles.
• Do arti with cloves, camphor, jaggery, yellow mustard and cow dung to cleansing the space, so that positivity may increase.
• Don’t forget to offer honey and itra to Maa Durga as it signifies enhancement in devotee’s personality and aura.
• Offer a betel leaf with 7 red rose petals every day on Navratra it will ensure everlasting prosperity.
• If a person want to free from his debts can offer 108 roses to Maa Durga in Brahma muhurat and tie a quarter of red lentils in a red cloth and keep it in front, light a desi ghee diya and chant any of the mantras dedicated to Maa Durga 108 times.
• On Tuesday of Navratri offer yellow vermillion mixed with cow milk to Lord Hanuman ji and offer jaggery to the deity then distribute it later as prasad. And on Saturday offer red vermillion mix with jasmine oil to Hanuman ji and offer red peda then distribute it as prasad.
• In Navratra one should do charity wholeheartedly. It will help you in seeking valuable blessings. Anna daan is considered as maha daan, if you do charity by serving a meal during.

Navratra to the needy people then nothing will compete with this. It is much more than anything else.

There are many more remedies that can help you seek blessings of Maa Durga. But remember if your karma is good then you will get good in return.