Maha Navami 2018 Puja Vidhi

By: Manmeet Kaur Tura

Durga Puja falls during the nine-day festival of Navratri and Mahanavami is third and final day of Durga Puja. Durga Puja on Maha Navami starts with Mahasnanand Shodashopachar Puja.

On Maha Navami Goddess Durga is worshipped in the form of Mahisasuramardini which means the demolisher of the Buffalo Demon. It is believed that it was on Maha Navami that Goddess Durga killed the demon, Mahishasura. On this day, Mahasnan and Shodasopachar puja (puja with sixteen offerings) is executed for Maa Durga.

The Vedas say that Goddess Durga killed Mahishasura on this very day and therefore to thank and please her, she is given a holy bath and sixteen types of eatables are offered to her.

Depending on the starting time of Navami Tithi on previous day, Maha Navami Puja and fasts may be performed on Ashtami Tithi. The defined rule is that if Ashtami and Navami unite before Sanyakal on Ashtami Tithi then Ashtami Puja, Navami Puja and Sandhi Puja are all done on the same day.

However Maa Durga Balidan is always done on Uday Vyapini Navami Tithi. According to Nirnaysindhu the most suitable time to perform Balidan on Navami is Aparahna Kaal.

Navami Homa is performed on Maha Navami and it is the most important ritual during Durga Puja. The most appropriate time to perform Homa is at the end of Navami Puja.

Maha Navmi Puja Time

Navami Tithi Begins = 12:49 on 17/Oct/2018
Navami Tithi Ends = 15:28 on 18/Oct/2018

Maha Navami Puja in different states

According to Vedas, Durga puja performed on the Maha Navami is as auspicious as performing the puja on all the nine day of Navratri. On this day, Siddhidatri the incarnation of Goddess Durga is worshipped.

On Maha Navami, Ma Durga is offered sugarcane stalks.

In Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, Kanya Pujan is performed in which nine girls (who haven’t reached their sexual maturity) are invited to the puja at the house and are fed and their feet are touched to take the blessings. The nine girls are considered to be nine forms of goddess Durga and are worshipped on the day
In the state of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Saraswati puja is performed on the previous day of Ashtami and Maha Navami is considered as a day to rest. It is believed that no new work must be started on this day.

In the states of Kashmir, Haryana, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, the Navratri celebrations end on the eighth day itself i.e. Ashtami. It is also considered that the eighth day is the day on which Maa Parvati was born or incarnated on earth.
On Maha Navami, at the end of Navami Puja, Navami Homa is performed.
A Maha Arati is done on this day to mark the end of the Navratri celebrations.

In Bengal, the idol of Maa Durga is immersed in an ocean or river. A large procession is carried out to celebrate this festival.
In Orissa, fish is offered to Ma Durga as Navami Bhog and is later distributed amongst the devotees as prasad. Typical Oriya dishes are prepared on this day.