The five-day Sharadiya Durga Puja festival is approaching its emotional farewell as Hindu devotees across the country celebrate Maha Navami on Tuesday amid prayers, traditional rituals and festivities.
Puja mandaps are filled with the rhythmic beats of traditional drums, the fragrance of incense and prayers as devotees worship Goddess Durga on the ninth day of the festival.
While the celebrations continue, a sense of farewell is beginning to settle over the mandaps, with the festival set to conclude on Wednesday through the immersion of idols on Vijaya Dashami.
According to Hindu belief, Goddess Durga defeated the demon Mahishasura and other evil forces to restore peace and goodness to the world.
Maha Navami is dedicated to worshipping the goddess’s power and victory over evil. It also marks the beginning of devotees’ preparations to bid her farewell, as she is believed to return to Mount Kailash on Dashami.
One of the main attractions of Maha Navami is the evening Maha Aarti, a ceremonial offering of light to the goddess.
The day’s religious rituals also include Navami Homa, a sacred fire ritual, and traditional sacrificial offerings. At many puja mandaps, devotees will offer 108 lotus flowers at the feet of the goddess.
The rituals will be followed by Anjali, the offering of prayers, and the distribution of Prasad, or blessed food.
For devotees visiting mandaps with family members and loved ones, Maha Navami is also an occasion to celebrate together and create lasting memories before the festival ends.
According to Hindu scriptures, Sandhi Puja is performed at the transition between Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami to worship Goddess Chamunda.
The special ritual lasts 48 minutes, covering the final 24 minutes of Ashtami and the first 24 minutes of Navami.
Traditionally, 108 earthen lamps are lit and 108 lotus flowers are offered during Sandhi Puja.
The five-day Durga Puja celebrations began on Saturday with Maha Shashthi and will conclude on Wednesday with the immersion of idols on Vijaya Dashami.
As the festival draws to a close, prayers and celebrations at puja mandaps are increasingly accompanied by memories of the festivities and the sadness of bidding farewell to the goddess.
