Sharad Navaratri 2014 Dates

Sharad Navratri is the third form of Navratri celebrated in India. The table given below
contains the dates of Basant Navaratri 2014. Lets tae a loo at the dates!
"ate "a# Tithi
$oddess
%orshi&ed
'vents
Se&tember 2()
2014
Th*rsda# +rathama Shail&*tri $hatastha&ana
Se&tember 2,)
2014
-rida# "witi#a Brahmacharini .handra "arshan
Se&tember 2/)
2014
Sat*rda# Triti#a .handraghanta Sindoor Triti#a
Se&tember 20)
2014
S*nda# .hat*rthi 1*shmanda 2arad 2ina#a .ha*th
Se&tember 23)
2014
4onda# +anchami Sandamata 5&ang Lalita 2rat
Se&tember 60)
2014
T*esda# Shashthi 1at#a#ani 7gomon +*8a
9ctober 1) 2014 %ednesda# Sa&tami 1alratri
Saraswati 7hwan) "*rga
Bodhan
9ctober 2) 2014 Th*rsda# 7shtami 4ahaga*ri "*rga ashtami) Sandhi +*8a
9ctober 6) 2014 -rida# Navami Siddhidatri
7#*dha +*8a) "h*n*chi
Nrit#a
First Day(Pratipada): Worship Goddess Shailputri
The first da# of Navaratri is also nown as +rati&ada. 9n +rati&ada) $oddess
"*rga is worshi&ed as Shail&*tri. :Shail means mo*ntains while the literal
meaning of :+*tri is da*ghter. The $oddess is the embodiment of $oddess
"*rga and is believed to &ossess the &owers of Brahma) 2ishn* and Shiva. 7s
&er the tradition) it is a*s&icio*s to wear red clothes on the first da# of Navaratri 2014
festival. The $oddess is also nown as +arvati) Sati Bhavani or ;emavati.
Second Day(Ditiya): Worship Goddess !rah"acharini
This is the second da# of Navaratri where $oddess "*rga is worshi&ed in the
form of Brahmacharini. The name of the $oddess means as the one who
follows &io*s strictness.
The form of $oddess +arvati grants &ros&erit# and emanci&ation. It is a
c*stom to wear bl*e clothes on the second and the third da# of the Navaratri 2014
festival.
#hird Day(#ritiya): Worship Goddess $handra%hanta
.handraghanta is worshi&ed on Triti#a of of Navratri. The name
.handraghanta refers to the half moon on the forehead of $oddess "*rga or
.handraghanta in the sha&e of a bell <ghanta=.
She stands for co*rage and valo*r that is essential to fight the evil.
The third da# of Navaratri 2014 e>hibits to characteristics of braver# and co*rage of
$oddess "*rga.
Fourth Day ($haturthi): Worship Goddess &ush"anda
9n the fo*rth da# of Navratri) $oddess is worshi&ed in the form of
1*shmanda. It is believed to that the *niverse got created b# the $oddess as
she la*ghed.
It is de&icted to have 0 to 10 hands. "evo*ts wear #ellow clothes on this da# of Navaratri
2014.
Fi'th Day(Pancha"i): Worship Goddess S(anda"ata
The fifth da# of Navaratri is nown as +anchami. The fifth da# owes to
Sandamata which means mother of 1artie#a) who is also nown as Sanda.
1artie#a led the arm# of angels and fo*ght the demons. Sandamata is
de&icted holding an infant 1artie#a.
It is c*stomar# to wear green shaded clothes on the fifth da# of Navaratri 2014.
Si)th Day(Shashthi): Worship Goddess &atyayani
$oddess is venerated as 1at#a#ani on the si>th da# of the Navaratri festival.
7ccording to ;ind* m#tholog#) venerated 1ata &erformed several a*sterities
to acce&t the $oddess in the form of a da*ghter. Im&ressed with the devotion)
the $oddess acce&ted his boon.
The child born to 1ata came to be nown as 1at#a#ani. $oddess 1at#a#ani "evi is
worshi&ed on si>th da# of Navratri or Navaratri 2014.
Seventh Day(Sapta"i): Worship Goddess &alratri
The seventh da# of Navaratri venerates $oddess in the form of 1alratri)
meaning a blac) dar night.
Literal to its meaning) the $oddess is de&icted having dar com&le>ion with
an aggressive &ost*re. She s#mboli?es &rotection from all inds of tro*bles.
The $oddess is seen riding over a done#.
1alratri is also nown as S*bhanari. 9range is the colo*r for Sa&tami of Navaratri 2014.
*i%hth Day(+shta"i): Worship Goddess ,aha Gauri
This da# s#mboli?es serenit# and bea*t# when the $oddess is worshi&ed as
4aha $a*ri. 4aha $a*ri is de&icted as being e>tremel# bea*tif*l) white as
snow who mars to wash awa# sins thro*gh her &*rit#. It is said that d*e to
severe chastenesses) the $oddess had gained dar com&le>ion. Lord Shiva
hel&ed her to regain her bea*t# once he washed her with the sacred water of
the $anges. ;er re&lenished form attained the name@ 4aha $a*ri. %hite is the c*stomar#
colo*r of the eighth da# of Navaratri 2014.
Ninth Day(Nava"i): Worship Goddess Siddhidatri
9n ninth da#) Siddhidatri is venerated. Siddhidatri embodies all the eight
Siddhis. 7ccording to ;ind* m#tholog#) Lord Shiva worshi&ed Siddhidatri
and was bestowed with all the siddhis.
Lord Shiva came to be nown as 7rdhanarishvara. "evotees wear &in color
on the ninth and the last da# of the festival.
The last da# of Navaratri 2014 is followed b# 2i8a#adashami.
The tenth da# of the Navaratri 2014 *ltimatel# s#mboli?es the good destro#ing the evil. It
is &o&*larl# celebrated as 2i8a#adashami where idols of Aavana) the demon ing is b*rnt
in man# &arts of India) whereas) in some &laces &rocessions tae &lace that incl*de
ele&hants and &io*s &eo&le.
7fter being familiar with each da# of the Navaratri festival) one wo*ld be eager to now
the historical significance behind its celebration. Lets disc*ss the m#thological evidences
for celebrating the Navaratri festival.
,ytholo%ical *vidences For Navratri $ele-ration
7ccording to legends) 4ahishas*ra@ a worshi&&er of Lord Shiva had grown into an
s&itef*l demon and started on a s&ree to ill innocent &eo&le. To sto& his malevolent
activities to tae over the three Loas or realms) Brahma) 2ishn*) and 4ahesha of ;ind*
trinit# *nited their &owers to form the s*&reme@ $oddess "*rga.
She entered into a war with 4ahishas*ra that lasted for the &eriod of nine da#s and on the
tenth da#) $oddess "*rga ended the war b# beheading the demon) 4ahishas*ra. These
nine da#s to save the *niverse from destr*ction signif# the Navaratri festival.
7s &er ;ind* m#tholog#) there is another legend attached to Navaratri. It is believed that
Lord Aama venerated $oddess "*rga for nine da#s to attain the &ower to vanB*ish
Aavana. 9n the tenth da#) Lord Aama illed Aavana that came to be nown as
2i8a#adashami or "*ssehra) when idols of Aavana are b*rnt in most &arts of o*r co*ntr#.
It is not s*r&rising in the ;ind* m#tholog# when one finds vivid evidences related to the
same incident. Same is the case with Navaratri. 7&art from the legends alread# described)
there is one more histor# behind the celebration of the festival. 7s &er ;ind* m#tholog#)
5ma@da*ghter of 1ing "asha) r*ler of ;imala#as) married Lord Shiva against the will
of her father. In res&onse) 1ing "asha arranged an Cagna to avenge Lord Shiva. %hen
his da*ghter) 5ma visited him to tae &art in the Coga) Lord Shiva was intentionall#
offended b# the ing.
5nable to bear the ins*lt of her h*sband) 5ma 8*m&ed into the 7gni 1*nd) which is wh#
she came to be nown as Sati. In her rebirth) she married Lord Shiva and made &eace
with her &arents. It is said that res*rrected Sati visits her &arents and sta#s there for a
&eriod of nine da#s which corres&onds with the nine da#s of the Navaratri festival.
7fter going in@de&th into the histor# of Navaratri) how wo*ld it be to now more abo*t
the celebration mannerisms of NavaratriD Lets tae a loo at the wa#s Navaratri festival
is celebrated in different &arts of India.
Nine patterns o' Navaratri
Pun.a-
The &eo&le from +*n8ab &erform fasts to show their devo*t a*sterit# to
$oddess "*rga@ the s#mbol of Shati or &ower. The fast is &erformed for
the first seven da#s) which breas on the eighth da# of Navratri b#
organi?ing a Bhandara or feast for nine #o*ng girls nown as 1an8a.
The# are also gifted red .h*nris or "*&attas. 7 Eagrata is another s&ecial feat*re to them)
where devotional songs are s*ng in the honor of $oddess and ee& awae the whole
night.
/i"achal Pradesh
It is act*all# the most im&ortant festival for the ;imachal ;ind*s. The
tenth da# of the festival is &o&*larl# nown as 1*ll* "*ssehra in
;imachal +radesh. %hile Navaratri festivit# ends ever#where on the tenth
da#) it mars the beginning of the festival in this state. +eo&le gather
together in a &om&o*s mood) maring the ret*rn of Lord Aama to 7#odh#a after illing
the demon) Aavana. 9n "*ssehra) the deities from tem&les are taen o*t to roads in
&rocessions.
Gu.arat
$*8arat is the centroid of the most vibrant Navratri celebration. 7 cla# &ot
nown as $arbha or womb is the so*rce of life on earth. %omen dance
aro*nd the water@filled $arbha wearing vibrant cost*mes. This dance is
also termed as $arbha that derives its name from the iconic cla# &ot.
"andi#a Aaas is another contem&orar# attraction of the festival where &eo&le dance in
coordination with each other. In "andi#a Aaas event) stics of eB*al length are *sed for
the dance. 9verall) the festive mood in $*8arat is a colo*rf*l affair.
,aharashtra
4aharashtra regards Navaratri as a good time to initiate things. Some
&refer to b*# a car) or even vent*re into the investing arena. The
4aharashtrians find it to be an a*s&icio*s time. 4arried women e>change
the gest*re of :Sa*mangal#am b# &*tting ;aldi and 1*m*m onto their
foreheads. Beca*se of 4aharashtras &ro>imit# to $*8arat) both the states
bear resemblance in its festive celebration. 'ach famil# in the two states get drenched in
the mood of 8o# and celebration.
West !en%al
In %est Bengal) Navaratri has its s#non#m as "*rga +*8a. "*rga +*8a is
considered to be the most 8o#o*s and im&ortant festival for the Bengalis.
It is celebrated with a great &om& and lavishness. This is a tem&oral sight
when the festival begins from the si>th da# of Navaratri 2014@Shashthi.
4aa "*rga is welcomed to her maternal home from the heavens. Idols of
$oddess "*rga along with her children@1arti) $anesh) Lashmi and Saraswati are
sc*l&ted in the "*rga +*8a. The festival becomes worth considering if one tals abo*t
Navaratri.
&arnata(a
The celebrations in 1arnataa dates bac to the era of Aa8a %ode#ar.
7ltho*gh) the &*r&ose of celebration is the same i.e. tri*m&h of $oddess
"*rga over 4ahishas*ra@the resident of 4#sore) the celebration is done
according to the traditions of the 2i8a#nagar em&ire of 1/th cent*r#. +rocessions of
ele&hants are taen to roads. '>hibition of craft artefacts are an im&ortant feat*re of the
.arnatic Navaratri.
&erala
1erala celebrates the last three da#s of Navaratri i.e. 7shtami) Navami
and 2i8a#a "ashami. Being the most literate state in the co*ntr#) this
states the reason behind its literac# <&io*sl#=. Since) $oddess Saraswati is
worshi&ed d*ring the last three da#s) the# firml# believe that Saraswati
4ata will grant them the wisdom of learning and nowledge.
The# &lace the boos and m*sical instr*ments in front of the $oddess on 7shtami. The#
&ra# the $oddess for granting them nowledge and ed*cation. 9n 2i8a#a "ashami) the#
tae the boos o*t for learning.
#a"il Nadu
The "ravidian state devotes the nine da#s of Navaratri to $oddess "*rga)
$oddess Lashmi and $oddess Saraswati. %omen belonging to the I#er
comm*nit# invite their married female acB*aintances and gift them
s#mbols of marital goodwill@ bangles) earrings etc. 7 s&ecial dish
:S*ndal is &re&ared of lentil seeds and &*lses for the g*ests. Some &eo&le
also creates a s&ecial maeshift staircase :$ol* that consists of nine ste&s
s#mboli?ing the nine da#s of Navaratri. Idols of $ods and $oddesses are &laced on the
stairs that are handed over from generation to generation.
+ndhra Pradesh
Navaratri is celebrated as :Bath*amma +and*ga in 7ndhra +radesh.
Bath*amma +and*ga literall# means :.ome 7live 4other. The term
celebrates *niversal motherhood. %omen &re&are :Bath*a which is a
bea*tif*l stac of seasonal flowers which often a&&ear lie a &ot. The#
have the rit*al to &osition themselves in the centre and sing songs
dedicated to $oddess Shati. 7fter &erforming the rit*al) the# float awa# the Bath*as
in lae water.
Navaratri is the festival that re&resents the omni&otent motherhood. It taes the form of
4aha $a*ri) $oddess "*rga or 1at#a#ani 4aa. Be it in an# form) the festival signifies
the tri*m&h of good over evil thro*gh the hands of the s*&reme mother.