The Steps to be Taken in Navratri

Navratri is a festival celebrated among Hindus after fasting for nine days in the month of September or October. It is celebrated among all the Hindus with great passion and enthusiasm.

We may understand the significance of Points to remember in Navratri by the food items that should be taken during Navratri or nine fasts and the prayer of nine forms of Goddess Durga which should be performed during the nine nights before the festival Dussehra.

The Goddess of virtue is worshipped during these days in order to gain her blessings and security from any unknown fear and possible risks. The believers ask for peace and wealth from the Goddess. The Goddess of power has the command over the formulation, support and extinction of the universe.

As Navratri is being celebrated with all the traditions and rituals followed. It is really necessary to remember points during Navratri in which exact method of worshipping is of most importance.

The necessary items needed for the prayer are:

You will need a Durga Saptshati book, a coconut and fresh grass. You will also require some fresh and washed mango leaves and a red sacred thread. You may have fresh fruits and sweets such as 'banana', or 'peda' for prasad. Every member should sit together on a clean mat. Other important things are:

• Incense sticks
• A matchstick
• Picture of ‘maa Durga’or Idol of Goddess Durga in the prayer room
• A cloth to cover the head of idol
• Ganga water or plain water in Kalash (pitcher)
• Some fresh flowers like rose or jasmine.
• Sandalwood
• Roli, red sacred powder for teekaa
• Rice and supari
• Paan (Betel leaves) and cloves
• Cardamom
• Kumkum ( or vermilion)
• Gulal


The first necessity to do the puja is to wake up early in the morning with sunrise as this time is believed best to perform the Navratri Pooja, then take bath and wear washed clothes. Keep 'deep' at the left side of the idol. Light the ‘Akhand jyot’ with matchstick. You should not vacate the house; atleast one single person should stay there. Incense sticks or the ‘Dhoop batti’ should be kept at the right side of the idol. Perform the prayer with full faith and belief. Put the coconut and pot also on the right side of idol. Sit in a position facing towards the idol on the mat or a clean bed sheet. Light the ‘diya’ with matchstick and ring the bell with hand and blow the shankh. The pot is filled with water and coconut while the mango leaves are kept above them. Christen some Gangajal which is treated as the holy water all over the prayer room. Later on some fresh grass and rose are offered to the idol. Then place a paan with cloves on it, and if someone is married she should offer two such ‘paans’. "Om aing hreeng kleeng chamundaya vichche namah” is the mantra which should be recited during the pooja.

The foods must be taken during the fasts keeping in mind with no use of salt, onion and garlic. Some of the foods are ‘sabudana khichdi’, ‘sabudana vada’ and fruits.