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When is Durga Ashtami in the Year 2021 Date
October 13, 2021 - WednesdayWhen is Durga Ashtami in the Year 2021?
Durga Ashtami Puja is observed in many parts of India mainly in Bengal, Orissa, Jharkhand and other eastern parts of India. The day is considered significant as life is "breathed" into the idol of Durga by priests who perform elaborate rituals amidst chanting of religious verses.
The devotees of Goddess Durga start the celebrations on the morning of Maha Ashtami with Pushpanjali. Devotees perform the ritualistic bathing and fasting before offering Pushpanjali. Fresh flowers are held in hand and the mantra is recited after the Pujari. After reciting the Sanskrit couplets everyone showers flowers at the Goddess's feet.
Durga Puja is widely celebrated in the Indian states of Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Tripura and West Bengal, where it is a five-day annual holiday. In West Bengal and Tripura, which has a majority of Bengali Hindus, it is the biggest festival of the year. Not only it is the biggest Hindu festival celebrated throughout the state, it is also the most significant socio-cultural event in Bengali society.
Apart from eastern India, Durga Puja is also celebrated in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.
Apart from eastern India, Durga Puja is also celebrated in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala.
The worship of little girls, called 'kumari puja, is the main attraction of the day. Kumari Puja is the puja where in a young girl, within age 12-13 is worshipped, as the young girl representation of Devi Durga.
Yoginis (the companions of Devi Durga) are worshiped on this day. The nine manifestation of the Goddess- Durga, Jayanti, Mangla Kali, Bhadra Kali, Kapalini, Kshama Dhatri, Siva, Svaha and Svadha are worshiped.
Durga Puja is a festival which is also said to be the festival of Good Winning over Bad, Maa Durga winning over Mahishasura. Durgashtami day overlaps with the next day to end with a Sandhi Puja, puja performed for the overlapping of Durgashtami with Mahanavami.
Young unmarried girls, being treated as Goddess Durga itself, are also worshipped on Maha Ashtami. Worshipping of young girls during Durga Puja is known as Kumari Puja. In many regions Kumari Puja is done during all nine days of Durga Navratri. Kumari Puja on a single day during Durga Puja is preferred on Maha Ashtami.
Evening Aarti is performed with fire. The fire symbolizes light and is the purifier of sins. In the evening, Sandhi puja is conducted, which marks the inter-linking of the Maha Ashtami with Maha Navami. It is performed at the end of Durga Ashtami and the beginning of Maha Navami.
Sandhi Puja is one of the most important ritual during Durga Ashtami-Durga Puja. The 48 minutes interval or Sandhi when Ashtami Tithi transits into Navami is highly sacred. Half of it falls in Ashtami and another half in Navami. At this time Durga is worshiped as Chamunda (a form of Kali who killed the demon Chand and Munda).
Sandhi Puja is one of the most important ritual during Durga Ashtami-Durga Puja. The 48 minutes interval or Sandhi when Ashtami Tithi transits into Navami is highly sacred. Half of it falls in Ashtami and another half in Navami. At this time Durga is worshiped as Chamunda (a form of Kali who killed the demon Chand and Munda).