Shardiya Navratri 2024: Shardiya Navratri is a major festival of Hindu religion, which has started from today i.e. 3rd October. This festival is celebrated every year for nine days from Pratipada to Navami of Shukla Paksha of Ashwin month. This time Shardiya Navratri will start from 3rd October and end on Dussehra on 12th October. Nine different forms of Maa Durga are worshiped during Navratri.
This year, due to some discrepancy in the coordination of English dates and Hindu dates, Ashtami and Mahanavami worship will be performed on 11 October. The festival of Dussehra will be celebrated on Saturday, 12 October. In this way, full nine days will be available for the worship of Mother Goddess. Ghat Sthapana is performed on the first day of Navratri, which is considered the beginning of the entire puja ritual. After this, various forms of Mother Goddess are worshiped every day, in which the days of Ashtami and Navami have special significance. Ghat Sthapana (Kalash Sthapana) is done on the first day of Navratri, which is also called setting up Mata ki Chowki Baithana.
also read: Navratri 2024: If you have fasted for Maa Durga during Navratri, then how many times should you eat fruits, know the rules.
science of fasting
According to Devi Bhagwat and Markandeya Purana, worshiping the Goddess and fasting for nine days of Navratri has special significance. From the point of view of Ayurveda, weather changes during these days, due to which the digestive process can be affected. To balance this, the tradition of fasting was started.
Shardiya Navratri marks the beginning of winter season, which is considered the best time to improve health. During this time, it is advisable to take a light and healthy diet, because the digestion process becomes slower than on normal days, which can lead to feeling of laziness and fatigue. Even if you do not fast, food should be kept light so that the digestive system remains fine.
Fasting not only improves the digestive system but also improves the ability to digest food. At this time, due to change in weather, bacteria and viruses remain more active, hence the importance of fasting increases even more. It prepares the body to fight diseases.
new beginning and old ending time
At the time of Navratri, the Sun is closest to the equator, due to which day and night are equal. In the language of science it is called Equinox. This astronomical event occurs twice a year – first in March and second on 22 September, which is called Autumnal Equinox. During this period, sunlight and moon light reach the earth in equal quantity. When this astronomical event occurs, at the same time we celebrate Shardiya Navratri. This Navratri signals the beginning of autumn, which brings cold weather.
During Sharadiya Navratri of Ashwin month, the weather remains balanced – neither too cold nor too hot. This time is considered favorable for change in nature and for spiritual practice. Changes in nature and weather affect the internal and external life of a person. Internally it is a time for meditation and spiritual practice, while the heat of the external world subsides. In science it is called Principle of Thermodynamics.
Our ancient sages knew that this junction of seasons symbolizes the disintegration and reconstruction of the power of the universe. This process also completes a cycle of nature in our mind and body, after which new changes and developments take place. ,Shardiya Navratri 2024)