Navratri 2018: Navratri Shubh Muhurat Date, Time, Puja Vidhi & Navratri Fasting; All you need to know

Navratri 2018: The season of festivals is here again! People across the country and abroad are celebrating Navratri which has begun from today. Navratri also spelt as Navaratri or Navarathri is the celebration of ‘nava ratris’ (nine nights) symbolizes the devotion and love which people have for Goddess Shakti, the supreme cosmic power. It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various states. All the nine days of the festival are dedicated to the nine manifestations of Goddess Shakti. The festivity culminates on the tenth day with Vijay Dashami or Dussehra. Here’s all you need to know about the festival.

Navratri Date and Time

Navratri begins on the first day of Ashwin lunar month with Ghatasthapana. Kalash, which is installed during Ghatasthapana, is immersed in the water body on the tenth day. Navratri begins - Pratipada (1st day) of Ashwin (seventh lunar month) Shukla Paksha Navratri ends - Navami (9th day) of Ashwin Shukla Paksha This year, Navratri will start on October 10 and end on October 18. The last five days are celebrated as Durga Puja in Bengal. While the last day (10th day) is called Dussehra. Also Read| Navratri Wishes 2018 Day 1: October 10, 2018 - Pratipada Goddess Shailputri is worshipped on this day Day 2: October 11, 2018 - Dwitiya Goddess Brahmacharini is worshipped on this day Day 3: October 12, 2018 - Tritiya Goddess Chandraghanta is worshipped on this day Day 4: October 13, 2018 - Chaturthi Goddess Kushmanda is worshipped on this day Day 5: October 14, 2018 - Panchami Goddess Skandamta is worshipped on this day Day 6: October 15, 2018 - Shasthi Goddess Katyayani is worshipped on this day Day 7: October 16, 2018 - Saptami Goddess Kalaratri is worshipped on this day Day 8: October 17, 2018 - Ashtami Goddess Mahagauri is worshipped on this day Day 9: October 18, 2018 - Navami Goddess Siddhidatri is worshipped on this day Dashami: October 10, 2018

The Nine days of Navratri - Colors to wear

The goddesses worshipped during Navratri are all forms of Maa Durga. Each of the nine days also has a designated colour which the devotees prefer to wear on the day. These colours are green, blue, red, orange, yellow, indigo, violet, pink and tints and hues of golden.

Navratri Deity(s)

The main Goddess of Navratri is Goddess Durga who is also known as Goddess Bhavani and Goddess Amba. All these forms of Durga are attributed to Goddess Parvati. Besides, Goddess Durga, nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped during Navratri. According to Drig Panchang, the list of Navratri Goddesses which is mostly followed in North India, presiding deity of each Tithi from Pratipada to Navami during Navratri are as following - 1) Shailaputri 2) Brahmacharini 3) Chandraghanta 4) Kushmanda 5) Skandamata 6) Katyayani 7) Kalaratri 8) Mahagauri 9) Siddhidatri

Navratri Fasting

Over the course of Navratri, people worship Maa Durga by fasting in the mornings, and in the evenings there is feasting and dancing. During the fasting period, while there are certain things that you are allowed to eat, while some edibles are prohibited. Here's the list of food that one can have during the fasting period. Fruits - Consumption of apples, water chestnuts (singhara), bananas, pomegranate (anaar), kiwi during the fasting period saves the person from hunger and thirst. Vegetables - Veggies like potatoes, lauki or bottle gourd, yellow pumpkin, arbi, cucumber, sweet potato and colocassia are allowed to eat during Navratri. Flours - flours like buckwheat (kuttu), amaranth and water chestnut flour (singhara atta) can be used as healthy and amazing alternatives. Dairy products - Dairy products like paneer, milk, yogurt, and cream can be consumed, except commercially bought butter and cheese that have lots of salt in it. Other Navratri foods - Sabudana (tapioca pearls), coconut water, makhane or fox nuts, almond milk, cashew milk, coconut, nuts like almond, cashew, raisins and walnuts. Happy Navratri!