Mahanavami today, farewell tunes in the mandap

The biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, Sharadiya Durga Puja, is being celebrated with full enthusiasm across the country. After the Ashtami Puja, the Mahanavami Bihit Puja of Goddess Durga is being observed on Wednesday (October 1). On this day, the atmosphere of every mandap has become heavy with the tunes of farewell to the Goddess.

Goddess Durga will return to Kailash (her husband's house) on Dashami. However, before that, special pujas and yagnas are held on Navami. In the morning, Durga's Mahasnan, Puja, Anjali and Prasad distribution are organized on the sixteenth Upchar.

According to religious beliefs, on the day of Mahanavami, it is time to see Goddess Durga in full force. Therefore, the day of Navami is also called the last day of Durga Puja. The next day, the Goddess is bid farewell through Bijoy and Bisrjan.

Today, on the evening of Navami, the 'Maha Aarti' of Goddess Durga will be held. On Mahanavami, sacrifices and Navami Homa are performed according to the traditional rituals. There is a tradition of worshipping the goddess with 108 blue lotuses.

Navami Tithi begins with Sandhi Puja. This puja lasts for the last 24 minutes of Ashtami and the first 24 minutes of Navami. Goddess Chamunda is mainly worshipped during this time. This special worship is completed by lighting 108 earthen lamps and offering 108 lotuses.

According to the priests, on Mahanavami, the goddess is worshipped with sixteen rituals, with blue Aparajita flowers, Neelkantha flowers and a yagna. 108 bell leaves, mango wood and ghee are used in the yagna.

The night of Mahanavami marks the beginning of the farewell festival of the autumn Durga Puja. Therefore, the hearts of the devotees are filled with mixed emotions of joy and sorrow on this day. This year's Durga Puja will conclude with the immersion of the idol on Bijoya Dashami on Thursday.