One of the biggest and most beloved holidays in India, particularly in West Bengal, is Durga Puja, which honours devotion, happiness, and vibrant culture. The celebration honours Goddess Durga's victory over the demonic Mahishasura, signifying the victory of good over evil.
This festival is marked by various ceremonies, exquisitely decorated pandals, traditional dances, and joyous music fills the air.
Ashtami and Navami are two of the most significant days of Durga Puja that have particular meaning and are regarded as the peak of the festivities. Ashtami, also known as Maha Ashtami, is the festival's eighth and most revered day. The Sandhi Puja is a powerful ritual in which devotees gather to commemorate the precise time when Ashtami becomes Navami.
The ninth day, Navami, is similarly significant and frequently seen as the highest point of the celebrations. The purpose of the customs observed on Navami is to ask the Goddess for protection and prosperity. Intense prayer, mantra chanting, and bhog (devotional food offering) are offered by devotees on this day.
On these days, people celebrate the festival with renewed energy before the final day of immersion. Dashami or Vijaya Dashami is known to mark the Goddess's return to her celestial home. The streets and pandals are filled with drums, known as dhak.
Understanding the importance of these days not only ties you to the rich cultural traditions of Durga Puja but also enriches the spiritual value of the celebration. Thus, Ashtami and Navami are days you won't want to miss in 2024, whether you're going to take part in the ceremonies, see the exquisitely crafted pandals, or just enjoy the joyful ambience.
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When is Ashtami in 2024? Date and Timings
Maha Ashtami, the eighth day of the festival, will be celebrated on October 11, 2024. This day is considered the most pivotal in the entire Durga Puja celebration, as it embodies the peak of devotion and spiritual fervour.
Maha Ashtami is revered as the day when Goddess Durga is worshipped in her most powerful and fierce forms. Special prayers and rituals take place across temples and pandals, where devotees gather in large numbers to pay homage to the Goddess. This day is marked by a profound sense of devotion, with many people observing fasts to honour the deity and seek her blessings for prosperity, health, and protection from evil forces.
| Event | Begins | Ends |
| Ashtami Tithi | 12:31 PM on October 10, 2024 |
12:06 PM on October 11, 2024 |
Significance of Maha Ashtami
Durga Ashtami, also known as Maha Ashtami, is one of the most important and sacred days during Durga Puja and Shardiya Navratri. On this day, devotees worship Maa Mahagauri, an incarnation of Adi Shakti, who represents purity, peace, and serenity.
Many devotees also observe a fast on this day and perform Kanya Puja (also called Kanjak), where young unmarried girls are worshipped as symbols of the divine feminine power of Maa Durga.
A major highlight of the day is the Sandhi Puja, performed at the critical moment when Ashtami ends, and Navami begins, making it a spiritually powerful ritual.
When is Navami in 2024? Date and Timings
This Shardiya Navratri, Maha Navami, the ninth day of the festival, will be observed on October 11, 2024, coinciding with Maha Ashtami. This rare overlap of Ashtami and Navami enhances the significance of the day, creating a powerful moment of devotion and celebration. Maha Navami holds immense spiritual and cultural importance, marking the final phase of the Durga Puja rituals before the grand farewell to the goddess on Dashami.
Drikpanchang mentions: "It is important to note that depending on starting time of Navami Tithi on previous day Maha Navami Puja and Upavas might be done on Ashtami Tithi. The precise rule is that if Ashtami and Navami merge before Sanyakal on Ashtami Tithi then Ashtami Puja and Navami Puja including Sandhi Puja are done on the same day."
| Event | Begins | Ends |
| Navami Tithi | 12:06 PM on October 11, 2024 |
10:58 AM on October 12, 2024 |
Significance of Maha Navami
On Maha Navami, Goddess Durga is worshipped in her fierce form as Mahisasuramardini, meaning the "Destroyer of the Buffalo Demon." According to mythology, it is believed that on this day, Durga vanquished the demon Mahishasura, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil.
Maha Navami is the concluding day of the primary Durga Puja rituals. On this day, people come together to participate in Maha Aarti, symbolising the goddess’s blessings on her devotees.
In conclusion, Maha Ashtami and Maha Navami are the heart of the Durga Puja celebration, filled with rituals, prayers, and cultural vibrancy. The symbolic meaning behind Ashtami and Navami emphasises the ultimate triumph of good over evil and the strength derived from faith and devotion.
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