Indian devotees embark upon a festive journey on Saturday that marks the first day of Sharad Navratri 2020. A festival that celebrates the female poweror Shakti and its nine different forms, Navratri has people worshipping the Goddess in special forms.
Maa Shailputri is seen in the mortal form with two hands and has a crescent moon on her forehead.
From rituals of the puja to kalash sthapana and food involved, here is everything you need to know:
Kalash sthapana: Take an earthen pot (kalash) and fill it with water. Place a mango tree branch with leaves over the mouth and a plate full of rice to cover it all. Now take a dry coconut with the husk and wrap it in red cloth with the help of the holy red thread (mouli) and place it on top of the plate. Take sindoor/roli on finger tips and draw a swastik on the pot and the cloth wrapped around the coconut. Offer water, flowers, akshat (rice) and pray the Goddess. Take some water, akshat and flowers in your right hand and seek the goddess’s blessings to complete the Navratri puja.
Offering puja to Maa Shailputri: Maa Shailputri is said to love jasmine flowers are and you may use them along with kumkum, akshat, beetlenuts, cloves and ghee to offer to the goddess. Now chant this mantra: ‘Pratham durga bhavsagarah taaraneem, dhan aishwary daayinishailputri praanamabhyam trilojanani twahim paramanand pradeeyaman saubhagyarogya daayini shailputri pranamaabhyam charachareshaswari twahim mahamohah vinaashin mukti mukti daayini shailputri pramannaamyaham (First form of Durga, who saves the entire universe, blesses us with prosperity, fame , Shailputri, I bow before you. The one who created the three realms of this world, you are the one who blesses us with the divine bliss and good fortune. I bow before Shailputri, the goddess who blesses us with ultimate freedom)”.
The mythological story behind Shailputri: The word Shailputri means the daughter of the mountains. Maa Shailputri is considered as Maa Parvati’s initial form who wanted to marry Lord Shiva but her father, Daksha, did not want Shiva as his son-in-law. However, Maa Shailputri married Lord Shiva after worshipping him for centuries but when Daksha organised a grand yagna later, he did not invite his own daughter and son-in-law – Shiva and Shailputri. While Shiva refused to go, Maa Sahilputri insisted she must attend the ceremony. It was with great shock that she witnessed her husband being insulted at the ceremony and she jumped into the yagna fire and killed herself.
What to eat and wear: Crimson and yellow colours are considered to be Maa Shailputri’s favourite. Devotees even consume food that is red and yellow in colour.