Date Day Count Tithi Star - SavecA CanadA

www.saveca.ca (admin@saveca.ca)
Navratri – Nine nights (Day 1 to Day 10)
CANADA AND USA
Oct 15 to Oct 23, 2012
Bodhayana on Oct 14 th and Sarva Amavasai on Oct 14 th / 15th , 2012
Date Day Count Tithi Star
14 Sun 0 Chaturdashi + Amavasai (after 11 am) Hastam
15 Mon 0 Prathama – Navratri Begins Mahalaya Paksham TharpaNam Ends
15 Mon 1 Amavasai (upto 8 am) + Prathama Chitra
16 Tue 2 Full Dvitiya Swaathi
17 Wed 3 Full Tritiya Vishakha
18 Thurs 4 Full Chathurthi Anuradha
19 Fri 5 Panchami (upto 4:27pm) + Shashti Jyeshta
20 Sat 6 Shashti (upto 2:07am) + Saptami Moolam (upto 10:05am)+P Shada
21 Sun 7 Saptami (upto 12:16pm)+ Ashtami P Shada (upto 8:52am) +U Shada
22 Mon 8 Ashtami (upto 10:56am)+ Navami U Shada (upto 8:09am)+Sravana
23 Tue 9 Navami (upto 10:08am)+ Dashami Sravana (upto 7:7am)+Sravishta
23 Tue 9 Navami – Navratri Ends
24 Wed 10 Dashami (upto 9:53am)- Vijaya Sravishta (upto 8:18am)+Satabishak
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thurs
Fri
Sat
Sun
Mon
Tue
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Navrathri Pooja
Worship – Goddess Durga
Neivedhyam: Pal Paayasam
CDs: All Slokas in MP3 and text available
in pdf
Contact ASAP: Vish (416-836-5464-cell)
or
E-Mail: admin@saveca.ca
Worship - Goddess Maha Lakshmi
Neivedhyam: Sarkarai Pongal
CDs: Slokas and text available in pdf
Worship - Goddess Saaswati
Neivedhyam: Sarkarai Pongal
CDs: Slokas and text available in pdf
*Chapter 1 (Madhu kaitabha samhaara) is to be read for 1st day,
*Chapter 2, 3 and 4 (Mahishhasura samhaara) to be read on 2nd day,
*Chapter 5 and6 (Dhuumralochana vadha) on the 3rd day,
*Chapter 7 (Chanda Munda vadha) on 4th day,
*Chapter 8 (Rakta biija samhaara) on 5th day,
*Chapter 9 and 10 (Shumbha Nishumbha vadha) on 6th day,
*Chapter 11 (Praise of Narayani) on 7th day,
*Chapter 12 (Phalastuti) on 8th day,
*Chapter 13 (Blessings to Suratha and the Merchant) on 9th day.
Slokams Recommended
Durga Suktam, Devi
Mahatmyam/Durga Saptashati (13
chapters – 700 verses on Durga),
Lalitha Trisathi, Lalitha
Sahasranamam, Shyamala Dandakam
*Durga Saptashati - Devi
bhagavatam notes that Rama
meditated and fasted for nine days
after Sita was kidnapped by Ravana
Slokams Recommended
Lakshmi Sahasranamam, Lakshmi
Ashtothram
Slokams Recommended
Saraswati Dwadasa Nama, Saraswati
Stothram, Saraswati Ashtothram
(Compiled from various sources)

www.saveca.ca (admin@saveca.ca)
Navratri – Nine nights (Day 1 to Day 10)
CANADA AND USA
Oct 15 to Oct 23, 2012
Bodhayana on Oct 14 th and Sarva Amavasai on Oct 14 th / 15th , 2012
Mahanavami (9 th day)
The festival of Navratri culminates in Mahanavami. On this day Kanya Puja is performed.
On eighth day of Navratri, invite little girls of age group 5-12 (not attained puberty) for food
on 9th day. You can invite girls in number 1 to 9 as per your capacity. Nine young girls
representing the nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped. Their feet are washed as a
mark of respect for the Goddess and then they are offered new clothes as gifts by the
worshiper.
What's the Significance of Navrathri
"As we take nine months in our mother's womb, before we are born, we take these nine
days to go back to our source. These nine days are to be spent in meditation, satsangs,
silence and knowledge."
Navratri purifies the individual & universal consciousness, the environment and the creation
by eradicating the misery, sorrow and pain in the world. Navratri is divided into sets of three
days to adore three different aspects of the supreme goddess. To know more about these
three aspects, read Honoring Durga, Laxmi, Saraswati.
During Navarathri, we invoke the energy aspect of God in the form of the universal mother,
commonly referred to as "Durga," which literally means the remover of miseries of life. She
is also referred to as "Devi" (goddess) or "Shakti" (energy or power). It is this energy, which
helps God to proceed with the work of creation, preservation and destruction. In other
words, you can say that God is motionless, absolutely changeless, and the Divine Mother
Durga, does everything. Truly speaking, our worship of Shakti re-confirms the scientific
theory that energy is imperishable. It cannot be created or destroyed. It is always there.
Why Worship the Mother Goddess
We think this energy is only a form of the Divine Mother, who is the mother of all, and all of
us are her children. "Why mother; why not father, you may ask. We believe that God's
glory, his cosmic energy, his greatness and supremacy can best be depicted as the
motherhood aspect of God. Just as a child finds all these qualities in his or her mother,
similarly, all of us look upon God as mother. In fact, Hinduism is the only religion in the
world, which gives so much importance to the mother aspect of God because we believe
that mother is the creative aspect of the absolute.
Why Nine Nights & Days
Navarathri is divided into sets of three days to adore different aspects of the supreme
goddess. On the first three days, the Mother is invoked as powerful force called Durga in
order to destroy all our impurities, vices and defects. The next three days, the Mother is
adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of
(Compiled from various sources)

www.saveca.ca (admin@saveca.ca)
Navratri – Nine nights (Day 1 to Day 10)
CANADA AND USA
Oct 15 to Oct 23, 2012
Bodhayana on Oct 14 th and Sarva Amavasai on Oct 14 th / 15th , 2012
bestowing on her devotees the inexhaustible wealth. The final set of three days is spent in
worshipping the mother as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. In order to have all-round
success in life, we need the blessings of all three aspects of the divine mother; hence, the
worship for nine nights.
NAVRATRI POOJA
Navratri puja might seem a huge complicated event for many. You can always perform a
simple pooja by worshipping the Goddess on nine days by lighting a lamp and offering a
fruit as prasadam. Rituals are not important but devotion is important.
Here is a step by step method on how to perform Navratri Pooja:
Getting Ready (Start preparations on Oct 14 th evening)
Get the house cleaned and ready. You are inviting Goddess into the home. Usually
this is done on the Amavasi day, a day before the beginning of Navratri.
Mango leaf festoons are installed on doors, windows and in pooja room. Fresh
Kolams are drawn.
If you are keeping Kolu, get all the Kolu dolls ready. Repair broken pieces and use
natural colors to paint them.
Decide upon the Bommai Kolu Theme.
Plan early about the pooja prasadam (neivedyam) and also about the gifts that you plan to
give to women guests. If you are giving gifts to women invited for Navratri Pooja, then the
bag should contain betel leaves, betel nuts, a pair of round turmeric roots, a coconut, fruits,
sweets, flowers, a small gift. You can also include cosmetics like eye kohl, kumkuma,
bangles, comb etc.
Requirements for Navratri Pooja
If you are keeping Kolu dolls, purchase new dolls at least a couple of new ones. The
most important doll needed is the Marapachi dolls (Male and Female pair of dolls)
A pot for Kalasha or Kumbha (brass pot) & a clay pot to sow barley seeds
Face of Goddess to be stuck on Kalasha
Sweets
Ingredients of the Prasadam to be prepared (this depends on what neivediya you are
preparing)
Betel leaves, Betel nuts, Bananas, Coconut, Usual fruits, Usual pooja items like lamp,
incense, agarbathis, Lotus flower for Goddess Saraswathi and Goddess Lakshmi. Jasmine
for Durga.etc
(Compiled from various sources)

www.saveca.ca (admin@saveca.ca)
Navratri – Nine nights (Day 1 to Day 10)
CANADA AND USA
Oct 15 to Oct 23, 2012
Bodhayana on Oct 14 th and Sarva Amavasai on Oct 14 th / 15th , 2012
A day before the Navratri Pooja
Navaratri Pooja begins on the Amavasai day, a day before Navratri begins. All
arrangements are done on this day. Male members perform Tarpanam or Shardham
dedicated to dead ancestors in the morning.
In the evening, Kalasha or Purna Kumbha is prepared. This is an invitation to
Goddess to enter your home.
Purna Kumba or Kalash is kept on a kolam in such a place that there is space
behind to keep the Bommai Kolu. You can attach a face of Goddess to the Purna
Kumbha and decorate the Kumbha with jewelry, turmeric, sandal paste, flowers etc.
Those who do not keep Kolu, keep the Kalash in the Pooja room.
Betel leaves, Betel nuts, a coconut is placed in front of the Kalasha. Cooked rice or
boiled and sweetened milk is kept as prasadam or neivedya in front of the Kalasha.
This Kalasha is to be kept for next nine days – it symbolizes Goddess.
A lamp is lit every evening and morning for nine days. It is diffused every day after the
pooja. Normal pooja is performed. The pooja concludes on the 9th day.
Arranging the Bommai Kolu
Next you can start arranging the Kolu dolls.
Kalasha sthapana (1 st step)
Steps to be followed for the Navratri Pooja
It is performed on the next day to Mahalaya Amavasya or on First day during Durga puja. At
the time of Kalash Sthapan you should reap the barley as per your family custom.
Worshiping Maa Durga
Maa Durga should be worshiped with Panchopchar (Fragrances, Flowers, Inceses, Diayas
and Rice) or Shodoshopchar.
Take a fresh silver or bronze or copper or earthen pot and fill it (upto its neck) with holy
water place Pancha pallavas (five types of sacred leaves) or mango leaves. Kalash is
decorated with haldi (turmeric powder), chandan (sandalwood powder) and kumkum.
Keep a coconut on the Kalash and cover it with a blouse piece. The coconut is also
decorated with chandan paste. Place idol or picture of Goddess Durga next to the
Kalash.(installation and invoking of Goddess Durga). Put flower and coins inside the
Kalash. Place a lid on the Kalash and fill the lid with raw rice. Keep the coconut on top of
the lid.
(Compiled from various sources)

www.saveca.ca (admin@saveca.ca)
Navratri – Nine nights (Day 1 to Day 10)
CANADA AND USA
Oct 15 to Oct 23, 2012
Bodhayana on Oct 14 th and Sarva Amavasai on Oct 14 th / 15th , 2012
Ghata sthapana (2 nd step)
A clay pot to sow barley seeds, Soil to pour in clay pot, Barley Seeds, Water to sprinkle on
soil.
Worship of Goddess & all Gods in the Kalash (3 rd step)
Lit the lamp, because all kinds of puja starts with lighting a lamp. Now invoke (avahan, call)
all Gods and sacred rivers in Kalash and pray them to purify water and reside there for nine
days, destroy all obstacles of life and give wisdom. Do worship of Kalash with Panchopchar.
Panchopchar means worship of deity with five things, i.e. Scent, Flower, Dhoop, Deepak
and Naivedya. Offer these five things to deities present in Ghat. Don't put these things
inside the Kalash, put these five things near Kalash instead.
Invoke Goddess Durga in the idol or picture (4th step)
Pray Mother Goddess to come and stay at your home for nine days of Navratri and give
love in her lotus feet. After praying, do panchopchar. Offer five things to Mother Goddess.
Aarti to mother Goddess (5th step)
For Aarti, stand up at your place. Take Pooja platei and bell in hand. Sing the aarti with
jingle the bell. After you complete aarti, give aarti first to Goddess Durga, (Kalasham) and
deities present in Kalasham. At evening (sandhya) repeat the aarti.
You done first day worship of Navratri. Do the aarti in morning and evening (sandhya) for
nine days. You should keep fast for 9 days.
Kannika / Young Girl Pooja (6th step)
On eighth day of Navratri, invite little girls of age group 5-12 (not attained puberty) for food
on 9th day. You can invite girls in number 1 to 9 as per your capacity. On 9th day of
Navratri, prepare delicious food for girls. On 9th day of Navratri, when girls come to your
house, feed them with full love and devotion, considering that Mother Goddess Durga
herself has come to get food on your invitation with love. When they finish food, put tilak on
their forehead and give some gifts to them.
10 th day (7 th - Penultimate to last step)
(Compiled from various sources)

www.saveca.ca (admin@saveca.ca)
Navratri – Nine nights (Day 1 to Day 10)
CANADA AND USA
Oct 15 to Oct 23, 2012
Bodhayana on Oct 14 th and Sarva Amavasai on Oct 14 th / 15th , 2012
On 10th day of Navratri, go to your place of worship. Take some flower and raw rice in your
hand, and pray all Gods present in Kalash, "O Dear Gods! Thank you for coming. We
surrender our devotional practice to you, which we done for you for nine days of Navratri. I
request you to go back to your homes and come again when we pray." Offer flower and rice
to them. Pick the Kalash and keep aside.
Similarly pray to Mother Goddess, "O Mother Goddess! Thank you for coming. We
surrender our devotional practice to you, which we done for you for nine days of Navratri. I
request you to go back to your home and come again when we pray." Pick photo/idol of
Goddess and put it at it's permanent place.
Take the coconut on Kalash as Prasad, just eat it. Give raw rice on lid to birds to eat.
Sprinkle the sacred water of kalash in your entire house and pray it will remove all negative
energies and bring prosperity. You can also drink it and can take a bath of this sacred
water. Take out coins and keep safe along with your money, they will bring prosperity.
10 th day (8 th - Last step)
Observe the growth of barley. If they are fresh and sparkling green and in abundance, then
it is sure sign of your prosperity. Search for white Barley sprout. If you find one, it is very
rare and very much fortunate. Dig it carefully with root. Surrender it to Goddess Durga with
some green sprouts and keep it at place of pooja forever. After the puja, these seedlings are
pulled out and given to devotees as a blessing from Goddess/Gods.
Significance of Durga Saptashati Recitation
Those who reads Shaptshati on Sunday get nine times benefit, on Monday,
get Thousand times benefit, on Tuesday get hundred times benefit, on Wednesday get one
Lakh times benefit, on Thursday and Friday get two Lacs times benefit and on Saturday get
one Cr times benefit by its reading.
The devotee who starts reading from sixth day till fourteenth day of Shukl Paksha, they get
benefit in all areas of life. By disciplined recitation of Durga Shaptshati, all wishes can be
fulfilled.
During Navratri Pooja Try to
Avoid eating non-vegetarian food during Navratri vrat.
Avoid Maithuna (Sexual activities) during Navratri.
Do charity and donation as much as you can.
Food charity is the main thing of this puja. Kumari Puja, Suhasini Pooja and Brahmin santarpana
has to be performed during Vrata. Atleast a single Kanya or suhasini should be fed.
(Compiled from various sources)