Chaitra Navratri starts 2024: Here's all you need to know about the festival

An artist painting Goddess Durga`s idol/ PTI

Chaitra Navratri, also known as Spring Navratri, is the start of the Hindu New Year and is celebrated with tremendous fervour throughout India. In 2024, Chaitra Navratri began on the first day of the Hindu lunar calendar month of Chaitra, coinciding with the arrival of spring. This nine-day celebration honours the sacred feminine energy represented by the goddess Durga in various manifestations.

Chaitra Navratri is distinct from the more popularly known Shardiya Navratri, which takes place in the month of Ashwin (typically September or October) and is observed in the fall season. While both holidays commemorate the goddess Durga and her manifestations, Chaitra Navratri carries special significance since it marks the arrival of spring, a period of rejuvenation.

Before Chaitra Navratri starts 2024, let's understand the festival a little better.

During Chaitra Navratri, devotees embark on a spiritual journey of cleansing and self-reflection through fasting, prayer, and devotional activities. The celebration begins with the 'Ghatasthapana' rite, which involves installing a sacred pot symbolising the goddess' presence in homes and temples. The pot is filled with water and decked with flowers, grains, and other auspicious goods, symbolising the start of the Navratri celebration.

During the nine days of Chaitra Navratri, followers fast strictly, refraining from meat, alcohol, and certain cereals. Many devotees also choose to do 'upavasa,' or partial fasting, in which they consume only fruits, milk, and other light meals. The fast is thought to purify the body and mind, allowing devotees to connect more closely with the Divine.

Each day of Chaitra Navratri is dedicated to the worship of a new manifestation of the goddess Durga, known as the 'Navadurga.' Devotees pray, perform 'aarti,' and recite hymns and mantras honouring the goddess' various forms. Durga's nine forms reflect different qualities of divine feminine power, including strength, wisdom, courage, and compassion.

On the eighth day of Chaitra Navratri, known as 'Ashtami,' devotees commemorate the auspicious occasion of 'Kanya Puja' or 'Kanjak,' in which young girls, considered incarnations of the goddess, are worshipped and given special prayers and gifts. This ceremony represents the respect for feminine energy and the nurturing qualities that come with parenting.

The festival culminates on the ninth day, known as 'Navami' or 'Mahashtami,' with the celebration of 'Ram Navami,' Lord Rama's birth anniversary. Devotees assemble in temples and houses to worship and perform bhajans, kirtans, and other devotional activities in honour of Lord Rama and Goddess Durga's heavenly incarnations.