Navratri ek aisa festival hai jo pure India mein bahut shradha aur utsah ke saath manaya jata hai. Har saal do major Navratri hote hain – Chaitra Navratri (March-April) aur Sharad Navratri (September-October). Dono ka main uddeshya hai Maa Durga aur unke 9 roop ki pooja. Lekin sawal yeh hai – Navratri kyu manaya jata hai? Iska jawab samajhne ke liye hume thoda itihaas aur mythology samajhna hoga.
Mahishasura ki Kahani – Kaun tha Mahishasura?
Mahishasura ek asur (rakshas) tha jiska shareer aadha insaan aur aadha bhainsa (buffalo) ka tha. Isiliye use Mahisha = Bhainsa + Asura = Rakshas kaha gaya.
Mahishasura ne Lord Brahma se kathin tapasya karke ek vardan liya tha –
👉 “Koi bhi devta, rakshas ya insaan mujhe maar nahi paaye.”
Is vardan se uska ghamand badh gaya. Usne Devlok par akraman kar diya, sabhi devtaon ko hara diya, aur Indra dev ko bhi swarg se bhaga diya.
Devi Durga ka Janm – Devtaon ki Shakti ka Sangam
Jab sabhi devta Mahishasura se pareshaan ho gaye, tab unhone milkar ek vishesh urja paida ki. Is urja se ek ati sundar aur shaktishaali devi ka janm hua – Maa Durga.
Shiv ji ne unhe apna trishul diya
Vishnu ji ne apna Sudarshan Chakra diya
Indra ne vajra diya
Varun ne shankh diya
Vayu ne dhanush-baan diya
Is tarah Maa Durga bani shaktiyon ka sangam.
9 Din ki Ladai – Durga vs Mahishasura
Mahishasura aur Maa Durga ki ladai 9 din tak chali. Har din Devi ne apna alag-alag roop dharan karke uske sena aur uske alag-alag roopon ka samhaar kiya.
1st se 8th din tak Maa ne Mahishasura ke sainikon aur uske roopon ko mara.
9th din Maa Durga ne swayam Mahishasura ko uske bhainsa ke roop mein khatam kar diya.
10th din ko kehte hain Vijayadashami (Dussehra) – jo good over evil ki jeet ka prateek hai.
Navratri ke 9 Roop (NavaDurga) aur Unki Shaktiyan
Har din Maa ke ek alag roop ki pooja hoti hai. Chaliye inke bare mein detail mein samajhte hain:
1. Shailaputri – Pratham Shakti
Shail = Pahaad, Putri = Beti → Himalaya ki beti.
Hath mein trishul aur kamal.
Maa shakti, dhairya aur bhakti deti hain.
2. Brahmacharini
Tapasya ka roop.
Hath mein mala aur kamandalu.
Maa se milta hai sankalp aur dhairya.
3. Chandraghanta
Maatha par chandra (ardh chandrakar ghanti).
Bahaduri aur shakti ka roop.
Maa ke darshan se man mein shanti aur himmat aati hai.
4. Kushmanda
Maa jinhone apni muskaan se brahmand banaya.
Hath mein kamandal, dhanush, gada aur kamal.
Maa se milti hai jeevan mein urja aur swasthya.
5. Skandamata
Skanda (Kartikeya) ki maa.
Maa shubh buddhi aur bacchon ki raksha karti hain.
6. Katyayani
Rishi Katyayan ki putri.
Hath mein khadag aur kamal.
Maa prem, vivah sukh aur sahas deti hain.
7. Kalaratri
Kaali roop, kala rang, vikraal swaroop.
Maa buri shaktiyon ko nasht karti hain.
Maa se bhay door hota hai.
8. Mahagauri
Safed vastra, shubh aur pavitra roop.
Maa man ko shuddh aur sukhmayi banati hain.
9. Siddhidatri
Maa jo siddhiyan deti hain (ashta siddhi, nav nidhi).
Maa se manokamna poori hoti hai.
Navratri ka Spiritual Arth
1. Good over Evil – Jaise Maa Durga ne Mahishasura ko mara, waise hi hume apne andar ki buri aadaton (ahankar, irsha, kaam, krodh, lobh) ko khatam karna chahiye.
2. Detoxification – Navratri mein upvaas (fasting) ki parampara hai, jo sharir ko swachh banata hai.
3. Energy Renewal – Bhajan, kirtan, garba aur dandiya se positive energy banti hai.
4. Unity in Diversity – Har state apne tarike se Navratri manata hai:
Gujarat – Garba aur Dandiya
West Bengal – Durga Puja
North India – Ramlila aur Dussehra
South India – Golu aur Devi pooja
Dussehra – Vijayadashami ka Mahatva
Navratri ke baad 10th din aata hai Dussehra. Yeh din do wajah se pavitra hai:
1. Maa Durga ki Mahishasura par jeet.
2. Shri Ram ji ki Ravana par jeet.
Is din log Ravana ke putle jalate hain jo burai ke ant aur sach ki jeet ka pratik hai.
Navratri ke Rasam aur Parampara
Upvaas aur Satvik Bhojan – Sabzi, kuttu, singhara, sabudana khaya jata hai.
Garba aur Dandiya – Maa Durga ki aarti ke baad raatein dance aur bhajan mein bitayi jati hain.
Durga Puja – Bengal mein bada pandal, pratima sthapna aur visarjan hota hai.
Kanya Pujan – Ashtami aur Navami ko chhoti bachhiyon ko Devi ka roop maankar pooja jata hai.
Navratri ek aisa festival hai jo humein aatmik shakti, discipline, aur positivity deta hai. Mahishasura ki kahani hume sikhaati hai ki chahe burai kitni bhi shaktishaali ho, akhir mein satya aur dharma ki jeet hoti hai.
9 roopon ki pooja karke hum Maa Durga se shakti, buddhi, sahas aur shanti prapt karte hain. Isliye Navratri sirf ek festival nahi, balki ek jeevan darshan hai.