What Is Chaitra Navratri?

Chaitra Navratri gets its name from the first month of the Hindu Lunar calendar, namely ‘Chaitra’. It falls in the Shukla paksha of the Chaitra mass and this festival is also popularly known as Vasanta Navratri. According to the Gregorian calendar, the Chaitra Navratri festival falls in the month of March or April. This auspicious festival is celebrated for nine whole days with great fervour and devotion by Hindus and its festivities are also celebrated by people of various ethnicities across India. This festival is celebrated in order to worship Goddess Durga and Her nine divine forms. Each day of Navratri is dedicated to one of the nine forms of Maa Durga and prayers are offered accordingly.

Chaitra Navratri 2024: Dates, Puja Time, Devi Mantras

9th April 2024 and end on the 17th April 2024.

People belonging to the Maharashtrian ethnicity (ethnolinguistic group of people who speak the Marathi language) observe the first day of Navratri as Gudi Padwa which is the ‘New Year’ of the Maharashtrians as per the Hindu Luni-Solar calendar. Similarly, the Kashmiri Hindus celebrate the first day of the year as ‘Navreh’ on the first day of Navratri. Whereas, the people of Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh celebrate, the first day of Navratri as ‘Ugadi’. There are five Navratris that fall in one calendar year namely, Chaitra Navratri or Vasanta Navaratri, Ashadha Navaratri, Sharad Navaratri, Paush Navaratri and Magha Navaratri. But of all the Navratris, the Chaitra Navratri and the Sharad Navratri are popular and celebrated with great fervour.

Puja Time And Rituals Of Chaitra Navratri (Tithi)

Chaitra Ghatasthapana on 9th April 2024, Tuesday.

Ghatasthapana Muhurat – 06:26 AM to 10:35 AM

People belonging to the Maharashtrian ethnicity (ethnolinguistic group of people who speak the Marathi language) observe the first day of Navratri as Gudi Padwa which is the ‘New Year’ of the Maharashtrians as per the Hindu Luni-Solar calendar. Similarly, the Kashmiri Hindus celebrate the first day of the year as ‘Navreh’ on the first day of Navratri. Whereas, the people of Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh celebrate, the first day of Navratri as ‘Ugadi’. There are five Navratris that fall in one calendar year namely, Chaitra Navratri or Vasanta Navaratri, Ashadha Navaratri, Sharad Navaratri, Paush Navaratri and Magha Navaratri. But of all the Navratris, the Chaitra Navratri and the Sharad Navratri are popular and celebrated with great fervour.

Difference Between Chaitra Navratri And Sharad Navratri

As per Hindu calendar, the festival of Navratri happens twice a year; first at the start of summer (March-April) and the other called Shardiya Navratri in the beginning of winter (September-October). The customs and rituals observed during Chaitra Navratri are similar to the ones observed during the Shardiya Navratri in the month of September or October. Shardiya Navratri and Chaitra Navratri have the same Ghatasthapana Puja Vidhi.

Chaitra Navratri 2024: Days And Goddesses

The entire festival that last for nine days devoted to the worship of Durga, the Shakti aspect of the Powerful Supreme. The Vedas consider Her to be the controlling agency of this material world of manifestations. Dur means jail and ga means to go This material world is like a jail wherein everyone is pushed in to enjoy, suffer and get punished by the laws of nature acting under Her superintendence. Durga manifests Herself in different forms. All the forms are absolutely divine and worshipped. Navratri means nine nights and it is a festival dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga. These nine nights are considered auspicious to worship and perform sadhanas dedicated to Her. The first three days of Navratri are dedicated to Goddess Durga, the next three to Goddess Lakshmi and the last three to Goddess Saraswati.

1St day – ghatasthapana, Chandra Darshana, Shailputri Puja

Date:  – 9th April 2024, Tuesday

Tithi:  – Pratipada

Offerings:  – Ghee

Chakra:  – Muladhara (Root)

2Nd day – sindhara Dooj, Brahmacharini Puja

Date: – 10th April 2024, Wednesday

Tithi: – Dwitiya

Offerings: – Sugar

Chakra: – Swathisthana

3Rd day – gauri Puja, Saubhagya Teej, Chandraghanta Puja

Date:  – 11th April 2024, Thursday

Tithi:  – Tritiya

Offerings:  – Milk

Chakra:  – Manipura (Solar Plexus)

4Th day – kushmanda Puja, Vinayaka Chaturthi, Lakshmi Panchami

Date: 11th April 2024, Friday

Tithi:  – Chaturthi

Offerings:  – Malpua

Chakra:  – Anahata (Heart)

Mantra:  – Om Hreem Kushmandayai Jagatprasootyai Namah

5Th day – naag Puja, Skandamata Puja, Skanda Sashti

Date: -12 April 2024. Saturday

Tithi:  – Panchami

Offerings:  – Bananas

Chakra:  – Vishuddha (Throat)

6Th day – yamuna Chhath, Katyayani Puja

Date:  – 14th April 2024, Sunday

Tithi:  – Shashthi

Offerings:  – Honey

Chakra:  – Ajna (Third eye)

7Th day – maha Saptami, Kalaratri Puja

Date:  – 15th April 2024, Monday

Tithi:  – Saptami

Offerings:  – Jaggery Dishes

Chakra:  – Sahasrara (Crown)

8Th day

Durga Ashtami, Mahagauri Puja, Annapurna Ashtami, Sandhi Puja

Date:  – 16th April 2024, Tuesday

Tithi:  – Ashtami

Offerings:  – Jaggery Dishes

Chakra:  – Sahasrara (Crown)

9Th day – Rama Navami

Date:  – 17th April 2024, Wednesday

Tithi:  – NAVAMI

Offerings:  – Grains

Chakra:  – Sahasrara (Crown)

10th day – navratri Parana

Date:  – 17th April 2024, Wednesday

Tithi:  – Dashami, Navratri Parana

Offerings:  – Ram