Navratri 2019- Maha Ashtami Puja Muhurat And Vidhi

As the festival of Navaratri proceeds, we are closer to one of the most important days of the festival. Occurring on the 6th of October, the 8th day of Navaratri is also known as the Durga Ashtami or Durgashtami. It also marks the second day of Durga Puja and is considered as one of the most important days in Navaratri.

Navaratri is celebrated all over India in multiple ways. Devotees worship Goddess Durga and her nine avatars -Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidhatri- throughout the nine days of the festival.

On the eight-day, Durga’s avatar Maha Gauri is worshipped and celebrated. Maha Gauri is a four-armed deity who rides on a bull or a white elephant. It is believed that on the eight-day, she illuminates the entire universe with the divine light. With a Trishul and a Damru in two of her hands, she protects and blesses her devotees.

The divine Maha Gauri grants her devotees with wealth, health and prosperity. To be blessed by her, please Maha Gauri by performing the Maha Ashtami puja on the right muhurat and with the right vidhi.

Maha Ashtami 2019 Muhurat

According to Drikpanchang.com, these are the Ashtami Puja timings of Navratri 2019:

Ashtami Tithi Begins = 9.51AM on Oct 05, 2019

Ashtami Tithi Ends = 10:54 AM on Oct 06, 2019

Maha Ashtami 2019 Puja Vidhi

On the eight-day of Navaratri, unmarried girls are considered to embody Goddess Durga. They are treated as Kanya, there’s also the ritual of performing Kumari Puja. Particularly performed on the eight-day, in some regions, the Kumari Puja is performed on all nine days of Navaratri.

The Puja vidhi starts by washing the kanyas’ feet and applying tilak on their foreheads. The puja proceeds with tying ‘kalawa’ on their hands. The kanyas are then fed puri, halwa and chane ki sabzi.

After the kanyas are fed with prasad, people touch their feet to seek blessings. They are then provided with money or gifts, as per people’s choice.