1. Sharad Navratri kya hoti hai?
Sharad Navratri saal me hone wali do main Navratri me se ek hai (dusri Chaitra Navratri hoti hai). Yeh Ashwin maas ki shukla pratipada se shuru hoti hai aur Navami / Dashami tak chalti hai. Is Navratri me Maa Durga ke 9 roopon ki alag–alag tareeke se pooja ki jati hai.
North India me yahi Navratri Dussehra / Vijayadashami ke roop me Ram–Ravan yuddh ki vijay ke saath bhi judi hui hai. Kuch jagah is dauran Ramleela, garba, dandiya, jagran, anushthan aur bhandare bhi hote hain.
2. Importance (simple points)
- Maa Durga ko jeevan ki raksha shakti aur himmat ka pratik mana jata hai.
- Navratri ke dauran sattvik jeevan–shailee, vrat aur pooja se mann shuddh hota hai.
- Yeh samay purani negativity ko chhod kar naya aarambh karne ka bhi symbol hai.
- Vijayadashami ko satya ki asatya par jeet ka utsav mana jata hai.
- Ghar–parivaar ki shanti, protection aur prosperity ke liye log is dauran special sankalp lete hain.
3. Short story (Durga & Mahishasur) – simple language
Puranon ke anusaar, Mahishasur naam ka ek asur tha jo bohot shaktishaali ho gaya tha. Usne devtaon ko haraya aur swarg par kabza jama liya. Kisi bhi devta ke paas akela use harane ki shakti nahi thi.
Tab sab devtaon ki tej–shakti milkar ek roop me prakat hui – yahi roop Maa Durga ka tha. Unhone ashtabhuja roop dharan kiya, hathiyar liye aur Mahishasur se lamba yuddh kiya. Ant me Maa Durga ne Mahishasur ko maar kar dharma ki raksha ki.
Isliye Navratri ke dauran hum Maa Durga ki jeet ko yaad karke apne andar ki alasya, bhay, greed, ego jaise Mahishasur ko harane ka sankalp lete hain.
4. Ghar me log kaise manate hain?
- Ghar saaf–sutra karke, ek jagah par Maa Durga ki photo ya murti sthapit ki jati hai.
- Subah–shaam deep, dhoop, phool, roli, chawal chadhakar pooja ki jati hai.
- Kayi log 9 din tak phalahar / satvik bhojan rakhte hain (jaise bina anaj ke vrat).
- Garba, dandiya, bhajan–kirtan, jagran aur katha sunna bhi common hai.
- Ashtami / Navami ko kanya poojan, hawan, bhandara ya ann–daan ki parampara hoti hai.
5. Simple daily puja & vrat routine (beginner–friendly)
Jo log pehli baar Sharad Navratri rakh rahe hain, unke liye ek simple daily outline yahan di ja rahi hai. Apni family tradition ke hisaab se isme changes kar sakte hain.
- Sankalp: Pehle din snan karke saaf kapde pehnein, mandir ke saamne baithkar mann me vrat ka sankalp lein.
- Devi sthapana: Maa Durga ki photo / pratima ko laal ya peele kapde par rakhen, roli–chawal se tilak karen.
- Deep & dhoop: Har din subah–shaam ek deep, dhoop ya agarbatti jaroor jalayen.
- Path / mantra: “Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu” jaise strotra, Durga Kavach, ya chhota sa Durga Chalisa ka path karein – jitna aapko aata ho.
- Bhog: Thoda phal, mishri, kheer, halwa ya simple satvik bhojan bhog me rakh sakte hain.
- Vrat niyam: Jitna ho sake satvik bhojan – bina onion–garlic, bina nasha, bina jhoot–fareb ke din nikalne ki koshish karein.
- Seva: Koi chhota seva ka kaam – kisi ki madad, daan, ya koi achha karm – Navratri ke dauran special maani jati hai.
6. 9 din – Devi ke roop (Sharad Navratri)
Different regions me thoda order change ho sakta hai, lekin aam taur par Sharad Navratri me in 9 roopon ki pooja ki jati hai:
- Day 1 – Maa Shailputri
- Day 2 – Maa Brahmacharini
- Day 3 – Maa Chandraghanta
- Day 4 – Maa Kushmanda
- Day 5 – Maa Skandmata
- Day 6 – Maa Katyayani
- Day 7 – Maa Kaalratri
- Day 8 – Maa Mahagauri
- Day 9 – Maa Siddhidatri
Har roop jeevan ki alag–alag shakti ko darshata hai – jaise himmat, tapasya, daya, utsah, protection, gyaan aur siddhi.
7. Sharad Navratri – tithi note
Sharad Navratri ki exact tithiyan Hindu Panchang ke hisaab se decide hongi. Desh ke alag–alag shehron, deshon aur time–zones ke hisaab se thoda farq ho sakta hai.
- Apne sheher ka local panchang ya trusted calendar zaroor check karein.
- Agar possible ho to nearby mandir se bhi pooch lein ki wahan kaun se din se kaun se din Navratri manai ja rahi hai.
- Online apps / websites madad kar sakti hain, lekin final decision ke liye hamesha ek trusted source se confirm karna better hai.
Important note: Yahan diya gaya content easy understanding ke liye hai. Alag–alag sampradaya, region aur family traditions ke hisaab se Sharad Navratri ki vidhi, niyam, tithi details thodi alag ho sakti hain.
Health ya personal life se related koi bhi bada vrat–niyam lene se pehle apne family elders, doctor (agar zarurat ho) ya trusted guru / pandit se zaroor salah lein.