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Navratri 2019: Day 8 Goddess Mahagauri shubh muhurat, puja timings, Ghatasthapana and significance
Navratri 2019: On the eighth day of Navratri, or Ashtami, Maa Mahagauri is worshipped. It is believed that Goddess Mahagauri can fulfil all the desires of her devotees.
Navratri is one of the most prominent festivals of India, and is presently going on till October 7. The eighth day is called Ashtami or Durga Ashtami. Maa Durga’s eight avatar, who is worshipped today, is Maa Mahagauri.
Significance and history
She is depicted as sitting on a cow and is the most calm of all of Maa Durga’s avatars. She symbolizes purity, serenity and tranquility. In some parts of India, this day is celebrated as Astra Puja, which means that a lot of devotees consider this an auspicious day and pray to their tools. The significance behind this is that Maa Durga’s weapons re worshipped as symbols of female strength.
It is believed that Goddess Mahagauri can fulfil all the desires of her devotees. If you worship her, you can be relived from all the sufferings of life. Goddess Mahagauri’s right upper arm is in a pose which allays fear and the right lower arm has a trident in it. In her left upper arm she holds a tambourine while her left lower arm is in the form of a blessing.
Puja Vidhi
In various homes, the goddess is prayed to in the form of young girls, who are also referred to as kanjaks. People welcome nine young girls (who haven’t attained puberty yet) into their houses. All these girls sit in one line and a holy dhaaga is tied on their wrists. Then their feet are washed and tilak is applied on their foreheads. After that prasad, which has been specially cooked for them is offered, which comprises puri, halva and black grams. The girls are worshipped as the young avatars of Mahagauri.
The colour of this day is blue and it is considered auspicious to wear blue on this day.
