Navratri festival is a pouplar Hindi festival in India. The festival is dedicated to worship the Hindu deity Durga. The word meaning of Navratri is nine nights. It is celebrated all across India.
Though the celebration varies from state to state; in West Bengal, men and women celebrate Navratri festival as Durga Pooja and worship huge idols of Goddess Durga. In Gujarat people perform the traditional dance which is known as Garba almost throughout the night. They wear colourful dresses and mostly Indian traditional dresses are preferred.
Maa Skandamata Significance
On the fourth day of Navratri, Goddess Skandamata is worshiped. Skanda is another name for Kartikeya and Mata means mother. In other words, she is the mother of Lord Kartikeya. She is known to bless her devotees with power, salvation, prosperity and treasures and can grant wisdom to the most illiterate person provided he worships her. When someone worships her, Lord Skanda, who is on her lap is also worshiped and devotee gets the dual blessings of the son and mother. She is also known as the Goddess of Fire. She has four arms and rides a lion. She carries water material, a bell and lotus. She is seated on a lotus and is also known as the Goddess with a lotus seat.
Maa Skandamata Puja Vidhi
Place the Goddess's idol or picture on a table and clean that place. Sprinkle ganga jal. Keep a pot made out of brass or sand and place a coconut above it. On the same table, keep Lord Ganesha, Lord Varun, Navagraha and all the other Gods and Goddesses. After that perform puja using items such as milk, fruits, flowers, sindoor, roli, clothes for the Goddess and other adornments. Finish the puja by performing aarti.
Maa Skandamata Mantra
To seek the blessings of Maa Skandamata, chant the following mantra while worshipping her:
Vande Vanchit Kamarth Chandrardhkrit Shekharam
Sinharuda Chaturbhuja Skandamata Yashswanim
Dhwalvarna Vishudhd Chakrstithto Pancham Durga Trinetram
Abhay Padya Yugam Karaan Dakshin Uru Putradharam Bhajem
Patambar Paridhanan Mriduhasya Nanalankar Bhooshitam
Manjeer Haar Keyoor, Kinkini, Ratnakundal Manditam
Praful Vandana Pallavandhara Kaant Kapolan Peen Payodharam
Kamniya Lavanya Charu Trivali Nitambaneem
Maa Skandamata Stotra Path
Namami Skandmata Skandharineem
Samagrtatvasagarrampaarpaar Gehraam
Shivaprabha Samujwalan Sphuchshagshekharam
Lalatratnabhaskaran Jagatprintibhaskaram
Mahendrakashyaparchita Sanantkumarrasstutam
Surasurendravandita Yatharthnirmaladbhutam
Atarkyrochiruvijan Vikar Doshvarjitam
Mumukshubhivirchintta Visheshtatvamuchitam
Nanalankar Bhushitan Mrigendravahnagrajam
Sushudhtatvatoshna Trivendmarbhustam
Sudhamirkawpkarini Surendrakaurighatineem
Shubhan Pushpamalini Sukarnkalpshakhineem
Tamondhkaryamini Shivsvabhao Kaminineem
Sahastrasuryarajika Dhanjjyogkarikaam
Sushudh Kaal Kandala Subhadvrindmajullam
Prajayini Prajavati Namami Matarn Sateem
Svakarmakarini Gati Hariprayach Parvateem
Anantshakti Kantidan Yashoarthbhuktimuktitdam
Puna Punarjagdavitan Namamyhan Surachirtam
Jayeshwari Trilochane Praseed Devipahimaam
Happy Navratri to our readers!
