The Seventh Day of Navratri: Maa Kalaratri Puja
During Navratri, nine forms of Maa Durga are worshipped. These nine forms are known as the Navdurga.
Maa Kalaratri Puja is on 7th Day of Navratri 2022: This time, it will be on April 8th 2022. The Puja of Maa Kalaratri is done on the Seventh day, which is also known as the Satapmi. She is considered to be the dangerous and warrior form of Maa Durga. Maa Kalaratri is known as the heroine by being the ultimate destroyer of evil and any form of darkness.
She is also known as the Goddess of Auspiciousness and Courage.
Her name comes from two different words. Kal which means time and Ratri which means night.
According to the scriptures, Goddess Maa Durga came to be known as Kalaratri Mata only after she let go of her golden skin to kill two demons, Shumbha and Nishumbha. She is another avatar of Shakti and is also known as the Goddess Kali.
It is not uncommon these days to find the names Kalratri and Kali being used interchangeably. However, some still argue that these are two very different forms of the Goddess Maa Durga.
Form
Goddess Maa Kalaratri sits on the donkey and is a consort of Shiva. She holds a Vajra as a weapon in one of her hands. Two of her left hands hold a scimitar and a thunderbolt. Two of her right hands are in the Varada and Abhaya mudras. These are blessing and protecting mudras respectively. She also has a heavenly shaped form along with bountiful hair.
She is even known to wear a necklace that shines like the moon. She is very fierce with evil and darkness.
However, with her devotees she is very protective and caring. She is known to shower lots of blessings to those who worship her.
Devotees offer red flowers, jaggery, kumkum and roli. An oil lamp is also lit in front of her and a lemon garland is also offered to the deity.
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