Durga Ashtami or Maha Ashtami is the eighth day of the

Navaratri Navaratri () is an annual Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and aga ...

festival celebrated by Hindus in veneration of the goddess

Durga Durga (, ) is a major Hindu goddess, worshipped as a principal aspect of the mother goddess Mahadevi. She is associated with protection, strength, motherhood, destruction, and wars. Durga's legend centres around combating evils and demonic ...

. In

Eastern India East India is a region consisting of the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal and also the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The states of Bihar and West Bengal lie on the Indo-Gangetic plain. Jharkhan ...

, ''Durga Ashatmi'' is also one of the most auspicious days of the five days-long

Durga Puja Durga Puja (ISO 15919, ISO: , ), also known as Durgotsava or Shaaradotsava, is an annual festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which pays homage to the Hinduism, Hindu goddess Durga, and is also celebrated because of Durga's victo ...

festival. Traditionally, the festival is observed for 10 days in

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

households, but the actual puja that takes place in the pandals is held over a period of 5 days (starting from Shashthi). In

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, fasting is undertaken by Hindus on this holy occasion. People also get together on this day to perform the folk dance garba and wear colourful clothes. This day is also known for Astra Puja (the ritual worship of weapons); on this day, the weapons of Durga are worshipped. The occasion is also rendered Vira Ashtami to mark the usage of arms or martial arts on this day.

Description

The eight day of Navaratri or Durga Puja celebrations is known as Durgashtami, or Durga Ashtami. It is also known as Mahashtami and is one of the most auspicious days according to Hinduism. It falls on bright lunar fortnight Ashtami tithi of Ashvina month according to the Hindu calendar. It is believed in some regions, the goddess Chamunda appeared on this day from the forehead of Durga and annihilated

Chanda and Munda In Hinduism, in the Devi Mahatmya, Chanda and Munda are asuras (demons) in the service of demons Shumbha and Nishumbha. One day, they set their eyes upon Parvati and were overwhelmed by her beauty. They carried reports of this goddess to Shumbh ...

, and Raktabija (the

asuras Asuras () are a class of beings in Indian religions, and later Persian and Turkic mythology. They are described as power-seeking beings related to the more benevolent Deva (Hinduism), Devas (also known as Suras) in Hinduism. In its Buddhism, ...

(demons) who were associates of

Mahishasura Mahishasura (, ) is a bovine asura in Hinduism. He is depicted in Hindu texts, Hindu literature as a deceitful demon who pursued his evil ways by shape-shifting. Mahishasura was the son of the asura Rambha (asura), Rambha and the brother of buf ...

). The 64 Yoginis and

Matrikas Matrikas (Sanskrit: मातृका (singular), IAST: mātṛkā, lit. "mothers") also called Mataras or Matri, are a group of mother goddesses in Hinduism. The Matrikas are often depicted in a group of seven, the Saptamatrika(s) (Seven Mot ...

( forms of Durga) are worshipped during the Durga Puja rituals on Mahashtami. The significance of the Matrikas is interpreted differently in different regions of India. The Ashta Shakti worshipped during Durga Puja are Brahmani, Maheswari, Kaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Narasinghi, Indrani and Chamunda. Worshippers of Mother

uphold her rituals every month on Masik Durgashtami. However during

, when her nine forms are worshipped, Durga Ashtami is revered on eighth day during ''Chaitra'' Navratri and subsequently on ''Shardiya'' Navratri.

Tradition

Kumarbhog Durga Puja 2013 - Maha Ashtami Kumari Puja

A tradition associated with Durga Ashtami that originated in

North India North India is a geographical region, loosely defined as a cultural region comprising the northern part of India (or historically, the Indian subcontinent) wherein Indo-Aryans (speaking Indo-Aryan languages) form the prominent majority populati ...

is to honour the kanyaka (young girls) with a ritual called the Kanya Puja. Kanya Puja is observed on the Navami (Ninth Day of Navaratri) and Ashtami. In this Tradition, a group of young, unmarried girls (five to seven) are invited into the home to honour them. The tradition is based on the belief that each of these young girls, represents the

shakti Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; 'energy, ability, strength, effort, power, might, capability') in Hinduism, is the "Universal Power" that underlies and sustains all existence. Conceived as feminine in essence, Shakti refer ...

(energy) of Durga on Earth. The group of girls are welcomed by washing their feet (a common ceremony in India to welcome someone), welcoming them into the home, and then the rituals of

arati ''Arti'' () or ''Aarati'' () is a Hindu ritual employed in worship, part of a '' puja'', in which light from a flame (fuelled by camphor, ghee, or oil) is ritually waved to venerate deities. ''Arti'' also refers to the hymns sung in praise of t ...

and puja are performed. After the rituals, the girls are fed sweets and foods and honoured with small gifts.

References

{{HinduFestivals Hindu holy days Odia culture September observances October observances Hindu festivals in India Religious festivals in India Public holidays in Bangladesh