Chaitra Navratri 2024 Day 7: Chaitra Navratri is one of the most auspicious Hindu festivals which begins on the first day of the Hindu Luni-Solar calendar. This year, the nine-day-long celebration began on April 9. Each day of the festival is dedicated to the worship of Maa Durga and her nine divine incarnations. On Day 7 or Saptami of Chaitra Navratri, Maa Kalratri is worshipped by the devotees. Know who is Maa Kalratri and Day 7 puja rituals, shubh muhurat, samagri, significance, colour, mantra and more inside.

Chaitra Navratri 2024: Who is Maa Kalratri? Know significance

Maa Kalratri is one of the nine avatars of Maa Durga worshipped on Day 7 or Saptami tithi of Chaitra Navratri. Maa Kalratri is the fiercest form of Goddess Parvati. According to beliefs, the Goddess rules Saturn. She is of dark complexion, rides a donkey, and is depicted with four hands - her right hands in Abhaya and Varada Mudra and her left hands holding a sword and a deadly iron hook.

Although Goddess Kalratri is the most fierce form of Goddess Parvati, she is known to bless her devotees with whatever they seek from her and remove obstacles and sorrows. It is believed that Maa Kalratri protects her devotees from all evil. Due to her auspicious power, Goddess Kalratri is also known as Goddess Shubhankari. Other names for her are Goddess Mahayogishwari and Goddess Mahayogini. Her flower is Night's Queen. Lastly, worshipping Maa Kalratri eliminates the malefic effects of planets in one's life and brings happiness.

According to legends, Maa Kalratri defeated demons Chanda, Munda and Raktabeej. Demons Shumbha and Nishumbha had defeated the Gods with the help of demons Chanda, Munda and Raktabeej and began to rule the three worlds. Indra and other gods prayed to Goddess Parvati and she created Goddess Chandi to kill them. However, unable to kill Chanda, Munda and Raktabeej, Maa Chandi created Maa Kalratri from her forehead.

Goddess Kalratri killed Chanda and Munda but found it tricky to defeat Raktabeej. He had a boon from Lord Brahma that every drop of his blood that fell on the ground would create another lookalike of him. Undeterred by this, Maa Kaalratri started drinking blood of each clone of Raktabeej and there came a point when she was eventually able to kill him.

Chaitra Navratri 2024 Day 7: Date, timing and shubh muhurat

This year, Day 7 of Chaitra Navratri falls on April 15, Monday, according to Drik Panchang. Check out puja timings and shubh muhurat on this day below:

Saptami Tithi starts: 11:44 am on April 14

Saptami Tithi ends: 12:11 pm on April 15

Brahma Muhurat: 4:26 am to 5:11 am

Abhijit Muhurat: 11:56 am to 12:47 pm

Vijay Muhurat: 2:30 pm to 3:21 pm

Chaitra Navratri 2024 Day 7: Colour, puja vidhi, samagri and rituals

The colour for Day 7 of Chaitra Navratri is white. To worship Maa Kalratri on Day 7, devotees should offer her jaggery or prasad made from jaggery. They should perform the sringar puja on Saptami night wherein they offer sindoor, kajal, comb, hair oil, shampoo, nail paint, lipstick and two sets of all products normally used in makeup. One set of the products is later donated to temples while devotees use the other set for themselves as prasad.

Chaitra Navratri 2024 Day 7: Puja Mantra, Prathana, Stuti:

Mantra

Om Devi Kalaratryai Namah

Prathana

Ekaveni Japakarnapura Nagna Kharasthit

Lamboshthi Karnikakarni Tailabhyakta Sharirini

Vamapadollasalloha Latakantakabhushana

Vardhana Murdhadhwaja Krishna Kalaratrirbhayankari

Stuti

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Ma Kalaratri Rupena Samsthita

Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah

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