Day 3 of Navratri 2021; Rituals and Offerings to Worship Maa Chandraghanta

The 3rd day of Sharad Navratri is celebrated to worship the third form or avatar of Goddess Durga known as Maa Chandraghanta. The nine-day festival dedicated to Maa Durga starts from Navratri ending with Dussehra has great significance across the country and is worshipped by the devotees with great enthusiasm.

Maa Chandraghanta is worshipped by the devotees on the third day of Navratri through fastings, offering bhog, aarti and reading kathas, chanting various mantras. Maa Chandraghanta is believed to be the form of Chandrashekhara, the "Shakti" of Lord Shiva and all the sides of Lord Shiva is regarded with Shakti. The name Maa Chandraghanta means "one who has a half-moon shaped like a bell" and in the word Chandraghanta, the Sanskrit meaning of the term "Chandra" is the moon which signifies the alternate side of Goddess Mahagauri with calmness.

The idol of Maa Chandraghanta looks like she is riding a vehicle that uses a lion or tiger and the view of her riding expresses bravery and power; she has ten arms holding weapons on her hands and the shape of half moon like a bell on her forehead. The bell or ghanta signifies that it creates a sound that can scare demons or the asuras to be afraid of her. Maa Chandraghanta brings bravery, courage and strength to her devotees so they worship her to be able to fight the wrong and rewarded with courage as it is said that the third eye of Maa Chandraghanta remains opened and she always welcomes wars against the demons. She is also known in other names as "Suhag ki Devi", "Rannchandhi or Chandika and the goddess symbolizes fearlessness to fight evil, standing against the sinful, bringing justice in the right way and delivering the meaning of dharma in the world.

The devotees who worship Maa Chandraghanta offer some of the essential offerings along with aarti to the Goddess like lotus and other yellow flowers on that particular day. One of the unique parts of the offering is a type of sweet or kheer made with milk popularly known as Bhog as this part of the ritual is highly suggested by many mythological experts and believed that milk is much liked by the Goddess Maa Chandraghanta. The devotees bathe the idol of the Goddess Maa Chandraghanta with offerings like Kewra, Kesar strands and Ganga Jal and then dressed her in clothes that are golden in colour. The important mantra or Kathas to worship Maa Chandraghanta is Pindajpravaraarudha Chandakopaastrakairyuta Prasadam Tanute Mahyaaam Chandraghanteti Vishruta.

Also read: Maa Brahmacharini, 2nd Day of Navratri 2021; Important Rituals and Mantras

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