Suvo Saptami is the seventh day of the Durga Puja, also known as Saptami or Maha Saptami in India. It is celebrated in honour of Devi Kalratri, the fiercest avatar of Goddess Durga.
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Suvo Saptami: The legend
Mahish is the Sanskrit word for buffalo, and asur means demon. Mahishasur became the cause of adharma (wrongdoing) on earth. He asked Lord Brahma for the blessing of immortality because he desired power and wanted to be equated with the gods. In response, Lord Brahma gave him the boon of never getting killed by a man, but he also added that a woman would be the reason for his demise.
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The demon’s power inundation made it essential to put an end to his story, and Goddess Shakti took the initiative and took the form of Goddess Durga, who was armed with godly weapons. The term “Ashtanayika” (which translates to “eight heroic women”) is used to describe the eight goddesses who helped Goddess Durga in this battle
Suvo Saptami: Rituals
- Before offering adoration to Goddess Shakti, devotees rise early and take a bath in the holy river.
- Before sunrise, Navapatrika is bathed in the Ganga river alongside a banana tree (Kolabou), which represents Lord Ganesha’s wife. Nine plants—paddy, banana, Jayanti, colocasia, pomegranate, Ashoka, turmeric, arum plant and bel are tied with Koyala and Aparajita to produce “Navapatrika” or “Nabapatrika,” which is used to invoke Goddess Durga. Each Navapatrika plant represents a different Goddess.
Paddy represents Goddess Laxmi
Banana represents Goddess Brahmani
Jayanti represents Goddess Kartiki
Colocasia represents Goddess Kalika
Pomegranate represents Goddess Raktadantika
Ashoka represents Goddess Shokarahita
Arum Plant represents Goddess Chamunda
Bel represents Goddess Shiva
Turmeric represents Goddess Durga herself.
- After being made and served to the god as Bhog (the food offering to the God), prasad is then distributed amongst the devotees.
- The Pandals are cleaned and decorated with diyas, flowers and scented sticks.
- The Maha Puja begins on this day, and Goddess Saraswati is also worshipped on this day in some regions of the country. Some devotees also perform Kalratri Puja.
FAQs
Who is Goddess Durga?
Goddess Durga is a popular Hindu Goddess mainly worshipped in India as the symbol of power, strength, fearlessness, motherhood, and femininity.
What does Saptami mean?
Saptami refers to the 7th day of Durga Puja.
Who was Mahishasur?
Mahishasur was a demon who became a threat to humanity and morality ( Dharma).
Who are the Navdurga?
The nine manifestations of Goddess Durga are Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri.
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