Chaitra Navratri 2022: Durga Ashtami Kanya pujan date, puja timings, vidhi

Chaitra Navratri 2022: This year Chaitra Navratri will be celebrated from April 2 (Saturday) till April 11 (Monday). Ashtami is being observed on April 9. Navratri (nine nights) is celebrated to worship goddess Durga and her nine forms through the nine days. It is to seek her blessings for protection from evil and seek happiness. 

She is known as the symbol of wisdom and knowledge. Based on her representation in various pictures, Goddess Brahmacharini carries japmala in her hand and wears a white saree. Many illustrations show her holding a rosary in one hand and a Kamandal in another.

As devotees begin to celebrate day 2 of the Navratri festival, they should offer jasmine flowers to the idol of Maa Brahmacharini as it is her favourite flower.

The nine avatars of the goddess Durga worshipped are:

Shailaputri or Pratipada, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri, Siddhidhatri

Durgashtami, Kanya Pujan timings:  

Kanya Puja is performed on the Ashtami and Navami days of Navratri. This year Chaita Navratri Ashtami is on April 9. Ashtami Tithi to begin from 11:05 pm on April 8 till 9 April at 1:23 pm. The auspicious time of the day is from 11:58 to 12:48.

In Kanya Puja, nine young girls are worshipped and offered food, clothes, gifts and money. These young nine girls represent nine forms of the goddess. The young girls are served the prasad of Kale chane, suji ka halwa and poori.