Ayodhya, Amrit Vichar: The festival of Chaitra Shukla Navratri is starting from Pratipada on 19th March. Havan will be completed after the puja on Navami Tithi on 27th March. Ashtami fast and worship will be on 26th March. On the festival of Navratri, the eight-day ritual will begin by installing Kalash in the sanctum sanctorum of 5000 temples including Ram temple along with various Shaktipeeths. Durga Saptashati recitation and religious rituals will be performed daily in all the math temples.
According to Astrologer Pandit Praveen Sharma, during Navratri falling this year, Pratipada Tithi will start from Brahmamuhurta on 19th March and will end on 27th March. For rituals and worship on Pratipada, the most sacred time for establishing the Kalash will be from 6:52 to 7:43 in the morning for about an hour. You can also perform Kalash puja in Abhijeet Muhurta in the afternoon between 11:38 to 12:26.
On Navratri starting from Thursday, there will be a fair of faith mainly in Shaktipeeth Chhoti Devkali, Badi Devkali and Jalpa temple and other goddess temples. The doors of all the temples will be opened from Brahma Muhurta and Maa will reach the devotees from morning itself, for which extensive arrangements have been made for the darshan arrangements in the temples. Ajay Dwivedi, priest of Chhoti Devkali temple, said that special arrangements have been made in the temples regarding Navratri.
Kalash will also be installed in the sanctum sanctorum of Ram temple.
On March 19, the Kalash will be installed as per rituals in the sanctum sanctorum of Ram temple in the morning. Durga Saptashati will be recited by the priest till 27th March. On the occasion of Navratri, fruit dishes will be offered to Ramlala. Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has completed the preparations. Trustee Dr. Anil Mishra said that preparations have been made to celebrate the festival traditionally. Along with the rituals, singing of bhajans and greetings will also be organized during the festival every evening near the sanctum sanctorum of Ram temple.
Install the Kalash like this on the first day of Navratri
There is a tradition of worshiping on Navratri with proper rituals. Pandit Surendradhar Dwivedi tells that on the Pratipada of Navratri, after taking bath and meditation in Brahma Muhurta, keep as much material as possible like Kalash, coconut-shine, makeup items, intact, turmeric, fruits, flowers, sweets etc. with you. The Kalash should be of gold, silver, copper, brass or clay. Make Om and Swastika on it with Roli. At the beginning of the puja, sprinkle water on yourself from the Kusha while saying “Om Pundarikakshay” Namah. Light a ghee lamp in the south-east corner of your worship place Om Deepo Jyoti: Parabrahma Deepo Jyoti: Janardanah. Deepo hartu me papam pujadeep namostu te. Light it while reciting the mantra.