Ayudha Puja: Weapon Puja In Navratri

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Ayudha puja is a special festival that is celebrated in South India. While Navratri is being celebrated with much pomp and splendour in North India, the Southern parts of India have a very different flavour of festivities to offer. Ayudha Puja happens during Navrtari; to be precise on the day of Ram Navami or the ninth day of Navratri. On this day weapons and implements are worshipped by devotees.

There are many different legends behind this festival. The first story correlates to Goddess Durga. After slaying Mahishashura at the juncture of Ashtami and Navami, the fierce goddess lay down her weapons on Navami. Her weapons were worshipped after she accomplished the task of slaying the buffalo demon. So Ayudha puja can be seen as way to celebrate the slaying of Mahishashura.

Another legend about Ayudha puja is related to the Mahabharata. While going for exile for 13 years, the Pandavas hid their weapons inside a Shalmi tree. While coming back to the battle of Kurukshetra, they worshipped their weapons. As the Pandavas were victorious, it was a way to prove that the puja works.

These days, we rarely use weapons in your day to day life. However, Ayudha puja binds us to our profession now. Now, implements like cars, gas stove, computers, phones etc are worshipped on the day of this puja. In fact, the celebration of Ayudha Puja in offices is the biggest way in which it survives.