Navratri 2019: Know About Chandraghanta, Goddess Of The Third Day Of Navratri

Take a look at the rules and rituals that help in performing a successful Chandraghanta pooja.

By Subodini Menon

Tuesday, October 1, 2019, 15:06

The third day of Navratri is dedicated to the Goddess Chandraghanta. In the year 2019, the 1 October will be celebrated as the third day of Navaratri, which is the day of Chandraghanta pooja. The forms of the mother Goddess in the first two days of the Navaratri festival depicts grace and piety. They are peaceful and patient. But the Goddess Chandraghanta differs to them in this aspect.

The form of the Goddess Chandraghanta is more ferocious and terrifying. The Goddess is benevolent to the devotees and is forever ready to protect them. In the form of Goddess Chandraghanta, the Goddess is forever battle ready to provide shelter to her devotees and to destroy the evil and wicked.

Today, we shall take a look at the rules and rituals that help in performing a successful Chandraghanta pooja.

The meaning of Goddess Chandraghanta

The Goddess Chandraghanta is loving and caring to her devotees but at the same time is ever ready to protect them from evil. The word Chandraghanta is derived from the fact that she wears a half-moon on her forehead. The half-moon had adorned her forehead ever since her marriage to Lord Shiva. She also carries a Ghanta or a bell. This acts as a warning to those who harm or hurt her devotees. She rings the bell with a resounding sound which can be heard both by her devotees and the followers of evil. The sound offers hope and reassurance to her devotees and instils fear in the hearts of those who perform evil deeds.

The time to perform the Chandraaghanta pooja

This pooja is to be performed on the tritiya tithi.

Why Chandraaghanta pooja performed?

The pooja helps in removing any kind of obstacles that you may have. If you are haunted by the demons of life you can ask Goddess Chandraghanta for help. The Goddess Chandraghanta is bravery personified. She is also the representative of ferociousness and courage. When a devotee worships the Goddess Chandraghanta, he/she is blessed with qualities of bravery, courageousness and valour. When a family prays to the Goddess, she blesses them with peace happiness and the promise of protection in the face of danger.

Rules for performing the pooja

Make sure that the area in which the pooja is to be performed is clean and tidy.
Make sure that you have cleansed yourself and are done with your daily ablutions.
Wear clean and fresh clothes before performing the pooja. The colour white is the preferred colour on the third day of Navaratri. So, wearing white colours are thought to be auspicious.
Offer flowers that are white in colour like jasmine.
The most preferred bhog to offer to the Goddess Chandraghanta is milk, kheer and sweets that are made out of milk and milk products.

The vidhi of performing the Pooja

It is important that you have a clean mind that is bent on the worship of the Goddess Chandraghanta.

Perform the Atma Pooja

This is a pooja that is dome for the self purification. For this you can take a little water in your palm and pray to the Goddess to help you with the successful fulfillment of the pooja.

Tilak and Aachaman

Use sandalwood and kumkum to put a tilak on your forehead. Take some water in your palm and drink it.

Sankalpa

Take some more water in your palm and make a promise of completion of this pooja in front of the Goddess. If you are performing this pooja with a particular wish n mind, you can say it now.