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Navratri Akhand Jyoti: Know The Rules And How To Keep The Lamp Lit For Nine Days

It is believed, as per the scriptures, that the prayers of the devotee to God are carried through the flames of the lit diya. The message of the devotee is carried through by the fire god who conveys the circumstances of your situation to God by behaving like a messenger. The ringing of bells and the conches, and the lighting of lamps have their own meaning in the scheme of worship. The mangal aarti at the end is conducted using the same set of diya or lamps to the idol of God.

Navratri Akhand Jyoti: Rituals

The lamp or diya should not get extinguished on its own during the duration of the puja as it uses its energy to clean the aura around you. The longer the diya burns, the higher will be the aura quotient. Care should be taken not to accidentally extinguish the flames. To achieve this, ensure that a bigger wick is chosen and doused in a sufficient amount of ghee. Read to know more.

Navratri Akhand Jyoti: Instructions And Remedies

  • Always brass silver or earthen lamps are the best choices for lighting a diya. If you prefer the earthiness of the clay lamp, ensure that it is well soaked in water overnight to prevent it from absorbing the oil while lighting a diya.
  • Draw an Ashtadal (an eight-petalled lotus) with gulal (colour) or raw rice on the chowki/platform.
  • See that you always place the oil lamp on a chowki in the centre of the Ashtadal, to the right side of the Mother Goddess, on the chowki.
  • Using a long and thick cotton wick or the one made of Mauli will keep it burning until the end of the festival.
  • Akhand Jyoti requires pure sesame oil, mustard oil or ghee to light it.
  • No sudden breeze from the door or window should extinguish it. So do not expose the diya to these areas. Certain diyas have a built-in glass box at the top to shield them from the blowing wind, which is a welcome idea to keep them firm and steadily burning.
  • Periodically, keep adding oil to the lamp to see that the wick does not sink into the oil in the diya. Constant kindling of the wick may leave a soot deposit on its surface. Hence, the wick must also be replaced occasionally in order to ensure the glow is intact and continuous. Gently remove the old wick and insert a new wick into the Jyoti. The entire stretch of vrat should go on unhindered with the wick burning constantly in the background till the vrat is concluded.

Navratri Akhand Jyoti 2022: Dos And Don'ts

  • First of all, the puja must begin with a vow or pledge taken by the devotee to preserve the akhand diya up to the conclusion of the nine days of Navratri.
  • Only one wick with ghee is a better option. Change the wick only when needed.
  • Place the lamp in such a position that it faces South or southeast.
  • Akhand Jyoti should be kept separately from the rest of the puja paraphernalia, and it should be lit only in the puja area.
  • Cover the Akhand Jyoti with a glass top to shield it from wind and similarly take care that the wick does not catch fire and cause a fire hazard.
  • Wick should be fully doused in oil and needs to be replaced when it turns black but keep the diya burning.
  • Pure unadulterated cow ghee must be used and seen that there is always enough ghee in the lamp to keep it burning.
  • In some parts of India, as long as the Akhand Jyoti is burning, the entire family sleeps on the floor. This is not a common practice that is seen in most regions.
  • Let the lamp extinguish on its own after the Navratri concludes. Do not put it out on your own.

Navratri Akhand Jyoti: Significance

Diyas are one of the most opportune methods to receive blessings and divine pardon for your sins. It is widely believed, that the morning diya will clear the sins done on the previous day and the evening diya clears the entire day's sins. Also, the houses in which diya is always lit will enjoy bounty of good luck and fortune as a divine blessing. Some of the worshippers light diya for fulfilling their specific desires pertaining to job and marriage.

There is much more to this mystical phenomenon. As you light the wick, it emits a beneficial aura that pervades the whole atmosphere as the lamp keeps burning. The energy from the lamp is all around the place which automatically destroys the bad vibrations. This is the reason behind keeping the diya flame unbroken throughout Navratri.

Agni or the fire god, is known to be a natural purifier that cleanses the aura in the atmosphere, eliminating any impurity that might be there, leaving the environment pristine pure and therapeutic. An unbroken flame always enhances the happiness, prosperity, and wealth of the house, as per religious scriptures.

The tradition of lighting lamps at homes and temples is a century old and unquestioned practice that has come down from generations. People are generally accustomed to light an oil lamp two times a day once after morning bath and the other at dusk hours.

The divine saying from the scriptures "tamasoma jyotirgamaya" encapsulates this entire concept in a nutshell. A diya or Jyoti represents a lot of things good and auspicious including knowledge, purity, fortune, prosperity and banishes the darkness out of our existence. The lamp is referred to as Akhand Jyoti if it keeps burning, for days together. It is during Navratri, that devotees light and preserve the akhand Jyoti for nine continuous days in honour of Goddess Durga.

Disclaimer: The information is based on assumptions and information available on the internet and the accuracy or reliability is not guaranteed. Boldsky does not confirm any inputs or information related to the article and our only purpose is to deliver information. Kindly consult the concerned expert before practising or implementing any information and assumption

Story first published: Thursday, September 29, 2022, 14:56 [IST]