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Navratri Day 7: Maa Kalaratri Puja, Colour, Rituals And Significance
Temples will turn grey, and lamps will burn late on Saturday, 17 October, as devotees observe Navratri Day 7 and worship Maa Kalaratri, the seventh and fiercest form of Goddess Durga.
The day falls on Saptami, which this year has two sunrises and runs from 5:55 am on 17 October to 8:29 am on 18 October, Delhi time. In Bengal and eastern India, it also marks Maha Saptami of Durga Puja, when the festival's main days of worship begin, building toward Vijayadashami on 20 October.
The Fierce Mother Who Brings Good
Kalaratri means "dark night". Devotees often read her name as the night that ends fear, even the fear of death, since kala can mean both time and death. She is described as darker than a moonless night, with dishevelled hair, and is believed to send evil away by her very sight. Yet she is also called Shubhankari, the one who brings good, because her fierce form removes fear and protects her devotees.
She has four arms, holding a sword and an iron hook while two hands show the gestures of fearlessness and boons, and she rides a donkey. Popular accounts link her with the destruction of demons such as Shumbha, Nishumbha and Raktabija, though retellings vary. In Hindu astrology, she is linked with Saturn, or Shani.
Why Saptami Matters In Durga Puja
For Bengali families and community pandals, Saptami is when the festival's mood changes. The goddess's presence is formally welcomed, and in many places the sacred Kola Bou, or Navapatrika, is bathed and installed beside the idol. Midnight worship, known as Nisha Puja, honours the Kalaratri form, and a Nisha Jatra procession of devotees is observed in the evening.
Grey Takes The Day
Grey is the colour listed for the seventh day, and it is associated with balance, calmness and inner strength. Devotees may wear grey clothes or use grey elements in festive decorations. Colours follow the weekday, so calendars can differ, but grey is the shade most widely listed for 17 October.
Navratri Day 7 Puja Vidhi, Step By Step
Saptami runs through Saturday and into Sunday morning, so worship can be done on 17 October. Most households pray in the morning.
- Bathe early, wear fresh grey clothes and clean the puja space.
- Light a diya before the picture or idol of Maa Kalaratri and offer fresh flowers, such as hibiscus or marigold.
- Offer jaggery and sweets made from it, the traditional bhog for the day.
- Chant the simple mantra: Om Devi Kalaratryai Namah.
- Close with aarti and share the prasad. Some devotees also give jaggery in charity.
What Devotees Do Through The Day
Many keep a Navratri fast, avoiding grains, onions, meat and alcohol, and building meals around fruit, milk, sabudana and kuttu or singhara flour. Those fasting should stay hydrated and avoid long gaps between meals, and anyone with a medical condition should check with a doctor first.
Others visit a temple, read the Durga Saptashati or sing the Kalaratri aarti. Because Saptami spans two sunrises, calendars may place the next day's worship differently, so a local panchang is worth checking.
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