Navratri special: Significance behind celebrating Maha Saptami

Navratri is the celebration of good over evil. Each day of the nine-day festival has its own significance and various rituals are performed in Indian households to mark the occasion.

While the rituals may differ from one state to the other, the importance of these days and celebrations is the same everywhere.

Navratri is celebrated in the Ashwin Shukla Paksha and on its 7th day Maha Saptami is celebrated. While during the initial days of Navratri several rituals and aarti’s are performed the Maha Puja or the mega celebrations start from Saptami onwards because on this day the battle between Goddess Durga and the Rakshasa King Mahishasura started.

This day is an indication of good fighting evil and how Prakruti or female power can demolish the negativity of evilness when the situation arises.

Apart from its significance to Navratri and the fight of Durga with Mahishasura, Maha Saptami has also a legend that surrounds Lord Rama.

The legend says that Lord Rama offered his prayers to Goddess Durga before his battle started with the demon king Ravan. The demon king had kidnapped Lord Rama’s wife Sita and hence for him winning this battle was very important.

The legend says that the special puja that Rama started required 100 Neel kamal or blue lotus flowers. However, he could only get 99 such flowers.

Since Rama wanted to complete the ritual he plucked out his own eye which was blue in colour and offered it in place of the Neel kamal which was missing.

The Goddess Durga was so pleased that she not only returned that eye back to Lord Rama but also offered him a lot of blessings helping him emerge a winner against Ravana.

There are many more legends and tales associated with Maha Saptami and each state has its own lores and reasons for celebrating the day and Navratri festival.