Importance of Durga Puja

[Sanjeev]

Goddess Durga is a form of shakti, the mother of all great energies and destroyer of demons/evil. She is also worshiped annually in the festival called Durga puja. The festival starts with the many rituals of fast, feast, worship, and continues for 10 days. Durga puja helps in eradicating the sins of past life and remove the inherited bad karmas of ancestors. It helps in overcoming problems from the evils and negative energies.By worshiping her helps in acquiring the wealth, prosperity and power to fight with all ills of the life.

[Vinayaka]

The festivals of Hinduism are quite regionalised. Durga Puja, for example is particularly important in Bengal and to Shaktas, but not as important elsewhere, like in the South. Some festivals are totally unheard of in other areas. India is like Europe in diversity, and likely moreso if we consider the diaspora.

So for a person whose Ishta is Durga, it's incredibly important, probably the main festival.

[Sanjeev]

Navratri starting from 25th September which also marks the start of durga puja festival which will last till 3rd Oct. In these nine days and nine nights people offer their prayers to the Goddess Durga and her other forms. This festival is known as the festival which teaches a lesson of victory of good over evil. The names of the nine forms of Maa Durga are as follows: Maa Kaalratri ,Maa Brahmachaarini, Maa Shailputri, Maa Chandraghanta, Skanda Maa ,Maa Kushmaanda, Maa Mahagauri, Maa Kaatyayani and Maa Sidhidaarti.

Sir Durga is one of my favorite manifestations of the Divine and I have read the story of her battle with the demons several times. I love the "Ya Devi" chant used in that story.

[Sanjeev]

Durga is also a symbol of womanhood and power of woman to which came to existent to remove evil from the world.

[ajay00]

The whole Navratri puja is very auspicious, with its days of worship, prayers and fasting, when properly done.

The three feminine deities, who are feminine manifestations of the supreme Lord, personifying learning, prosperity and strength in the forms of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Durga are worshipped at this time.

While all women are considered as manifestations of the Divine Mother, it is in the young virgin that the Divine Mother is most manifest. Hence young, healthy, cultured girls from good families are reverentially worshipped as the manifestation of the Goddess during this period, fed sweet dishes, given new clothes and made happy. This activates the divine feminine energies within them, and greatly benefits the worshippers with elevated consciousness,prosperity and divine virtues.

Treating all females, whether human or animal, with respect and affection, releases these energies , though it may be in varying degrees. Disrespect and hatred, on the other hand, releases negative energy and does great harm.

This, I believe, has been intuitively understood throughout the world, and hence the reason for phrases like " Behind every great/successful man there stands a woman" and so on.

Here is a good link on Navratri...

http://www.sanatan.org/en/a/96.html