Durga Ashtami 2023: Mahagauri, Kumari Puja, significance and wishes

The eighth day of the ten-day festival Durga Puja marks the Durga Ashtami or Maha Ashtami. Devotees from across the country worship goddess Mahagauri who is believed to rid people of all pain and suffering in their lives.

Durga Ashtami 2023 Date

Ashtami, also known as Durga Ashtami, is being celebrated on October 22 this year. It is one of the most significant days during the extended celebrations of Navratri and Durga Puja.

Durga Ashtami Significance

According to Hindu customs, celebrations on this day commence with a Mahasnan or a grand bath to rid which is said to rid people of impurities. This is followed by installing nine small pots to invoke nine Shaktis of goddess Durga and then they are worshipped during Mahashtami puja.

Devotees also offer goddess Mahagauri with yellow flowers, halwa, puri, and black chickpeas. During the aarti, 108 earthen lamps are lit to appease the goddess.

Kumari Puja

Young and unmarried girls are also worshipped on this day and are presented with special Navratri preparations. This ritual is known as Kumari Puja. Devotees believe young girls to be manifestations of Maa Durga.

During the puja, worshippers wash their feet, offer them clothes, jewelry, and a few other tokens of gratitude.

Here are the wishes, messages, quotes, and images for Durga Ashtami 2023:

• This is the festival of worship of mother, this is the festival of the devotion of 9 forms of the mother, this is the festival of making bad works, it is the festival of burning in the heart of devotion, the wishes of Durga Ashtami.

• May Goddes Durga give prosperity to you and your family. May her blessings always be with you. Jai Mata Di. Happy Maha Ashtami.

• The gift of love should be a gift of happiness, not a count of happiness, no feeling of sorrow is such as the year of Durga Ashtami festival, Jai Maa Durga.

• Let the joy of festivity embrace you and your loved ones on the occasion of Durga Ashtami this year. Very blessed Durga Ashtami to you and your Family.

• May Maa Durga bestow you and your family with 9 forms of blessings- fame, name, wealth, prosperity, happiness, education, health, power, and commitment. Happy Durga Ashtami

• A time for celebration, a time for victory of good over bad, a time when the world sees the power of good, let us continue the same spirit.

• May Maa Durga illuminate your life with countless blessings of happiness. Happy Durga Ashtami.

• Through these nine evenings of prayer and celebrations, may Maa always keep you in good health. May all your problems leave you. Happy Durga Ashtami 2023.

• On this auspicious occasion of Durga Ashtami, may Maa fulfill everyone’s aspirations, further the atmosphere of joy, and eliminate all evil from our society.

• O mother, do not let your faith arise in your world when the darkness is bound by fear and darkness will become thick and dense, the light will show you the way.

Also read: Durga Puja special: Prepare this Assamese-style festive spread at home