Navratri 2017 Parana

According to the Hindu religious texts, there exists two different opinions when it comes to the timing of Navratri Parana. The two opinions envisages to perform the Navratri Parana either on the Dashmi Tithi after the Navmi Tithi gets over and within the Navami Tithi.

After the nine days long fasting during the Sharad Navratri 2017 festival comes the Parana i.e. breaking the Navratri fast. For several devotees, the eighth day of Navratri or Ashtami exemplifies the end of fasting. The devotees offer prayers to Maa Mahagauri and Kanya Puja is performed. In this Puja, young girls who are contemplated as the manifestation of Maa Durga are worshipped. As a part of Puja, Kanyas are offered with various delicacies like Puri, Halwa and chickpeas. Before offering the delicacies usually the females of the family clean and wash the feet of the girls as a gesture of respect towards Goddess Durga. A tilak is then applied (from roli or vermillion) on their forehead and a dakshina is also given to the girls after offering the delicacies. The Puja is concluded by seeking the blessings of Goddess Durga by touching their feet. Thus, the devotees end their fast by having the prasad after the Puja. If we ponder over the geographical areas, then the most of the devotees in North India, end up their Navratri fast either on Ashtami or on Navami after performing the Kanya Puja. Navratri being an integral festival for Hindus holds a lot of thrust in the lives of the people and thus, we have come up to enlighten all the devotees, so that they can end up their fast after finishing the Kanya Puja.

The tradition of Navratri Parana is independent of the nine day festivity of Navratri. This tradition rests on a fact that Parana should be done either on Ashtami Tithi or Navami Tithi. In many families, fasting is observed only for two days rather than having it for all the nine days. The two days comprises of the first day of Navratra and the second day is marked by the day just prior to the last worshipping day. Thus, it can be deduced that the second fasting should be done either on Saptami or Ashtami with respect to the end of the Navratri festival on Maha Ashtami or Maha Navami.