Navratri 2025 Day 3: Goddess Chandraghanta puja, significance and rituals

Navratri 2025, the nine-day festival of devotion and celebration, began on September 22 and will conclude with Dussehra on October 2. During these nine days, devotees worship the Navadurgas, the nine forms of Goddess Durga, each representing unique virtues. Day 3 of Navratri is dedicated to Maa Chandraghanta, the divine form that brings courage, peace, and protection to her devotees.

Who is Maa Chandraghanta?

Maa Chandraghanta is the married form of Goddess Parvati. After her marriage to Lord Shiva, she adorned her forehead with a crescent moon shaped like a bell (Ghanta), which is how she earned the name Chandraghanta. Depicted with ten hands riding a tiger, she carries divine weapons like Trishul, Sword, Gada, Kamandal, Lotus, Bow, Arrow, and Japa Mala. Two of her hands bless devotees through Varada Mudra and Abhaya Mudra, symbolising grace, protection, and courage.

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According to legends, Maa Chandraghanta defeated the bat-demon Jatukasura while Lord Shiva was in meditation. Using her crescent moon to light the path and her bell to destabilize the bats, she showcased courage, determination, and divine grace, protecting the world from evil forces.

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Maa Chandraghanta is revered for her balance of fierceness and compassion. Worshipping her brings courage and inner strength with peace and prosperity. She is also believed to protection from negative energies and confidence and willpower are linked to the Manipura (solar plexus) chakra. She is associated with planet Venus (Shukra), which governs love, harmony, and material well-being. Her blessings are believed to remove obstacles in relationships and enhance overall spiritual and personal growth.

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Navratri Day 3 Colour and flower

Each day of Navratri has a specific colour that represents the goddess being worshipped. For Day 3, the auspicious colour is royal blue. This shade symbolises tranquility, richness, and depth, reflecting the Goddess's calm yet powerful nature. Wearing royal blue during puja is believed to attract her blessings and enhance courage and focus. Maa Chandraghanta is particularly pleased with Jasmine flowers.

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Puja rituals for Maa Chandraghanta

• Devotees can follow these steps to perform Maa Chandraghanta puja:
• Clean the puja area and set up the altar with a Kalash (sacred pot).
• Sit facing east or north, visualise Maa Chandraghanta with her crescent moon, and focus on her energy.
• Chant the mantra: “Om Devi Chandraghantayai Namah” to invite the Goddess.
• Perform Abhishekam with milk, honey, ghee, curd, and sugar or plain water, followed by Gangajal. Offer fresh flowers, clothes, kumkum, rice, incense, ghee lamps, and bhog like kheer, fruits, coconut, and paan.
• Recite Durga Saptashati stotras, perform aarti with diya and camphor, and circumambulate the deity 3-7 times while offering flowers.
• End with prayers for inner strength, courage, protection, and universal peace, and distribute prasad to family and devotees.

Mantra and prayer

• ॐ देवी चन्द्रघण्टायै नमः॥
  Om Devi Chandraghantayai Namah
• पिण्डज प्रवरारूढा चण्डकोपास्त्रकैर्युता।
  प्रसादं तनुते मह्यम् चन्द्रघण्टेति विश्रुता॥