Sharad Navaratri
History & Mythology
The demon Mahishasura had meditated for thousands of years to obtain a supreme boon from Brahma: no man or god could kill him. Armed with near-invincibility, he defeated the armies of Indra and seized the three worlds. The gods, homeless and humiliated, channeled their combined divine shakti (energy) into a single blazing stream of light that coalesced into the form of Goddess Durga—radiant, ten-armed, and mounted on a lion.
Each god armed her: Shiva gave her his trident, Vishnu his sudarshana discus, Indra his thunderbolt, Agni his fire dart, Vayu his bow, Varuna his conch, Surya filled her quiver with arrows, and the Himalaya itself gave her a lion as her divine vehicle.
For nine nights and ten days, Durga battled Mahishasura's vast demon army. The buffalo-demon kept shape-shifting—lion, human, buffalo—each time finding Durga had an answer for him. On the tenth day (Vijayadashami), she pinned Mahishasura under her foot and drove her trident through his chest. The nine nights celebrate her nine manifestations: Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri—nine faces of the divine feminine from the tender to the terrible.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are Hindu festival dates calculated?
Hindu festival dates are calculated using the Panchang — the Vedic almanac based on Tithi (lunar day), Nakshatra (Moon's asterism), and other astronomical factors. Most festivals fall on specific Tithis in particular lunar months. AstroJanamPatrika calculates these using Swiss Ephemeris, making dates accurate to the minute rather than relying on pre-printed almanacs.
What is Tithi in the Hindu calendar?
Tithi is the lunar day in the Hindu calendar, determined by the angular distance between the Moon and Sun in multiples of 12°. There are 30 Tithis in a lunar month — 15 in the waxing phase (Shukla Paksha) and 15 in the waning phase (Krishna Paksha). Most Hindu festivals are tied to specific Tithis, which is why their Gregorian calendar dates change each year.
Why do Hindu festival dates change every year?
Hindu festivals follow the lunisolar calendar, not the Gregorian solar calendar. Because the lunar year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year, festivals drift earlier each year — and an intercalary month (Adhika Masa) is added roughly every 2–3 years to realign the calendar with the solar year. This is why Diwali, Navratri, and other festivals fall on different Gregorian dates each year.
What is Shubh Muhurta for festival rituals?
Shubh Muhurta is the auspicious time window for performing festival rituals, determined by combining Tithi, Nakshatra, Yoga, Vara, and Choghadiya. AstroJanamPatrika calculates the precise muhurta for each festival based on local sunrise, Tithi end times, and auspicious Nakshatras.
What is Purnima and Amavasya?
Purnima is the full moon day (15th Tithi of Shukla Paksha) when Moon and Sun are 180° apart. Amavasya is the new moon day when they are conjunct. Both are highly significant in the Hindu calendar — Purnima for celebrations and Amavasya for ancestor rituals (Pitru Tarpan). Festivals like Holi, Guru Purnima, and Sharad Purnima all fall on Purnima.