The auspicious Mahalaya occasion not only denotes the last days before Maa Durga and her four children—God Ganesha, Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Lakshmi, and Lord Kartikeya—are welcomed, but also the sacred commencement of Devi Paksha. And with that, our enthusiasm for Durga Puja also soars.
Among the entire Durga puja, Durga Maha Ashtami is one of the most auspicious days. This day is dedicated to the traditional puja known as Sandhi Puja. It primarily celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, wisdom over ignorance, and good over evil. On the eve of Ashtami and Navami, Durga Maa vanquished demons.
Here’s a list of rituals, that are performed during Sandhi Puja:
●Participants in this auspicious puja are required to fast from the beginning of Ashtami to the conclusion of the Sandhi puja on Navami.
●108 lights, or diyas, are lit to represent the victory of light over darkness.
●To fend off all negativity and bad looks, devotees roll their tongues loudly, a sound known as ulu dhoni.
●108 lotus flowers are then presented to Maa as a symbol of life and beauty. There are also 108 garlands of fruits, jewelery, sarees, and stone apple leaves available.
●The 108 represents the 108 names of Durga Maa, which makes the number 108 significant.
●To get rid of negative energy, holy water is sprayed and the Shankh is blown.
●After doing an aarti, havan is done to finish the puja.
