Today, Oct. 1, 2025, is Maha Navami, the ninth day of Navaratri (nine nights), one of the most significant Hindu festivals, marking the climax of Goddess Durga’s battle against Mahishasura and the impending victory of good over evil.
On Maha Navami, devotees venerate Durga as Mahishasuramardini, or «slayer of Mahishasura.» A central ritual, Shastra Puja (also known as Astra Puja), involves the formal worship of tools, weapons, and instruments of trade to sanctify and seek blessings for implements used in daily work. Many families also observe Kanya Puja, in which nine young girls are ceremonially worshipped as living embodiments of Durga’s nine forms, symbolizing purity and divinity.
The day holds spiritual significance and practical meaning, as people honor the forces of protection and the means of worldly success.
