Navaratri — Ghatasthapana

Sati, wife of Shiva, gave up her body at her father Daksha's sacrifice. She was reborn as the daughter of Himavan, the Mountain King, and Queen Mena — 'Shailaputri', daughter of the mountain (shaila). Tell her birth in the Himalaya, her childhood among the snow peaks, rivers and forest creatures, Narada's visit predicting that she will one day marry Shiva, and why she is worshipped first: she is the root of all strength, steady as a mountain. Lesson: inner strength that stays steady like a mountain.

The buffalo-demon Mahishasura, boon-protected from death by any man or god, terrorises the three worlds. The combined energies of all the devas coalesce into a single goddess — Durga — armed with weapons from every god. Nine days and nights of battle. On the tenth day (Vijayadashami), she finally slays him. The theological heart of Shakta philosophy: Shakti is the animating principle behind every deva.

Sharad Navaratri, the most significant of the four annual Navaratris, begins on the first day of the bright fortnight (Shukla Pratipada) of the lunar month of Ashwin. This auspicious day is marked by the ritual of Ghatasthapana, where a sacred pot (kalasha) is installed, symbolizing the invocation of Goddess Durga and initiating nine days of devotion and worship of the divine feminine. This period is dedicated to honoring various forms of Devi, seeking her blessings for strength, prosperity, and the triumph of good over evil.

Ghatasthapana, also known as Kalasha Sthapana, marks the auspicious commencement of Sharad Navaratri. This ritual involves the installation of a sacred pot (kalasha) filled with holy water, grains, and adorned with mango leaves and a coconut, symbolizing prosperity, purity, and the cosmic womb of creation. It is a formal invocation of Goddess Durga, inviting her divine presence into the home for the duration of the nine-day festival. The ritual is performed during a specific auspicious muhurat on Ashwin Shukla Pratipada, setting the spiritual tone for the entire Navaratri period.

The first day of Sharad Navaratri, Ashwin Shukla Pratipada, is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Shailputri, the first among the Navadurga forms of Goddess Durga. Shailputri, literally meaning 'Daughter of the Mountain,' is a manifestation of Devi Parvati, born as the daughter of Himavan, the king of the Himalayas. Devotees worship her for strength, courage, and stability, marking the beginning of the nine-day devotion to the various aspects of the Divine Mother.