9 Sacred Flowers: The Navratri festival lasts for nine days in honor of the nine incarnations of Goddess Durga. Each day particular flowers recognized for their symbolic significance are used to worship the goddess. These flowers serve to adorn her image, symbolize purity, devotion, and spiritual energy. Each flower’s symbolic meaning adorns the connection the devotee has with the divine.
Hibiscus (Red Japa)- For Goddess Shailaputri, the hibiscus flower invokes strength and valor for the divine powers.
Lotus- The lotus is offered to Goddess Brahmacharini, symbolizing purity, self-realization, and spiritual awakening.
Chrysanthemum (Yellow): Offered to Goddess Chandraghanta, this flower signifies joy, positivity, and energy.
Jasmine- Jasmine symbolize positivity, peace, and creative energies when offered to Goddess Kushmanda.
Marigold (Orange/Yellow)- The marigold offered to Goddess Skandamata is associated with prosperity, brightness, and protective energy.
Rose- Rose flowers offered to Goddess Katyayani signify love, beauty, and devotion energy by which an emotional relationship is built with the divine.
Bougainvillea Or Red Flowers- These flowers offered to Goddess Kalaratri mean lack of fear, protection, and total annihilation of negativity.
Holy Basil (Tulsi)- For Goddess Mahagauri, Tulsi represents purity, health, and spiritual cleansing.
The Parijat (Night Jasmine)- For Goddess Siddhidatri it represents blessings, wisdom, and fulfillment of desires.
Flowers are believed, to emanate divine vibrations in Hinduism. Each offering symbolizes something the devotee wishes to express: strength, purity, or peace. It resonates with the moral qualities of each form of Durga during the scheme of Navratri, thereby adding significance and potency to the worship.
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Offering nine specified flowers thus not only is a devotee’s act of devotion but also a spiritual journey whereby he gets aligned with the energy of Goddess Durga. With this knowledge, the puja done during Navratri would encircle far more of the devotees with sincerity and consciousness.