Gauri Puja 2020: When will the third day of Chaitra Navrati be celebrated this year?

The festival of Chaitra Navratri spans for several days, with each day dedicated to a different avatar of the goddess Durga. The third day of Chaitra Navratri is dedicated to the third form of Durga, goddess Chandraghanta. Chandraghanta also happens to be another name for the goddess Parvati, who is the wife of Lord Shiva. As goddess Parvati is also known as Gauri, the Puja that is held on the third day of Chaitra Navratri is called Gauri Puja. 

When will Gauri Puja be celebrated in 2020?

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Like many other Hindu festivals, Chaitra Navratri follows the Hindu lunar calendar. Therefore, the festival is celebrated on different dates each year. This year, Chaitra Navratri began on March 25, 2020. So, its third day, Gauri Puja, will be held on March 27, 2020. 

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Gauri Puja is dedicated to Goddess Chandraghanta, also known as Goddess Parvati. According to Hindu lore, after getting married to Lord Shiva, Parvati drew a half-moon (Chandra) on a forehead that resembled a bell (Ghanta) which is why she is known as Chandraghanta. 

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People worship the Goddess Parvati on Gauri Puja and hope for peace, as Chandraghanta is the peaceful home-loving form of Goddess Durga. According to beliefs, those who worship Chandraghanta during the Gauri Puja will have a comfortable and luxurious life. They will never want for food and will always prosper.

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Gauri Puja is celebrated on the Navratri Tritiya Tithi. Those who conduct the Puja take a resolution for the year. Devotees also offer the Goddess her favourite flowers, Jasmine, during the Gauri Puja. After the Puja, the followers conduct an Arti and distribute sweets (Prasad) to spread the Goddess' blessing. 

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