What is Gupt Navaratri?

Every year we know two popular Navaratris in in the Hindi month of Chaitra(Around March) and Ashwin (Around October), Apart from these two there are 2 more Navatrais which fall in the month of Ashadh (usually June-July) & Magha(usually fall in Jan-Feb) months of Indian lunar calendar.

The Divine Paramba Shakti is worshiped in All Navaratra , however in common Navatrais( Chaitra & Ashwin) people worship the nine form of Goddess Durga ( Shailpurti-शैलपुत्री, Brahmacharini-ब्रह्मचारिणी, Chandraghanta-चन्द्रघण्टा,Kushmanda- कूष्मांडा, Skandmata-स्कन्दमाता,Katyayani-कात्यायनी,Kalaratri-कालरात्री, Mahagauri-महागौरी,Siddhidatri-सिद्धिदात्री).

While in Gupt Navaratris Tantriks worship ten Mahavidya forms of Goddess AdiShakti.There are Mahakali-महाकाली, Tara-तारा, Bagalamukhi-बगलामुखी, Bhuvaneshwari-भुवनेश्वरी, Sodashi Tripur Sundari-षोड़शी त्रिपुर सुंदरी, Chhinnamasta-छ्हन्नमस्ता, Matangi – मातंगी ,Kamala-कमला, Bhairavi-भैरवी, Ghoomavati-घूमावती).

each of these Mahvidyas have a specific method and a mantra to do their Sadhana. Usually their sdahans extends into several days to attain their siddhi. However in Navaratris this can be accomplished in the nine days itself as the spiritual merit f these mantras chanted and sadhana increases by hundredfold thus enabling faster advance towards siddhis of these Mahavidyas.

All navaratras are very powerful periods of worship and performing sadhanas. Apart from the deities mentioned above.

Usually the sadhanas performed in Gupt Navratris are done are Vammargi(Left Path) .Which assure fatser accomplishments of Sadhanas. But this depends on the Goddess worshiped as well. As Kamala, Tripur Sundari, Kamal, Matangi are soft sadhans (सौम्य साधना) while Kali Tara, Bagalamukhi, Ghoomavati, Bhairavi, Chhinnamasta are fierce sadhanas( उग्र साधना).

In 2017 Navratra Dates are as follows:

Chaitra Navratra : 28 March 2017
Ashadh Navratra : 24 June 2017 ( Gupta Navratra)
Ahsvin Navratra : 21 September 2017
Magh Navratra : 28 January 2017 ( Gupta Navratra)