Devi Navratri Kaal Ratri Puja 2026

Day Seven of Devi Navratri: Kalaratri Puja

Kalaratri Puja is performed on the seventh day of Devi (Sharad) Navratri, on Ashwayuja Shukla Saptami. Kalaratri, the seventh Navadurga, looks fierce but always does good to her devotees, so she is also called Shubhankari. On this day people pray to her to drive away fear, negative forces and obstacles.

Her Form and Story

Kalaratri is dark in complexion, with loose flowing hair, three eyes and a necklace that flashes like lightning. She rides a donkey, holds a sword and an iron weapon, and with her other two hands grants boons and protection. In the Devi Mahatmyam, every drop of blood of the demon Raktabija that touched the ground produced a new demon. The fierce Kali power that emerged from the goddess drank his blood before it could fall, and Raktabija was finally destroyed. Kalaratri is seen as that fierce, protecting power.

Puja Steps

• After the morning bath, bow to the Kalasha and the lamp and take a sankalpam.
• Decorate the goddess with red and blue flowers. Some families light a sesame oil lamp.
• Chant "Om Devi Kalaratryai Namaha". Some families read the Raktabija episode (chapter eight) of the Durga Saptashati.
• Many homes offer jaggery or sweets made with jaggery, such as bellam payasam or bobbatlu, as naivedyam.
• After aarti, the whole family shares the prasadam.

Saraswati Puja Around Saptami

In the Telugu states, the Moola nakshatra often falls around Saptami in many years. On that day families place books and pens before the goddess and perform Saraswati Puja. At Indrakeeladri in Vijayawada, Kanaka Durga is decorated as Saraswati Devi on Moola nakshatra day and huge crowds come for darshan, while Basara is busy with Aksharabhyasam ceremonies. Since the overlap of tithi and nakshatra changes every year, check your local panchangam.

Significance

Devotees believe that worshipping Kalaratri removes the evil eye, fears and troubles from enemies and gives relief from planetary afflictions. Her form teaches that however deep the darkness, light lies behind it, and that even what looks frightening may be there to protect us.

May Shubhankari Kalaratri Mata remove everyone's fears and keep them safe.