Gupt Navratri is an important festival in Hinduism, it is a festival which is celebrated for nine days. During these nine days, nine forms of Goddess Shakti or Durga are worshipped. Gupt Navratri is also known as Shakambhari Navratri or Gayatri Navratri. Gupt Navratri is celebrated from the first Pratipada of the Hindu month Ashadha to the ninth of Shukla Paksha. In the English calendar, this fast falls between the months of June-July.
The festival of Gupt Navratri During the ancient Vedic era, this Gupt Navratri was celebrated only by a few accomplished 'sadhaks' or sages. Gupt Navratri has special significance for Tantriks and Sadhaks. In Gupt Navratri, Aghori, tantriks perform rituals in secret to perfect the tantra mantra. Hence Gupt Navratri is mostly popular for Tantric worship. During Gupt Navratri, tantriks invoke Goddess Durga, to bless them with wisdom, wealth and success.
In Gupt Navratri, ten Mahavidyas, which were manifested by the anger of Goddess Sati, are practiced to attain Siddhi. The main deity in this is Maa Kali.
According to astrology, there are a total of four Navratri in a year. Out of which two are Chaitra and Shardiya and two are Gupt Navratri. Navratri falling in the month of Ashadha is called Ashadha Gupta Navratri. In Gupt Navratri, 10 Mahavidyas are worshiped: Maa Kali, Tara Devi, Tripura Sundari, Bhuvaneshwari, Mata Chhinnamasta, Tripura Bhairavi, Maa Dhumravati, Maa Banglamukhi, Matangi and Kamala Devi.
During the Ashadha Gupta Navratri period, Hindu devotees chant dedicated mantras to Goddess Durga to invoke her divine blessings. Reciting religious texts like 'Durga Saptashati', 'Devi Mahatmya' and 'Srimad-Devi Bhagwat' is considered very auspicious.
Hindu devotees also chant 'Durga Battisi' or 32 different names of Goddess Shakti during Ashadha Gupta Navratri. It is believed that this practice eliminates all problems and helps the devotees to attain peace in life.
According to the belief, worship should be done during Gupt Navratri like other Navratras. Taking the resolution of fasting for nine days, Pratiprada i.e. Ghatasthapana should be done on the first day. After Ghatasthapana, worship of Maa Durga should be done every morning and evening. On the day of Ashtami or Navami, Navratri fasting should be done with girl worship.
Ashadha Gupta Navratri will start from Thursday, 26 June 2025 and will end on Friday, 04 July 2025.