While Chaitra and Sharad Navratri are known for temple visits, fasting, cultural celebrations and family gatherings, Gupt Navratri is observed in a much quieter way. It is a time for meditation, mantra chanting and self-reflection. In an interview with Hindustan Times, Ramakrishna Mission teacher Yuvika Dhar explains why this lesser-known Navratri is called the "secret" Navratri and what makes it spiritually special.
"The word Gupt means hidden or secret," says Yuvika. "Gupt Navratri is a deeply personal spiritual journey. During these nine days, seekers keep their sadhana private instead of displaying it publicly. When spiritual practice is done with sincerity and without seeking attention, the energy generated through it becomes stronger and helps a person progress on the spiritual path."
This year's Ashadha Gupt Navratri will be observed from July 15 to July 23. Devotees who wish to perform ghat sthapana can do so between 5:33 a.m. and 10:09 a.m. on July 15.
According to Dhar, the biggest difference is the focus of the celebration. Sharad Navratri is celebrated publicly with prayers, shopping, festive meals, pandal visits and community events. Gupt Navratri, on the other hand, encourages people to turn inward through meditation, mantra chanting and silence.
"There are no feasts or social gatherings during Gupt Navratri. The real celebration is the inner joy that comes through Divine grace," she says.
During Sharad Navratri, devotees worship the nine forms of Goddess Durga. Gupt Navratri is mainly dedicated to the Dasa Mahavidyas, the ten powerful forms of the Divine Mother Kali, Tara, Tripurasundari, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta, Dhumavati, Bagalamukhi, Matangi and Kamalatmika.
Yuvika says that in South India, many devotees worship Goddess Varahi during Ashadha Gupt Navratri, seeking her protection and blessings. She adds that a seeker's Guru or chosen deity often guides which form of the Divine Mother they worship during these nine days.
Since Gupt Navratri is meant for inner transformation, Dhar advises devotees to prepare both the body and mind before the festival begins. She recommends avoiding heavy meals, alcohol, crowded places and anything that creates restlessness or laziness.
Instead, she suggests eating simple food, practising yoga and breathing exercises, reducing unnecessary conversation and spending more time in silence. "The purpose of Gupt Navratri is to move away from outside distractions and reconnect with your inner self," she says.
According to Dhar, Gupt Navratri is an opportunity to slow down, deepen one's spiritual practice and experience inner peace through devotion and meditation.
Soumi Pyne is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with four years of work experience. She started her career as a digital journalist with HT after completing her master's in media and communication from NSHM Kolkata. She covers topics in astrology, manifesting, and tarot readings, and also interviews astrologers to share their stories. In 2022, she interviewed the young indigo pilot who had saved Indian students from Ukraine. She has also covered stories about the Dhoomimal Art Gallery and a few lifestyle stories. She is now a fervent reader of astrology, but before working full-time on the Astrology beat, she coordinated and published think tank stories in the HT insight section. Additionally, produced Live Mint and HT newsletters, during which she had the scope to publish news articles by HT's editor-in-chief, Sukumar Ranganathan. She puts in her best effort to make her readers justify the statement "Astrology is a pseudoscience". While she believes that Astrology is not intertwined with Science, she aims to help her readers understand that the human body can be influenced by planetary alignments, drawing on insights from Indian and USA astrologers. Outside her professional sphere, she enjoys a healthy lifestyle through yoga, journaling, meditation, running, and cooking gluten-free meals. She is an avid documentary enthusiast who loves watching BBC, Discovery, and other channels, with a focus on ancient history, space, art, and culture. Also, you'll often find her taking her pooch to new cafes and often taking short trips with her girls or her family to offbeat places.Read More
