3rd day of Navratri - Goddess, Color, Mantra And Puja Rituals

Navratri Day 3 Overview

Aspect	Details
Chaitra Navratri 3rd Day 2026 Date	21 March 2026 (Saturday)
Tithi	Tritiya (third lunar day as per Hindu Panchang)
Navratri Day	Navratri Day 3
Goddess Worshipped	Maa Chandraghanta
Navratri Third Day Color	Royal Blue
Key Ritual	Worship of Maa Chandraghanta
Planet Associated	Venus (Shukra)

What’s the Significance of the 3rd Day of Navratri?

The third day of Navratri holds deep spiritual meaning as it honors a goddess who embodies both fierce power and serene compassion. Worship on Navaratri day 3 is believed to dispel fears, grant inner strength, and shield devotees from negativity, making it ideal for those seeking courage in challenges.

Key spiritual meanings associated with Navratri day 3 include:

• Awakening bravery and spiritual courage

• Balancing aggression with peace

• Protection from enemies and evil spirits

• Enhancing devotion and marital harmony

Navratri Day 3 Goddess: Maa Chandraghanta

The Navratri day 3 goddess is Maa Chandraghanta, the third form of Navadurga, named for the half-moon (Chandra) shaped like a bell (Ghanta) on her forehead. She represents the married form of Parvati alongside Lord Shiva, blending strength and kindness to grant peace and victory over fears.

Iconography of Maa Chandraghanta:

In the Vedic tradition, Goddess Chandraghanta is represented as:

• Riding a fierce tigress, symbolizing controlled power and fearlessness

• Ten arms holding weapons like trishul (trident), sword, mace, spear, bow, arrow,, and lotus, plus Abhaya (fearlessness) and Varada (boon-granting) mudras

• Crescent moon on forehead emits a bell-like sound, warding off demons

• One who radiates a golden complexion, evoking both war-readiness and serenity

Puja Essentials (Samagri) for Navratri 3rd Day

Gather these items for a complete Navratri Day 3 puja to honor the goddess properly.

• Idol or picture of Maa Chandraghanta

• Pooja thali (ritual tray) with roli, kumkum, haldi (turmeric), chandan, and sindoor (red powder)

• Flowers and garlands (jasmine, white lotus, marigold)

• Ghee diya, incense sticks, dhoop, camphor

• Fruits, sweets, panchamrit (a sacred mixture of milk, yogurt (curd), honey, sugar (or jaggery), and ghee), and special bhog like kheer (milk-based rice pudding)

• Ghanti (bell), shankh (conch), rudraksha mala for japa (chants)

• Red or yellow cloth for the altar, vermilion for the tilak (a sacred mark applied to the forehead during rituals)

Puja Rituals for Navratri Day 3

On the third day of Navratri, rituals emphasize invoking Maa Chandraghanta's protective energy through structured worship.

Morning Rituals:

• Get up early, bathe, and wear royal blue or light-colored clothes as per the Navratri 3rd day color.

• Clean the puja area, decorate with rangoli, and light a ghee diya before the Kalash from Ghatasthapana (established on Day 1 of Navratri).

• Offer kumkum (sacred vermillion powder), chandan (sandalwood paste), and fresh flowers to the established Kalash before focusing on Maa Chandraghanta's idol or image.

Worship of Maa Chandraghanta:

• Perform abhishek (ceremonial bath or anointing of a deity's idol) using milk, curd, honey, and Gangajal

• Adorn with red or yellow chunari, ornaments, and garlands

• Light incense, dhoop, and camphor while ringing a bell to create sacred vibrations

• Offer bhog and perform aarti with devotion

Aarti, Bhajans, and Katha:

Devotees recite Durga aarti, Navdurga stuti, and simple bhajans praising Maa Chandraghanta's protective power and serene devotion.

• Reading or listening to Chandraghanta's Katha (story) helps devotees understand the deeper meaning of this third day of Navratri.

• Families often gather in the evening for group aarti, which strengthens collective faith and devotion.

• Evening practices include bhajans, Durga Saptashati recitation (third chapter), and distributing prasad to the family.

Navratri Day 3 Mantra

Mantra chanting is a key ritual connecting with the Navratri 3rd day Devi. Devotees often chant this main Beej Mantra of Maa Chandraghanta for her blessings.

|| Om Devi Chandraghantayai Namah ||

Color of the 3rd Day of Navratri: Royal Blue

The Navratri 3rd-day color is royal blue, symbolizing depth, tranquility, and royal strength, which complements Maa Chandraghanta's majestic form. This color evokes the vast sky and ocean, mirroring the goddess's ability to calm storms of fear and turmoil in life.

Devotees wear royal blue attire, use blue-themed decorations, and offer blue flowers or items to amplify protective energies and inner peace.

Auspicious Offerings, Flowers, and Bhog on Day 3 of Navratri

Offerings on the third day reflect the goddess's love for simple, sattvic items that promote purity and courage.

• Flowers: White lotus, Jasmine, and mogra for serenity, red or yellow marigolds to invoke her warrior aspect, loose petals scattered during aarti for added fragrance and devotion

• Bhog: Kheer, milk-based sweets, fruits like bananas and pomegranates, and honey.

• Special offerings: Milk-based preparations such as kheer or rabri are considered favorites of Goddess Chandraghanta and are commonly offered.

Fasting Rules for the 3rd Day of Navratri

Navratri vrat on day 3 continues the purification from previous days, focusing on discipline for Maa Chandraghanta's grace.

Many devotees continue the vrat they started on the first day, while some begin fasting specifically on the 3rd day of Navratri.

Common Vrat Patterns:

• Continuous Navratri fast: Devotees who began vrat on Day 1 continue their fast on Navratri day 3, often maintaining it through all nine days.

• Alternate or selective fast: Some people may fast on alternate days or choose specific days like the day 3, day 8 of Navratri, or day 9 of Navratri based on personal capacity and tradition.

• Partial fast: Some observe a fast only on the 1st day of Navratri and then again on the 8th day of Navratri or the 9th day of Navratri.

Basic Navratri Fasting Rules on Day 3

Avoid:

• Wheat and rice
• Lentils and grains
• Onion and garlic
• Non-vegetarian food
• Processed foods
• Regular table salt

Prefer:

• Fruits

• Milk and dairy products

• Sabudana (sago pearls) dishes

• Buckwheat flour (kuttu atta)

• Water chestnut flour (singhara atta)

• Rock salt (sendha namak)

• Break the fast after the aarti with prasad like kheer for blessings.

Do’s and Don’ts for Navratri Day 3

Follow these instructions for auspicious observance of the third Navratri.

Do’s:

• Begin the day with prayers and positive thoughts

• Chant Maa Chandraghanta mantras and perform aarti with full devotion

• Wear clothes based on the day 3 Navratri color (royal blue)

• Maintain a sattvic diet

• Share prasad and involve family in evening bhajans

• Focus on courage-building activities like meditation

Don’ts:

• Avoid anger, arguments, negative thoughts, or speech

• Do not disturb or move the puja setup

• No tamasic foods, alcohol, or non-veg during vrat

• Refrain from laziness; stay active in worship

• Do not consume alcohol, tobacco, or non-vegetarian food

• Avoid breaking fasting rules without reason

The 3rd day of Navratri is dedicated to the powerful form of Goddess Chandraghanta, who symbolizes courage, protection, and spiritual transformation. By observing vrat, chanting the Navratri 3rd day mantra, wearing the Navratri 3rd day color, and performing traditional rituals, devotees invite strength, positivity, and divine blessings into their lives.

Understanding the significance of the Navratri third day, its rituals, offerings, and spiritual meaning allows devotees to celebrate this sacred day with deeper devotion and awareness.

Want to perform the 3rd day of Navratri rituals the right way? Talk to an expert astrologer on Astroyogi now and get personalized guidance for puja, mantra, and vrat.