Page:Durga Puja - With Notes and Illustrations.djvu/75

 plant, these nine form the Navapatrica. Taking oil and turmeric-powder anoint the Navapatrica with a vedic mantra; also touch her with the following auspicious articles, chandan, earth, pebble, paddy, Durva grass, flower, nutmeg curd, ghi, svastica(30), virmillion, conchshell, collyrium, the gorochana, mustard, gold, silver, copper, the chamara, a mirror, a light, and a broad plate. Each of these articles is graced with a separate vedic mantra. The Navapatrica is thrice touched with each of the articles and thrice the same articles are placed on the earth. Having thus finished the adhivasa of the Navapatrica, similar adhivasa of the pratima is performed, and a yellow-stained thread with Durva grass is tied round the left wrist of Durga. The whole ceremony of adhivasa is completed by an arati of the idols.

is the first-day of the puja. The programme of the day is, 1stly bathing the Navapatrica, 2ndly vivifying the idols by invoking the several gods and goddesses represented by them, 3rdly anointing them with several drugs and cosmetics, 4thly the worship of the principal gods, 5thly sacrifice, the 6thly the institution of the