CHANDI HOMA

[Chelluri Nageswar Rao]

                                           SRIM

NAMASTE!

Chandi Homa (in north they say Havan) is an elaborate ritual, takes about six
hours if properly performed.  Usually it is performed on Ashatami, Navami or
Chaturdasi.
Since I am from south, Andhra Pradesh, I will explain our tradition.

Prior to Homa, Durga Saptasati parayana (recital) has to be done 9 times.
(Nava Chandi).  To conduct the homam 4 brahmins are required.  One is called
Brahma (chief priest) and other 3 are Rutviks.  Four including yajamani
(karta/doer) perform the homam with ajyam (ghee) havis (rice) samidha (wood)
and Fruits and Flowers.

There 4 main steps. 1. Punyahavachanam 2. Kalasa sthapana 3. Ganapati and
Navagraha puja and 4. Homam.   Prior to homam it is requitred to recite
Chandi Kavacham, Argala Stotram, Kilakam, Ratri suktam, Nyasa and mantra
japa.

Saptasati consits of 3 parts. Pradhama, Madhyama and Uttara charitrams.
 Total 13 chapters.  Each chapter contains several "Uvacha" mantras.  For
each "Uvacha" mantra special offering is made of beatle leaves,
vakkalu(supari), wooden comb, kumkum containers, mirror and fruit.  At the
end of each chapter offering is made of a special fruit specified for the
presiding deity.  When the final chapter is completed comes Poornahuti.
 Special offering is made of puresilk cloth, kumkum, Kasturi, pasupu(haldi),
flowers, fruits, coconut (poornaphalam), copper, silver, gold, corals, pearls
and other gem stones.   After Poornahuti recital must be made of, Devisuktam,
Rahasyatrayam, Kali, Lakshmi and Saraswati suktam followed by moola mantra
japam, puja and arpana.

After the homa,  Pujas are performed on nava kanyas(9girls) ranging in age
from 2 to 10 (Kumari Puja), Brahmachari, Suhasini, Dampatulu (couples) and
also giving them appropriate gifts.

The ceremony is completed by giving a feast to brahmins, guests, family and
friends.

This inbrief SriVidya,  is how Chandi Homa is performed.  There may variatons
to the procedures depending on which part of the country one comes from but
the basic are the same.  Every act in the ritual has a special meaning and
that has to be learned from a guru.

I am fortunate enough to comple 11 out of 18 homas by divine grace.  The 12th
homam I am performing in  Sri MahaKali sannidhi in Ujjain on November 13th.

Shubhamastu                                                     Nageswar

P.S

In the remaining six, I dont know the location of 3 Devi Peetams.  They are:
Name of Place................................Devis's Name

Mahur (may be Maharastra or Gujarat)  AkaVeerika Devi
Pradumna                                          Shrungala Devi
SriLanka (country)                              Shankari Devi

If any of you konw the locations above 3 Devi Peetams, please post.