9thday Naivedyam to Mahishasuramardhini

Mahanavami is celebrated on Ashwin Shukla Paksha Navami, the ninth day of Durga Navratri. In 2010, the date of Mahanavami is October 16 on Saturday. Maha Navami is the last day of the 9-day festival, Sharad Navaratri. As per Hindu beliefs, Durga puja on Maha Navami is equal to Durga pooja performed on all 9 days of Durga Navaratri. Goddess Siddhidatri puja is performed on Mahanavami day. In Vijayawada, KanakaDurga temple, Goddess Durga is dedicated to Mahishasuramardhini Alamkaram. Among all the avatar/ahamkara's, today the Goddess's face looks in angry and fear. Like to Sing Along this Stotram and know the Meaning in this way.

On Mahanavami day, in South Indian states especially in Kerala, Ayudha Pooja is performed. Tools, operators, instruments, and books are worshipped. The next day of Mahanavami is observed as Vijaya Dashami. In some rural places, Janthu Bali (animal sacrifices) are performed on Mahanavami day. It is to be noted that Hindu culture and society is against animal sacrifices.

Today's Naivedyam is Chakkera Pongal.

Ingredients:

• Rice-1cup
• Pesarapappu/Moongdal/Green gram-1/2 cup
• Grated Jaggery/Bellamu turumu-1cup (it can be replaced with 1 1/2 cups sugar)
• Dry coconut pieces/Endukobbari mukkalu-1/3rd cup
• Grated coconut /Kobbariturumu-1/4th cup (optional)
• Ghee-1tbsp
• Water-1cup & add extra water if needed to cook rice & moong dal
• Cashews-few
• Raisins-few
• Sliced Almonds-few
• Cardamom/Elachi- 3pods
• Edible camphor- a small piece

Procedure:

• Take rice in a bowl, add water to wash it.
• Drain all the water and keep it aside.
• With the help of a food processor powder the Cardamoms along with Camphor and store powder in a closed state to retain the sweet smell. 
• Heat a pan & add the ghee; when the ghee is heated add the raisins and fry.
• Raisins swell in hot ghee, drain the raisins from ghee when they are turned in golden color.
• Add the cashew nuts and fry them till they are turned in golden color and drain the cashews from the ghee
• In the same ghee, add the sliced almonds and fry it and drain from the ghee, when they turn in golden color.
• Fry the dried coconut pieces and keep all these fried nuts and raisins in a bowl.
• Now take a pan,heat it & add the pesarapappu/Moongdal,and fry it stirring all the while on lowflame.
• After some time, observe the Greengram changes its color and releases a nice aroma around the place.
• Now take a thick bottomed pan and add the fried green gram and drained rice and cook it by adding water.
• Bring it to cook on a very low flame; keep stirring continuously without allowing it to burn at the bottom.
• After sometime observe that all the liquid is observed by the rice and test the doneness by pressing a grain of rice and a grain of dal between fingers.
• Now add grated coconut,Jaggery or sugar and stir it and keep stirring until it dissolves completely.
• After adding sugar or Jaggery, it melts and water oozes.
• Cook the Pongali by covering it with a lid.
• Add the powdered Elachi & Camphor powder at this point. 
• Mix well and enjoy the nice aroma of the spice powder.
• Add half of the fried nuts and raisins and mix well.
• Now that, the Pongali is ready.
• Transfer it into a bowl and garnish with the remaining half of the nuts &; raisins.
• Serve hot to the Goddess and enjoy the dish with all your family members.

Note:

• Always prefer Edible Camphor only for cooking purposes.
• You can also cook the rice by adding milk to get good taste (Kammadhanamu) & the texture of the rice and dal will be grainy by cooking with milk.
• Better serve hot this dish to enjoy the taste & also a baby food too (Give this food to babies, by removing the nuts depending upon the age of the baby.