The Shaakambharii-nawaraatram (शाकम्भरी-नवरात्रम्) is a festival of nine nights that is celebrated during the bright half of the Hindu shaka month of pausha (पौष). It begins on ashtamii (अष्टमी 8th day) and culminates on paurnimaa (पौर्णिमा full-moon day), called as shaakambharii-paurnimaa (शाकम्भरी-पौर्णिमा). This festival is celebrated in obeisance to Goddess shaakambharii शाकम्भरी who is supposed to have made the land fertile and abundant with green vegetation, crops and fruits.

A demon named durgama (दुर्गम), through his penance, got the wedas from Lord Brahma and also gained invincibility. He became very arrogant and started suppressing the subjects, noble men, sages, deities, etc. He restricted the flow of all rivers which resulted in a drought and famine across the country. People were thus tormented by the demon’s atrocities.

These helpless people worshipped Goddess Annapurnaa (अन्नपूर्णा) to rescue them from this situation. The Goddess, pleased by their prayers, appeared in a beautiful form carrying grains, cereals, fruits, vegetables and herbs. She was so much moved by the people’s plight that tears rolled down her eyes for nine continuous days. These tears became a river which ended the drought and it also fertilized the soil thereby producing abundant vegetation, fruits and grains.

A fierce battle took place between the Goddess and the durgama demon wherein she slew him and put an end to his unjust rule. This battle seems to have given her the name durgaa (दुर्गा). Since she nourished the starving people with vegetation, she got the name शाकम्भरी shaakambharii. In Sanskrit, शाक (shaaka) means vegetation and भरी (bharii) is a derivative of the root भृ (bhR) meaning ‘fill with, fulfill, complete, nourish’. Hence, शाकम्भरी means the one who nourishes with vegetation (food).

This year the shaakambhari paurnimaa occurs on 9th Jan 2011 CE. On this day, in most of the annapuurnaa and shakambharii temples, the idol of the Goddess is decorated with vegetables and fruits. At some places more than 100 varieties of cooked food items are placed in front of the idol as an offering. This is called mahaabhog (महाभोग the great offering).

The following verse in the wishama meter (विषमवृत्त) pays obeisance to Mother Goddess Shaakambharii hailing her as the remover of hunger and thirst of her devotees.