Sri Chandra Navami vrat in Bhadrapad month is mainly observed in North India and is dedicated to Sri Chand or Sri Chandra Ji of Udasin Sampraday. Srichandra Navami Vrat 2024 date is September 12. He was a great thinker, philosopher and leader. He was the founder of the Udasin sect.
It is believed that Sri Chandra Ji lived on earth during the period 1494 – 1643 CE. He was the eldest son of Guru Nanak, the first Guru and founder of Sikhism. He was born to Mata Sulakhani on 8 September 1494.
From childhood Sri Chand was attracted more towards meditation and solitude. As young man, he traveled across India exchanging his spiritual thoughts with Sants and Sadhus. Soon he started to attract large crowds as people wanted to hear his teachings which gave them better understanding of life and suffering. He amalgamated the teachings of Sikhism and Vedanta.
His teachings revolved around the theme of non-violence, love, tolerance and equality. He taught not be attached to both pain and pleasure. He propagated the teaching of non-attachment. He asked people to show a melancholy or moody or gloomy (udasin) attitude towards materialistic things or worldly matters.
After Baba Sri Chand’s death at the age of 135, the son of Guru Hargobind, Baba Gurditta became his successor as head of the Udasis. The Udasis protected and maintained the historical shrines of Anandpur, Hazoor Sahib and Amritsar for over a hundred years after Guru Gobind Singh’s death.
Sri Chand Navami is observed on the ninth day during the waxing or light phase of moon in Bhadrapad month (Bhadrapad Shukla Paksha navami tithi) as per traditional Hindu lunar calendar followed in North India.