Navaratri 2025 Day 7 (28 Sept) – Maa Kalaratri, Orange Power & Safe ePayments

 Maa Kalaratri on Navaratri Day 7 (Sept 28) – Fearlessness, Orange Handlooms & Safe ePay Day

The Citizen Advocate Summary: Declaring April 11 as Safe ePay Day

Proposing April 11 as Safe ePay Day to mark UPI’s pilot launch on April 11, 2016, by NPCI with 21 banks, initiated by Dr. Raghuram G. Rajan in Mumbai. This initiative celebrates UPI’s seamless integration of banking and merchant payments.

April 11 – Declare ‘Safe ePay Day’,

Yes, April 11 is vacant in the UN Observance Day calendar

 

Sept 28 Navaratri 2025 – Maa Kalaratri, Orange Fabrics & Facing Fears in Digital Payments

 

Navaratri Day 7 (Sept 28) honors Maa Kalaratri 🟠 with orange handloom weaves, Punjab jagrans, Fiji celebrations & the Joy of Safe ePayments 💳.

 

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Navaratri 2025 – Day 7: Maa Kalaratri 🟠 September 28, 2025 | Color of the Day: Orange

 

🌅 The Dawn of Day 7 – Courage in Every Chant

By the time Navaratri reaches its seventh day, the energy of the festival is at its most intense. What began with soft prayers and serene invocations has now transformed into a surge of power, devotion, and resilience.

This is the day of Maa Kalaratri ⚡, one of the fiercest and most awe-inspiring forms of Goddess Durga. Her presence is not meant to comfort but to empower. She is the destroyer of darkness, the remover of obstacles, and the fearless protector of her devotees.

The chosen color of the day is Orange 🟠 — radiant, fiery, and unflinching. In spiritual symbolism, orange represents energy, transformation, and fearlessness. On this day, devotees clad in orange fabrics embrace the courage of Maa Kalaratri herself.

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🕉️ Maa Kalaratri – The Fierce Protector

Maa Kalaratri’s form is striking and unforgettable:

• 🌑 Dark complexion, as deep as the night.
• 💨 Disheveled hair flowing wild and free.
• 🐴 Riding a humble donkey, symbol of humility amidst fierceness.
• ⚔️ Carries a sword and vajra (thunderbolt), weapons of clarity and destruction of evil.

Though terrifying in appearance, she is also called Shubankari — the one who grants auspiciousness and blessings. Her worship is believed to dissolve fear (bhay-haraṇi) and remove life’s obstacles.

She is linked to the Sahasrara Chakra (Crown Chakra) ✨, representing pure consciousness. To meditate upon her is to step beyond hesitation and into illumination. Her gift is not softness but strength.

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🎶 Jagrans of Punjab & Haryana – Nightlong Faith

In Punjab and Haryana, Day 7 comes alive with Jagrans 🎤 — all-night devotional gatherings where communities stay awake, singing bhajans and kirtans.

• Harmoniums 🎹 and tablas 🥁 echo through the night.
• Lamps 🪔 light up temples and village squares.
• Devotees offer flowers 🌸, sweets 🍬, and incense.
• Staying awake becomes symbolic of spiritual vigilance.

The collective sound of a jagran — voices rising in devotion under the open sky — mirrors Maa Kalaratri’s own fierce energy: unyielding, fearless, unstoppable.

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🌏 Fiji – Diaspora Devotion Across Oceans

Across the Pacific, in Fiji 🌴, Navaratri Day 7 holds equal significance. Fiji is home to a large Hindu diaspora, and Maa Kalaratri is celebrated with the same devotion as in India.

• Temples in Suva, Lautoka, and Nadi glow with orange lights.
• Families wear bright orange sarees 👗 and kurtas.
• Communities gather for garba 💃 and dandiya 🪭, infusing island rhythms with ancestral faith.

For Fijian Hindus, Maa Kalaratri is not just a goddess — she is a bridge across generations and geographies. Her message of overcoming fear and obstacles resonates deeply in a diaspora that has navigated challenges of migration, identity, and belonging.

Orange fabrics — whether handloom sarees from India or locally adapted batiks — become a visual affirmation of faith across oceans.

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🧵 Orange Handloom Weaves – Courage in Fabric

The vibrancy of orange handloom fabrics makes Day 7 even more symbolic. In Indian traditions, orange weaves are not mere fashion — they are declarations of courage.

🇮🇳 Indian Handloom Traditions in Orange

• Phulkari (Punjab) 🌼: Embroidered in brilliant orange and gold threads, Phulkari shawls are worn at Jagrans, representing joy and strength.
• Khaddar (Haryana) 🌾: Earthy cotton dyed in warm orange tones reflects both simplicity and resilience.
• Kotpad (Odisha) 🌿: Tribal weaves using natural dyes produce earthy rust-orange shades, echoing transformation.
• Gopalpur Tussar (Odisha) 🕊️: Silk woven in warm rust-orange hues glows with natural sheen.
• Mangalagiri Cotton (Andhra Pradesh) 🌸: Vibrant orange sarees with zari borders are popular for festive rituals.
• Banarasi Silks (Varanasi) 👑: Rich orange brocades woven with zari embody courage wrapped in grandeur.

Each weave tells a story: courage in cotton, power in silk, resilience in embroidery.

🌺 Dye Sources & Techniques

• 🌿 Turmeric → bright yellow-orange shades.
• 🌱 Madder roots → deeper brick and burnt orange tones.
• ⚗️ Mordants & oxidation → adjust intensity to fiery or earthy hues.
• ✂️ Ikat weaving → orange woven structurally into motifs, ensuring longevity.

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🇫🇯 Orange Fabrics in Fiji – Diaspora Adaptations

While Fiji’s indigenous textiles differ, orange finds its place in both imported Indian fabrics and local traditions:

• Imported Sarees 👗: Kanjivaram and Banarasi silks in carrot-orange shades are widely worn in Fijian Navaratri celebrations.
• Batik Cottons 🎨: Local batik prints often feature “sunrise orange” backdrops, merging tropical aesthetics with festive needs.
• Tapa/Masi Cloth 🌴: Traditional barkcloth dyed with turmeric produces orange-ochre patterns, sometimes used in temple décor.
• Hybrid Aesthetics 🪔: Temples may combine Indian silks with tapa backdrops — orange tying both traditions together.

In Fiji, wearing orange becomes an act of cultural continuity, blending heritage with adaptation.

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📊 Table 1: Indian Orange Handloom Weaves

Tradition / Region	Fabric Type	Dye Source / Method	Orange Expression
Phulkari (Punjab) 🌼	Embroidery on cotton	Orange threads, silk blend	Bright festive motifs
Khaddar (Haryana) 🌾	Handspun cotton	Vegetable dyes	Warm rustic tones
Kotpad (Odisha) 🌿	Tribal cotton	Aul tree roots, natural dyes	Rusty orange hues
Gopalpur Tussar 🕊️	Tussar silk	Natural dyeing, oxidation	Rust-orange sheen
Mangalagiri (AP) 🌸	Cotton sarees	Pre-dyed cotton yarn	Vibrant orange with zari
Banarasi 👑	Silk brocade	Silk dyed in orange tones	Opulent zari-orange blend

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📊 Table 2: Fiji Fabrics & Orange Adaptations

Fabric / Practice	Source / Technique	Role of Orange	Context
Imported Sarees 👗	Kanjivaram, Banarasi	Carrot-orange base	Navaratri wear
Batik Prints 🎨	Wax-dyed cotton	Sunrise orange motifs	Temple + cultural wear
Tapa/Masi Cloth 🌴	Barkcloth dyed with turmeric	Yellow-orange patterns	Ritual décor
Hybrid Temple Backdrops 🪔	Mix of silks & tapa	Orange in cloth & décor	Diaspora festivals

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💳 Safe ePay Day Connection – Facing Fears, Removing Delays

The Citizen Consciousness Connection (CCC) for Day 7 is:
“Facing fears and removing delays in payments.”

Just as Maa Kalaratri destroys fear and clears obstacles, Safe ePayments 💳🔒 eliminate doubts, delays, and insecurities in digital transactions.

The parallels are striking:

• Maa Kalaratri removes fear 🌑 → Safe ePayments remove hesitation 💡.
• Maa Kalaratri clears obstacles ⚔️ → Safe ePayments clear delays ⏱️.
• Maa Kalaratri grants courage 🙏 → Safe ePayments grant confidence ✨.

The Joy of Safe ePayments is the modern echo of divine fearlessness.

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🌟 Closing Reflection

Day 7 of Navaratri is fiery, fearless, and transformative. From the Jagrans of Punjab and Haryana 🎶 to the diaspora temples of Fiji 🌏, from the orange Phulkari shawl 🧵 to the tapa-dyed cloth 🌴, the message is universal:

Face fears. Remove obstacles. Move forward with confidence.

That is the blessing of Maa Kalaratri ⚡.
That is the promise of Safe ePay Day 💳.
That is The Joy of Safe ePayments ✨.

 

💬 Disclaimer

This blog is a personal reflection intertwining Navaratri traditions, cultural observations, and the evolving story of Safe ePayments.
It does not represent the views of any bank, institution, or organisation.

 

🌿💳🧠🌍Appeal  for Safe ePay Day 🌟

 

## Call to Action 

I urge governments, financial institutions, businesses, and communities worldwide to join hands in declaring April 11 as **Safe ePay Day**.

Let’s celebrate UPI’s milestone by making **Safe ePay Day** a global movement for secure, innovative fintech.

Together, we can build a future where financial access is universal, and every e-payment is safe—starting with **Safe ePay Day** in 2026.

 

No Vada Pav, not even one bite,
Till SafeePay Day takes off in flight.
Quirky vow with a Mumbai flair—
Announce the date, and I’ll be there!

 

📌 References

1.    Nayakanti, P. (2025, September 7). September 07 — National Buy a Book Day and April 11 — Safe ePay Day: Building Trust, One Page and One Payment at a Time. Medium.
Retrieved from https://medium.com/@nshantin/september-07-national-buy-a-book-day-and-april-11-safe-epay-day-building-trust-one-80483f34d7e7

2.   Nayakanti, P. (2025, August 13). 218th Lalbagh Flower Show via RV Road Interchange! Innovation in Banking.
Retrieved from https://innovationinbanking.blogspot.com/2025/08/august-13-metro-rides-blooms-218th.html

Prashant Nayakanti. (n.d.). LinkedIn profile. Retrieved September 2025, from
https://in.linkedin.com/in/prashantnayakanti