An important feature of Navaratri Puja is the worship of Turmeric Srichakra. It is an old tradition. Swamiji used to prepare Turmeric Srichakra everyday till 1981. After preparing the turmeric Srichakra, seed letters (Beejaksharas) are written on it. It is a complex system involving drawing of straight lines, triangles and other diagrams interspersed with Beejaksharas. On top of this Swamiji creates a Sumeru and places a crown on it. What does this crown symbolize? It is symbolic of Nirvikara (Formlessness). Thus, in effect, Srichakra worship is the worship of the Formless. The Mantras used here are devoid of words and letters. There are merely Bhavanas (Mental Feelings).
During the Navavarana Puja, Swamiji goes round the altar nine times per Avarana. There are nine such Avaranas to be worshipped every day. During each round, Swamiji stops near the nine sacred pots and worships the invoked energies with special Beeja Mantras (Seed Hymns). After Navavarana Pooja comes the Tarpana (Special Ablution). Swamiji performs Tarpana to Mother Goddess with milk, using a special conch.
Annarchana (Worshipping Mother Goddess with Cooked Rice) is a very special worship which is very dear to Swamiji. The Mother Goddess is worshipped with food so as to ensure prosperity everywhere. At this juncture, the Goddess is worshipped using 108 sacred pots. The cooked rice is piled up in front of the altar and Srichakra is drawn on it and the heap of rice is decorated as Mother Goddess.
After the Navavarana Puja, the Maha Mangala Arati (final and grand Arati) is performed. All this looks very elaborate. However, in Swamiji's view, this is the shortest form of worship. The full form takes much more time. Each Avarana might take 24 hours. Such elaborate worship is not possible now. Therefore, Swamiji has made it concise.
Throughout the Puja, chanting of different sacred mantras such as Lalita Sahasranama, Trishati will be going on automatically in Swamiji's mind.
The concluding part of the Pooja is the Dolotsava (keeping the Mother Goddess in a swing). Before this, immediately after Maha Mangala Arati, selected passages from the Vedas, Upanishads and other scriptures are chanted as Seva to Mother Goddess. After Dolotsava and distribution of Prasadam to those who contributed for the Poojas, Swamiji will proceed to the Vyasa Peetha (The special chair Sri Swamiji uses for Bhajan and discourse sessions) and explains about the form of the Goddess worshipped on that particular day.
While Pooja is going on, there will be music Seva by eminent artists on the stage arranged in the Nada Mantapa. Thus, there is Veda, Nada and Yoga simultaneously. The devotees sit and continuously watch the Puja with concentration. This itself is Yoga. This nutshell is Navaratri Pooja.