varahi navratri, also known as ashada navratri or gupt (secret) navratri, is observed during the bright fortnight of the ashada month (june–july). it's dedicated to goddess varahi, the boar-faced shakti who is one of the sapta matrikas (seven mother goddesses) and the commander of goddess lalita tripurasundari's forces in the sri vidya tradition. this one is considered esoteric, traditionally observed by tantric practitioners, sri vidya upasakas, and devotees seeking protection and removal of obstacles.

the havana (homa) holds a central place in this observance for a few reasons:

agni as the messenger. in vedic and tantric practice, fire is the medium that carries offerings and mantras directly to the deity. since varahi is considered a fierce, swift-acting goddess, the homa is regarded as the most potent way to invoke her, the intensity of fire is seen as matching her own nature.

protection and removal of enemies/obstacles. varahi is the "dandanatha", the wielder of the staff of justice. her havana is traditionally performed to get control over inner energies of fear, negativity, lethargy and external obstacles. because this navratri is "gupt," the sadhana is often done privately, and the homa is believed to work on unseen or hidden problems.

timing significance. varahi is associated with the night and is often worshipped in the pradosha or midnight hours; ashada, falling at the onset of the monsoon and dakshinayana (the sun's southern course), is considered an especially charged period for such fierce-deity upasana.

typical offerings in a varahi homa include her moola mantra recitations, and materials like ghee, black sesame, and specific herbs, often concluding with a purnahuti on the final day (some traditions emphasize the ashada navami as especially sacred to her).