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What are the 9 Avatars of Maa Durga?
Navratri is one of India’s most well-known celebrations. Durga has grown in popularity as a result of her significance in Hindu mythology. Her most famous manifestations are commemorated for nine days, with each day dedicated to a different embodiment of hers. Throughout the festival, pujas (reverence through rituals and chanting) and fasting are undertaken, with specific emphasis paid to the attributes of each Goddess.
The name Navratri is made up of two words: “Nava,” which means “nine,” and “Ratri,” which means “nights,” and when put together, it represents nine days of joyful celebrations. This nine-day festival celebrates the triumph of good over evil, the restoration of dharma over adharma, the purification of negativities, and the cultivation of positivity and purity.
Goddess Durga, the female cosmic power, is worshipped, sung, and called in her nine forms throughout the Navaratri days. Maa Durga’s various forms represent power, strength, bravery, knowledge, beauty, elegance, and auspiciousness.
9 Avatars of Goddess Durga –
These Durga Maa Navaratri avatars mentioned below are adored for nine days.
1. Shailaputri :-
The first day of Navratri is dedicated to Devi Shailaputri, who is one of the nine Devi names commemorated during the festival. The name Shailputri means “mountain’s daughter (putri)” (Shaila). In diverse cultures, she is known by the names Sati, Bhavani, Parvati, and Hemwati, to mention a few. She is the absolute manifestation of the mighty Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahadev, and she is worshipped as such. An image of the Goddess is seen with a crescent moon on her forehead, a trident in her right hand, and a lotus in her left hand. She is mounted on a Nandi bull.
● Color to wear: The color orange is associated with the celebration of this form of Maa Durga. In addition to representing happiness, it also indicates passion, and success.
2. Brahmacharini :-
The second day is dedicated to the Goddess Brahmacharini. She is known as the Maa of sacrifice and discipline since her given name, Brahmacharini signifies the female who observes Brahmacharya, the Buddhist way of life (abandonment of earthly pleasures). With a Japa mala in her right hand and a kamandalu in her left, she walks barefoot. Grace, blissfulness, tranquility, and wealth are bestowed upon her worshipers by the Goddess.
●Color to wear: The color white is associated with Brahmacharini and represents purity, virginity, inner calm, and holiness.
3. Chandraghanta :-
The third day of Navratri is dedicated to the Goddess Chandraghanta. Chandraghanta is depicted with a half-moon shaped like a bell on her brow, which corresponds to the origin of her given name. After her marriage to Lord Shiva, she decorated her forehead with a half-moon symbol. On the third day of the festival, she is worshipped by her devotees for bringing them peace and success in their lives.
She is described as having ten hands and three eyes, and she mounts a tigress on her back. Her four left hands are occupied by Trishul, Gada, sword, and Kamadalu, while her fifth hand is occupied by Varadamudra, the Goddess of victory. A lotus flower, an arrow, Dhanush, and Japa mala are held in her right fourth hand, and her fifth right hand is held in Abhaya Mudra, which means “plenty.”
● Color to wear: Wearing Red on the third day of Navratri represents passion, boldness, and sexuality and is, therefore, the color of choice for devotees on this day.
4. Kushmanda :-
The deity Kushmanda has the ability to live inside the scorching sun, which is how she got the name Kushmanda. She is credited with creating the universe with her magnificent and bright smile since she possesses a body as luminous as that of the sun. The significance of this Goddess during the festival of Navratri is that she bestows good health, strength, and strength upon those who worship her.
Ashtabhuja Devi is the name given to her since she is depicted with eight hands, hence the name. Each of her hands holds a trident, a discus, a sword (with hook and mace), a bow and arrows, two jars of honey, and a vial of blood. Her right hand is always in the Abhaya mudra position, in which she blesses all of her devotees. She travels on the back of a tiger.
●Color to wear: Wear royal blue on this day and adore the Goddess, representing luxury and wealth.
5. Skandamata :-
Skandamata, the mother of the war God Skanda, is commemorated on the fifth day of Navratri (Kartikey). In her lap, she holds the infant Lord Skanda, who she rides on the back of a fearsome lion. It is thought that she was chosen to be the commander in chief of the war against the demon, and as a result, she is also known as the “Goddess of Fire” in some places.
The imagery of this female God depicts her with four hands, holding a lotus blossom in each of her upper two hands, one hand in Abhaya Mudra, and one right hand holding Skanda, which she holds. Padmasani is the name given to her since she is frequently seen sitting on a lotus flower.
● Color to wear: Yellow is a joyful and energizing color to wear on this day since it will keep you feeling happy and motivated.
6. Katyayani :-
Katyayani is the sixth manifestation of Maa Durga, who is also known as Mahalaxmi. Katyayani was created to annihilate the bull demon Mahishasura. Anger, revenge, and eventual victory over evil are some of her most distinguishing attributes. The blessings of the Goddess are bestowed upon all those who remember her with a pure heart and unwavering faith. She is depicted with four hands, as though she were sitting on the back of a majestic lion. Her left hands hold a sword and a lotus, while her right hands are in Abhaya Mudra and Varada Mudra.
● Color to wear: The color green is connected with the beginning of a new chapter. It is worn in order to induce feelings of fertility and expansion.
7. Kalaratri :-
Kalaratri Maa has a black complexion, a ferocious soul, and a bold stance. Her large, blood-red eyes, protruding blood-red mouth, and claws distinguish her as the Goddess of Death. She is also known by the titles Kali Maa and Kalratri, which are both derived from the Hindu goddess Kali. With her scattered black hair and three round eyes, she is seen sitting on the back of a donkey. She possesses four pairs of hands. The right hand is in Abhaya Mudra and Varada Mudra, and the left-hand holds a sword and an iron hook.
● Color to wear: The color grey is being worn on this particular day. It brings the energy back into balance and keeps the people grounded.
8. Mahagauri :-
Mahagauri is the eighth form of Goddess Durga, and she is considered to be the most beautiful of the nine forms. Her beauty is as pure as a pearl’s radiance. Because she is the Goddess of purity, cleanliness, endurance, and serenity, any imperfections or mistakes made by her worshippers are burned to ashes. Mahagauri is a four-armed creature. With her right hand, she maintains the position of alleviating suffering while holding the trident in her lower left hand. Her top left arm is holding a tambourine, while her lower left arm is extending blessings to the world.
● Color to wear: Wearing purple during Mahagauri puja symbolizes riches, royalty, and power.
9. Siddhidatri :-
Siddhidatri is endowed with inherent healing abilities. She is in a blissfully joyful and charming stance as she sits on the floor. She is the Goddess Siddhidatri, and she travels on a lotus, a tiger, or a lion, depending on the situation. She possesses four pairs of hands. Her hands are clasped together with Gada and chakram in the other. Both have lotus flowers and shankhas on their shankha stems.
● Color to wear: Wearing the hue peacock green will help you to demonstrate grace, integrity, and watchfulness on this day.
Types of Navratri – The Big Secret About The “4” Navratri
According to our ancient Hindu scriptures which are the Saptasudhi, the theory of theNavratri festival has been described. We are normally aware of two types of Navratri that are Chaitra Navratri and Shardiya Navratri. But, you will be amazed to hear that Navratri falls four times in a year.
Four types of Navratri
Below mentioned are the 4 types of Navratri and the time frame in which they fall.
Types of Navratri Start Date End Date
Shardiya Navratri Sunday, 15 October Tuesday, 24 October
Chaitra Navratri Wednesday, March 22 Thursday, March 30
Magha Gupt Navratri Sunday, 22 January Monday, 30 January
Asadha Gupt Navratri Monday, 19 June Wednesday, 28 June
Shardiya Navratri – Among all Navratri; Shardiya Navratri is the most popular and significant. Shardiya (Sharada) means autumn and forms a major part of crop harvesting time. Shardiya Navratri falls during the months of September-October. This Navratri is also known as Maha Navratri and Sharada Navratri. The entire mythological connection behind Navratri lies with the defeat of Mahishasura from NavDurga. Shardiya Navratri is also celebrated as; mythology says that Ramachandra had killed Ravana during this period. Gods are said to sleep during the period of Ashwin month (i.e. September and October). Lord Ram had awakened Goddess Durga in the Tithi of Shasthi during the evening.
Chaitra Navratri – It is the second most famous Navratri whose name represents spring. It is observed during Chaitra month that is during March and April. This nine days long festival starts from the first day (pratipada) of the first month of the Hindu Lunar calendar “Chaitra”. In 2020, Chaitra Navratri starts from 25 March and ends on 3 April. It is also known as Vasant Navratri and Rama Navratri. Rama Navami, the birthday of Lord Rama usually falls on the ninth day during Chaitra Navratri. But this year it observes on the 8th day(navami tithi) of Chaitra Navratri; that is Thursday, 02 April 2020. Most of the rituals and customs are the same as followed during the ‘Shardiya Navratri’. All nine days during Navratri are dedicated to nine forms of Goddess Shakti.
Magha Navratri – This is the Navratri which falls on the winter season. It is more popularly known to people as Vasant Panchami. This falls during January and February.
Ashada Navratri – This falls in the month of June and July and comes during the hail of monsoon.
It is believed that we should keep fast and follow the rituals of Navratri, four times a year. These rituals of fasting were introduced by our intellectual ancestors keeping in mind the scientific changes of our body.
The science behind Navratri Celebration
When climate changes, body is affected and it gets more prone to different kinds of bacteria. This leads to various mental disorders as well as health problems. To prevent these unwanted situations ancestors had created the system of Navratri.
Scientifically when climate changes, the negative impacts affect female brains the most. Females become psychologically more week and reactive. The ones who already have mental disorders face a major problems during Saptami.
To eradicate these problems ancestors had invented the process of Navratri where fasting is the major requirement. Our ancient solutions say that mental disorders happen due to problem indigestion or food habits.
Hence, it is advised to consider keeping fast or eating in small quantities, throughout the period of Navratri.
It is better if you can follow the process of fasting or minimal eating in the four Navratri’s as it will keep you extremely fit and attract positive energies towards you.
What Are The 4 Different Types Of Navaratri?
Navaratri is a Hindu festival that is celebrated over the course of nine nights and ten days. It is a time when Hindus worship the goddess Durga and celebrate her victory over the demon Mahishasura. During this festival, many Hindus observe fasts and perform rituals and puja (worship) to the goddess. There are four different types of Navaratri, which are celebrated at different times throughout the year. These are:
Chaitra Navaratri: This Navaratri is celebrated during the Hindu month of Chaitra (March-April), and is also known as Vasanta Navaratri. This Navaratri is associated with the creation of the universe and the beginning of the Hindu calendar.
Ashadha Navaratri: This Navaratri is celebrated during the Hindu month of Ashadha (June-July), and is also known as Gayatri Navaratri. This Navaratri is associated with the goddess Gayatri and her five faces, which represent the five elements of nature.
Sharad Navaratri: This Navaratri is celebrated during the Hindu month of Ashwin (September-October), and is also known as Maha Navaratri. This is the most important Navaratri and is associated with the victory of the goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura.
Paush Navaratri: This Navaratri is celebrated during the Hindu month of Paush (December-January), and is also known as Shatila Ekadashi. This Navaratri is associated with the goddess Annapurna and the worship of the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi.
During each Navaratri, Hindus perform puja to the goddess and observe fasts. On the ninth day, known as Maha Navami, the goddess Durga is worshipped in the form of a Kumari, or young girl. The tenth day, known as Vijayadashami, marks the end of the festival and is associated with the goddess Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura.
In some parts of India, Navaratri is also celebrated with the performance of the traditional dance form of Dandiya Raas, which involves dancers dressed in colourful costumes holding sticks and performing complex dance steps to the beat of traditional music. So these are the 4 different types of Navaratri that we celebrate.
Overall, Navaratri is a time of worship, celebration, and joy for Hindus, and is an important festival in the Hindu calendar.
4 Types of Navratri in a Year: Know All Seasonal Names
Many believers do not know that Navratri falls four times a year during different seasons. Although each Navratri holds its own significance yet Shardiya Navratri is the most famous one among the followers of Devi Durga who is the prime goddess and legend of the festival of Navratri.As per the Hindu texts on which Hindus believe, such as Vaishnava Purana and Shakta Purana, Navratri falls four times or twice a year.
Although Navratri is celebrated four times a year, yet it always falls in the bright half of lunisolar months, as per the Hindu calendar called Panchang.
Let’s know about all four types of Navratri with their seasonal names and the months in which they are marked.
Sharadiya Navratri or Maha Navratri or Ashwin Navratri
Also Known As
Ashwin Navratri, Navdurga Puja, Durga Puja
Also Spelled As
Navratra, Navaratri, Navarathri, Ashvini Navratra, Sharad Navratri, Sharada Navratri, Sharda Navratri
Sharadiya Navratri, which is the most celebrated Navratri type, is considered as the main Navratri and so also known as Maha Navratri.As per Panchang or Lunar calendar, it comes near autumn equinox during the Lunar month of Ashvin.As per the Gregorian months of the English Calendar, Navratri is observed in September and October as the post-monsoon autumn festival.In some regions, Sharada Navratri falls during autumn harvest and in some, after the autumn harvest.As its name suggests, Sharadiya Navratri falls post-monsoon during Sharad Ritu that is known as autumn in English.The exact dates of nine days are determined as per the Hindu lunisolar calendar that shows dates as per the movements of the Sun and the moon and leap year.It is celebrated for nine nights and 10 days. Alike all other Navratri types, Shardiya Navratri also occurs once a year.Other than Goddess Durga and Lord Rama, many other Gods and Goddesses are also worshipped, such as God Ganesha, Shiva, Kartikeya, Krishna, and Goddess Saraswati, Lakshmi, and others.Chaitra Navratri or Vasanta Navratri
Also Known As
Navdurga Puja, Annual Navratra
Also Spelled As
Basant Navratri, Nava Ratri, Navratra, Navarathri
Vasant Navratri is the next most significant Navratri which falls in March or April, near spring equinox.Ashadha Navratri or Gayatri Navratra
Also Known As
Gupta Navratra
It falls in June or July while the beginning of the Monsoon season.Magha Navratri
Also Known As
Gupta Navratra
Magha Navratri falls in January or February during the winter season.Its fifth day is also observed as an independent event of significance and known as Basant Panchami or Vasant Panchami.This is celebrated as the official beginning of Basant/Vasant that is spring wherein the followers of Goddess Saraswati honor her through music, art, writing, and kite flying in Hindu tradition.In some regions of India, this day is celebrated to revere Kama, the Hindu God of love.
What is the Significance of Chaitra Navratri and Sharad Navratri?
India is famous for being a land of festivals. Navratri is one of the most beautiful festivals of the year and is celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm throughout the country. This is when it is believed that maa Durga remains on earth for nine days and blesses her devotees with wisdom and wealth. This festival highlights the victory of dharma over adharma, right over wrong, and good over evil as it celebrates the assassination of the demon Mahishasura by the incarnation of feminine power Maa Durga. It is also the day when Rama won the battle against the demon Ravana and rescued his wife.
As per the Vedic calendar, the four types of Navratris are Chaitra, Sharad, Magha Gupta and Ashadha Gupta Navratri. However, the two noted ones are Chaitra and Sharad Navratri. In both the celebrations, the nine forms of maa Durga are worshipped with great devotion and vivacity, including goddess Shailputri, Goddess Brahmacharini, Goddess Chandraghanta, Goddess Kushmanda, Goddess Skandamata, Goddess Katyanai, Goddess Kalaratri, Goddess Mahagauri, Goddess Siddidatri. All these forms manifest the attributes of divine feminine power and strengthen her eminence as the absolute spiritual power from which everyone and everything derives.
The Chaitra Navratri comes in March and April, whereas Sharad Navratri is a festival in September and October. Every year the date changes and can be known by reading the “panchang”, and Vedic scholars can help you understand the same. Read on to learn more about the significance of Sharad Navratri and the meaning of Chaitra Navratri in English.
Significance of Chaitra and Sharad Navratri
1. Chaitra Navratri
Chaitra Navratri falls during the Shukla Paksha of Chaitra every year and is celebrated in the entire India with great enthusiasm and devotion. The festival starts the Hindu New Year with some religious rituals and ceremonies. Chaitra Navratri is also celebrated as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra. Even in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka, devotees celebrate it as Ugadi. This nine-day festival is also known as Rama Navratri. It also marks the change of season as we usher into summer from spring. Devotees observe fast for nine days to get the blessing of the divine mother before entering the New Year. It is also believed that if we seek blessings of the feminine divinity at this time of the year, we look forward to a bright year ahead.
2. Sharad Navratri
This is the most famous Navratri in the entire country, also known as Maha Navratri. As per the Vedic calendar, this Navratri falls during Ashwin masa and marks the beginning of winter in September/October. It starts straight after the completion of Shraddh, the period of remembering our ancestors. At this time we buy new clothes and prepare for the further festivities. This Navratri has excellent spiritual and religious standing in the minds of worshippers. Sharad Navratri is also celebrated as Durga Pooja in some places, especially in Assam and Bengal. For that, big pandals are crafted with such intricacy and artistically, and massive idols of maa Durga are placed inside them. In Durga puja, on the last day, the goddess Durga’s idol is bid farewell by immersing in water in a triumphant procession, unlike in other parts, where Dussehra is celebrated with the same enthusiasm and verve. Apart from in-house pooja observances, or rituals, one can enjoy this time with public concerts, plays, recitations, and fairs everywhere.
Navratri: All you must know about colours associated with 9 goddesses
Navratri is one of the most awaited and auspicious festival Hindu festivals in India. The festival is observed in several regions across the country.
Maa Durga is worshipped in nine different forms throughout the festivities. Fasting during this period is considered auspicious, bringing wealth and health
Navratri is one of the most awaited and auspicious festival Hindu festivals in India. The festival is observed in several regions across the country.
Maa Durga is worshipped in nine different forms throughout the festivities. Fasting during this period is considered auspicious, bringing wealth and health.
The nine-day-long celebration coincides with other exciting festivals like Diwali, Bhaidooj, Dhanteras, and Dussehra.
During this period incarnation of Goddess Durga is celebrated, here’s a list of significance and importance:
1) SHAILAPUTRI DEVI
Nine-day long ‘Navratri festival’ begins with the goddess ‘Shailaputri Devi. Also known as the daughter of the Himalayas, she is the goddess of the Muladhara Chakra, also called the root chakra.
She is also known as the goddess Sati’s reincarnation in the avatar of Parvati. The colour that represents her is Red, which stands for strength and power.
2) BRAHMACHARINI DEVI
The pooja of the goddess Brahmacharini Devi, an Arden female student who resided in an Ashram with her sage Guru and other learners, marks off the second day of Navratri. She is known as Aparna since she stopped eating leaves.
Goddess wisdom, intelligence, enlightenment, faith, honesty, and purity in devotion are all represented by the colour Green.
3) CHANDRAGHANTA DEVI
The pooja of the goddess Chandraghanta Devi marks the start of the third day of Navratri. Chandraghanta, also known as Rannchandi, Chandrakhandi, and Chandika, is the shakti of Lord Shiva.
She is a deity who represents courage, resolution, righteousness, and fearlessness. Because of the half moon on her forehead and her fierce ability to destroy evil, the goddess Chandraghanta is associated with the colour Grey.
4) KUSHMANDA DEVI
The fourth day of Navratri starts with the pooja of the goddess Kushmanda Devi, also called the Ashtbhuja Devi, the creator of the entire universe and the goddess of abundant money, excellent strength, health, ablaze, and fortune.
The goddess Kushmanda is associated with the colour Yellow, which signifies brightness and glory. She is a smiling goddess who offers wisdom, brightness, and serenity.
5) SKANDAMATA
The pooja of the goddess Skandamata, a manifestation of goddess Parvati, who gave birth to Lord Skanda, also known as Lord Kartikeya, begins on the fifth day of Navratri. She is a deity that resembles a mother and guards her children against evil and demons. The love and care of the goddesses enabled Kartikey to vanquish the demon Tarkasura.
Skandamata, a goddess of wisdom, brightness, and harmony, is associated with the colour Orange.
6) KATYAYANI DEVI
The pooja of the goddess Katyayani Devi, who purifies the sins of her devotees, removes obstacles from one’s life, and banishes evil energy, begins the sixth day of Navratri. She is referred to as the Goddess of great might.
Because of her intense rage, she is the goddess who overcame and slew the oppressive demon Maheshasura, goddess Katyayani is represented by the colour Red.
7) KALARATRI DEVI
The pooja of the goddess Kalaratri Devi, also referred to as Chamunda Devi since the goddess was created from the Chandi’s forehead, marks off the seventh day of Navratri. The evil demons Chandha and Mundha are both destroyed by her. She is also regarded as the Crown Chakra goddess.
The goddess Kalaratri Devi is associated with the colour Green because of her tremendous power and ability to transform. She is also referred to as Mahatmya, the destroyer of ghosts, spirits, and demons.
8) MAHA GAURI DEVI
Maha Gauri Devi also referred to as Shwetambardhara, is the eighth goddess and the manifestation of Mahadeva in the pooja. She is a goddess who provides her followers with sustenance, vitality, strength, harmony, and motherhood.
The goddess Maha Gauri Devi is associated with the colour Dark Blue, which denotes great power and strength.
9) SIDDHIDHATRI DEVI
The pooja of the goddess Siddhidharti, who is another name for Goddess Saraswati, marks off the ninth day, the last Navmi day. She is a goddess with tremendous spiritual and meditation abilities who bestows mental stability and peace in life upon her believers.
Pink, a colour that symbolises compassion and purity, is associated with the goddess Siddhidharti.
History of Navratri
Amongst the legion of Hindu festivals, Navratri is among the most symbolically significant one. The festival is also representative of the overwhelming devotion to the most powerful female energy in the venerable form of Ma Durga. A nine day-long festival that venerates different manifestations of Ma Shakti or Durga, Navratri upholds the predominantly moralistic theme of religious Hindu festivals. In particular, it helps the devotee to realize his Satvik qualities and ensures a path towards liberation. The puja rituals and historical associations have emerged from the Hindu scriptures, especially the Markandeya Purana and Skanda Purana.
History and Origin of Navratri
Different legends are prevalent in certain regions. They are discussed below.
North India
The most prevalent legend is the story of Mahishasura, the buffalo-headed demon king, who pleased Lord Shiva and was granted the boon that he would be invincible and undefeatable by any man. But soon, Mahishasura set out on a rampage killing people for no reason and even driving out the deva out of ‘swarglok’. The Gods implored Lord Shiva, to protect the people. Thus, the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva invested their powers in energy that took the form of Goddess Durga to conquer the demon Mahishasura. The ‘devas’ also offered her their distinct weapons such as the axe and the sword. Mahishasura was taken in by Goddess Durga’s beauty and approached her for matrimony. The Goddess agreed but set forth a challenge that he defeat her in a battle. The battle lasted for nine nights and on the ninth night, Goddess Durga beheaded Mahishasura. The nine nights came to be known as Navratri, while the tenth day was called Vijayadashmi, the final day when truth and goodness prevailed over evil.
East India legend
This is related to the famous legend of Sati. The king of the Himalayas, Daksha had a daughter named Uma. She wished to marry Lord Shiva and did penance to please him. When Lord Shiva came to marry her, his intimidating countenance (clothed in tiger skin with snakes around his neck) and that of the people accompanying him disconcerted Daksha. Later, when he organized a grand-scale ‘yagna’, he deliberately refrained from inviting his daughter and son-in-law. Realizing the magnitude of the insult, Uma immolated herself in the ‘agnikund’.
Shiva became furious and did Tandava dance with Uma on his shoulder. The dance unleashed the forces of destruction, enough to threaten nature’s balance. To end Shiva’s destructive anger, Narayana cut Uma’s body and the different parts of her charred body fell in different parts of the country and the world. The places where the parts fell are worshipped today as ‘Shakti Peeths’ and she came to be known as Sati. Brahma reassured Shiva that Uma will take re-birth and unite with Lord Shiva as his consort. In her reincarnation, she fulfilled her destiny. Hence, Navratri is celebrated as the homecoming of Uma with Ganesh, Kartik, Saraswati and Lakshmi along with companions Jaya and Bijaya during Sharad Ritu.
The lotus legend of Ram and Ravana
As per the epic Ramayana, at the behest of Narada Muni, Lord Rama worshipped Goddess Durga in her nine aspects to earn the blessings of Ma Shakti to defeat Ravana, the powerful king of Lanka who had abducted Sita. He continued his puja for nine days and nights with lotuses. He was short of one lotus and thought of offering his eye to overcome the shortfall, when Ma Durga appeared before him, urging him not to make the sacrifice and blessed him. On the tenth day, Lord Rama was successful in killing Ravana. The nine days are observed ritualistically as Navratri by devotees and the tenth day is celebrated as ‘Vijayadashmi’ or Dussehra, when good triumphed over evil.
Apart from the eternal message of good over evil, virtue over misdeed, Navratri also has strong fertility associations. Ma Shakti is worshipped as the giver and one who nourishes all her children.
Navratri History & Why is Navratri Celebrated
One of the greatest specialty of Hindu Religion – It is a religion which offers the most number of festivals.
Yes, festivity is the second name to Hindu Religion.
It’s colorful, and grand festivals have made India “A Land of Festivals.”
One such auspicious festival which is celebrated throughout India is “Navratri.”
The meaning of Navratri
Navratri which means “Nine Nights” is celebrated to honor the Mother Goddess Durga.
Throughout this period, Mother Goddess Durga is worshiped in all of her divine forms including Goddess Durga, Goddess Kali, Goddess Saraswati and Goddess Lakshmi.
It is one of the most significant Hindu Festivals which is celebrated twice a year.
One at the onset of summer in March or April which is known as “Chaitra Navratri.”
The second Navratri is celebrated in September or October and is known as “Sharad Navratri.”
Why is Navratri Celebrated?
There are spiritual, natural and mythological reasons why we celebrate Navratri for nine days and twice every year.
Navratris are celebrated at the juncture of seasonal changes. One at the beginning of summer and other at the beginning of winter.
At these seasonal junctures, Mother Nature undergoes a major change, and that is welcomed through the Navratris by celebrating Goddess Shakti, who is an embodiment of Nature itself.
Both the Navratris witness temperate weather conditions which is just perfect for big celebrations.
In Hindu mythology, it is believed that Lord Rama started the tradition of celebrating Navratri just before winter.
He performed Durga Puja before he left for Lanka and returned victoriously.
In both of these Navratri’s devotees invoke Mother Goddess Durga who represents the Supreme Energy of the Universe.
She is the inherent energy which propels the work of creation, preservation, and destruction.
The meaning of “Durga” is one who removes miseries.
People worship her with full devotion so that Goddess Durga can remove miseries from their lives and fill their lives with happiness, joy, and prosperity.
Why is Navratri Celebrated for Nine Days?
We worship various forms of Goddess Durga on Navratri with full devotion and dedication.
Navratri honors the three essential aspects of the Supreme Mother Goddess Durga in the form of Kali, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.
On the first three days, the Goddess is worshiped in the form of Kali who is the destroyer of all our impurities.
In the next three days, we adore Goddess Mother in the form of Lakshmi who is considered as the giver of inexhaustible wealth.
In the last three days, the Goddess is worshipped in the form of Saraswati, the giver of knowledge and wisdom.
The eighth day of the festival is popularly celebrated as “Ashtami” and the ninth day as “Maha Navmi” and even as “Ram Navmi” on Chaitra Navratri.
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During the Navratri festival, people worship all nine avatars of Goddess Durga.
The nine avatars or forms of Mother Durga are known as Mata Shailputri, Mata Brahmacharini, Mata Chandraghanta, Mata Kushmanda, Maa Skanda Mata, Maa Katyayani, Mata Kalratri, Mata Maha Gauri, and Mata Siddhidatri.
Mata Shailputri is worshipped on the first day of Navratri.
Maa Brahmacharini is worshipped on the second of Navratri.
Mata Chandraghanta is worshipped on the third of Navratri.
Maa Kushmanda is worshipped on the fourth day of Navratri.
Mata Skanda Mata is worshipped on the fifth day of Navratri.
Maa Katyayani is worshipped on the sixth day of Navratri.
Mata Kalratri is worshipped on the seventh day of Navratri.
Maa Maha Gauri is worshipped on the on the eighth day of Navratri.
Mata Siddhidatri is worshipped on the ninth day of Navratri.
Legends of Navratri
There are various legends attached with the celebration of Navratri.
According to one popular legend, there was an immensely powerful Demon with the name Mahishasura.
With the blessings of Lord Shiva, he became immortal, and no weapon can kill him.
He then started killing innocent people on the Earth. Goddess Durga was born to kill this evil demon.
Lord Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and all the other Devas combined powers created the Goddess Durga.
There was an intense war between Goddess Durga and Mahishasura for nine days, and on the tenth day, The Goddess beheaded the Demon.
The nine days of Navratri symbolizes the battle between Goddess Durga and Mahishasura.
According to another legend, Lord Rama worshipped all the nine forms of Goddess Durga to gain her blessings for killing the Demon Ravana.
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He worshipped the Goddess for nine days. The tenth day of the Sharad Navratri on which Lord Rama defeated and killed Ravana, we celebrate this day as Dussehra or Vijay Dashmi.
Navratri Story
The Hindu festival of Navratri is celebrated for 9 (nine) full days in almost every part of India. The Navratri festival honors and celebrates Maa Durga.
The festival chiefly celebrates the victory of good over evil wherein Devi Durga defeats and overpowers the buffalo demon in the form of Mahisasura.
The festival is also closely linked to the victory of Lord Rama over demon King Ravana.
In all the nine days of Navratri, nine different forms of Devi Durga are worshipped which are Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahaguari, and Siddhidatri.
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Herein, we describe the stories related to each of these Goddesses.
Navratri Story of Mata Shailputri
We worship Ma Shailputri on the first day of Navratri.
Navratri Story of Mata Shailputri
She is also known as the daughter of Parvat Raaj (God of Mountains) Himalaya. She is also known as Parvati.
She is married to Lord Shiva and has two sons namely Ganesha and Kartikeya.
Her earlier incarnation was in the form of Sati.
Sati was the daughter of Daksha Prajapati.
Sati went against the wishes of her father Daksha and married Shiva. In fact, Daksha did not like Lord Shiva and considered him a dirty ascetic.
One day Daksha organized a grand Yagna and invited all the Gods.
However, he purposely did not invite Shiva and Sati to insult them.
In spite of all this, Sati wanted to attend the ceremony.
Lord Shiva requested Sati not to attend the Yagna ceremony.
But Sati attended the ceremony, all by herself.
King Daksha and all the other relatives were unhappy to see her except her mother, Prasuti.
Moreover, Daksha went on to insult Lord Shiva in the presence of all the guests.
Sati was not able to tolerate all this un-welcome behavior of her father.
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She felt extreme grief and jumped into the sacrificial fire and immolated her.
When Shiva heard the news of Sati’s self-immolation, he became furiously angry and invoked his fearful form Veerbhadra to destroy Daksha.
Shiva carried the corpse of Sati after her death.
The body parts of Sati fell at various places in India and came to be known as Shakti Peethas. There are 52 Shakti Peethas in India.
In her next birth, Devi Sati was born as Shailputri, the daughter of God of Mountains.
The belief is that she is the embodiment of Shakti. She is married to Lord Shiva. She rides a bull (Nandi) and carries a trident and lotus in her hands.
Navratri Story of Mata Brahmacharini
Mata Brahmacharini is one of the nine avatars of Goddess Durga.
Mata Brahmacharini
We worship Maa Brahmacharini on the second day of Navratri. Ma Brahmacharini is an embodiment of tapa or penance.
In fact, the name Brahmacharini is made up of two words – Brahma meaning tapa or penance and Charini meaning an ardent female follower.
After Sati immolated herself, she took birth as the daughter of Parvat Raaj, Himalaya, as Parvati.
When Parvati grew up, Sage Narad happened to visit her.
He told Parvati that she could marry Lord Shiva who happened to be her husband from the previous birth.
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She was required to follow the path of penance.
Parvati was determined to marry Shiva.
She followed an immensely difficult regime of penance and devotion for several thousands of years.
She earned the name Brahmacharini or Tapascharini meaning one who follows the path of Tapa.
Mata Brahmacharini continued her penance without food and water for many years. Her body became extremely weak and fragile.
Finally, Lord Brahma appeared before Parvati and blessed her that she would have Lord Shiva as her husband in this birth.
Later Lord Shiva married Parvati.
Ma Brahmacharini holds a rosary in her right hand and a Kamandalu in her left hand.
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Ma Brahmacharini is an embodiment of tapas, devotion, solitude, and restraint. She blesses devotees with peace, prosperity, happiness, and nobility.
Navratri Story of Maa Chandraghanta
Maa Chandraghanta is worshiped on the third day of Navratri.
Navratri Story of Maa Chandraghanta
She is an avatar of Goddess Durga. The crescent moon is decorated on her forehead.
In her next incarnation, Sati took birth as Parvati.
She undertook extreme penance to get Lord Shiva as her consort.
Seeing the resolve of Parvati, Lord Shiva agrees to marry her.
Lord Shiva took the most terrorizing form for the marriage and came with the strangest marriage procession.
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His body was smeared with ash. He had matted locks of unkempt hair.
There were snakes around his neck. There were ghosts, ascetics, ganas, ghouls, and agoras in his marriage procession.
Everybody was in a state of shock.
Parvati took the terrorizing form of Chandraghanta.
She had golden complexion and possessed ten arms.
She wielded different weapons in nine of her hands and blessed her devotees with the tenth hand.
Her vehicle is a lion.
In the form of Chandraghanta, she prayed to Lord Shiva to take the form of a handsome prince and transform the marriage procession into a noble one.
Lord Shiva agreed to this request and reappeared as a charming prince dressed in jewels and ornaments.
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The marriage ceremony completed according to the custom.
We celebrate the day of their marriage as Maha Shivratri.
Ma Chandraghanta eradicates all the sins, distresses, mental tribulations, ghostly hurdles, and physical sufferings of the devotees.
She is a kind and compassionate mother who showers love, peace, and prosperity on her devotees.
By worshiping Goddess Chandraghanta, one can achieve success in every part of the life.
Navratri Story of Maa Kushmanda
Maa Kushmanda is known as the Smiling Goddess. She is an avatar of Adi Shakti and worshiped on the fourth day of Navratri.
Maa Kushmanda
Her name is composed of three distinct words. The first word is “Ku.” The second word is “Ushma.” And the third word is “Anda.” “Ku” means little. “Ushma” means energy. “Anda” means egg.
So, Kushmanda means the creator of the little cosmic egg.
In fact, Goddess Kushmanda is the happy manifestation of the goddess. Maa Kushmanda produced the Universe with her smile.
She is the source of all the energy in the Universe. She is the core of the Sun and provides direction to Surya, the Sun God.
Navratri Story of Maa Skandamata
We worship Maa Skandamata on the fifth day of Navratri.
Navratri Story of Maa Skandamata
She is the fifth avatar of Goddess Durga.
She is the mother of Kartikeya.
So, Skandamata is another form of Parvati.
She holds Kartikeya is one hand and blesses devotees with the other. She rides a lion and sits on a lotus.
Kartikeya overpowered and killed the fearsome demon Tarakasura.
Worshiping Skandamata one is blessed with peace, prosperity, and salvation.
Navratri Story of Maa Katyayani
Ma Katyayani is the sixth avatar of Goddess Durga.
Navratri Story of Maa Katyayani
We worship her on the sixth day of Navratri.
She has four hands.
Mata Katyayani holds a long sword and a lotus.
She blesses the devotes and protects them from all evils.
Maa Katyayani took birth as the daughter of Sage Katyayan and so she named as Katyayani.
Goddess Katyayani was born as a fighter to end the sins committed by the demons.
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Different Gods gifted her lots of weapons to kill Mahisasura.
Her vehicle is a lion.
There was a fierce battle between Ma Katyayani and Mahisasura. Maa Katyayani defeated Mahisasura and cut off his head with a sword.
Navratri Story of Maa Kaalratri
Maa Kaalratri is worshiped on the seventh day of Navratri.
Maa Kaalratri
She is the Goddess who dispels darkness and ends with ignorance.
Kaalratri is the most terrorizing form of Goddess Durga.
She is dark in complexion with untied hair.
Mata Kaalratri has four hands.
She carries a scimitar and a thunderbolt in two of her hands. The other two hands are used for ‘giving’ and ‘protecting.’
She has three eyes and breathes out flames from her nostrils.
Her mount is a donkey.
Ma Kaalratri always brings auspicious results for her devotees.
Ma Kaalratri overpowered and killed the demon Raktbeej.
Thus, Ma Kaalratri destroys evil-doers and ends all cruelty.
She removes sorrow from the lives of the devotees.
Navratri Story of Maa Mahagauri
The incarnation of Mata Mahagauri is worshiped on the eighth day of Navratri.
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Navratri Story of Maa Mahagauri
She has four arms and carries a trident and damaru. She is the Goddess of kindness and morality. Her mount is a white bull. She is said to be nine years old.
After killing all the demons, the skin of Parvati turned dark. Lord Shiva nicknamed her as ‘Kali.’
Parvati wanted to regain her fair skin. So, she did severe penance and prayed to Brahma. Pleased, Brahma advised Parvati to take a dip in the Holy Mansarovar River.
Parvati did as told by Brahma and regained her white complexion and beauty. She came to be known as Mahaguari meaning extremely fair.
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Navratri Story of Maa Siddhidatri
Maa Siddhidatri is regarded as the ninth avatar of Goddess Durga.
Navratri Story of Maa Siddhidatri
She is the giver of supernatural power or meditative ability. Maa Siddhidatri is worshiped on the ninth day of Navratri.
Maa Siddhidatri fulfills all the divine aspirations of her devotees. She removes ignorance and provides the divine light of knowledge to realize the Supreme Brahman.
She blesses her devotees with abundance. Mata fulfills all the desires of her devotees.
She is portrayed as sitting on a lotus. Mata Siddhidatri has four-arms. She holds a mace, Shankha, lotus, and Sudarshan Chakra. She wears a divine garland around her neck. The lion is her main vehicle.
The Devas (Gods), Siddhas, Yakshas, Gandharvas, and Asura worship her.
It is said that the Supreme Goddess of Power, the Adi Shakti is the left half of Lord Shiva appeared in the form of Siddhidatri.
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Maa Siddhidatri grants success and powers. She protects devotees from diseases and fears. Goddess Siddhidatri is the dispeller of pains of whosoever takes refuge in her.
She is the empress of the whole Universe. Siddhidatri is the very source of creation.
According to Durga Saptashati, Maa Siddhidatri overpowered the great demon Shumbha.
The Goddess took her trident and pierced his chest. This mighty attack killed Shumbha. With the death of the demon, the world became happy and stable again.
Navratri History
The basic theme behind the nine-day long Navratri festival is the victory of Good over Evil. There are primarily two legendary stories which form the basis of the history of this divine Indian festival.
The first story is from the Northern and Western parts of the country.
It is the story of Lord Ram who overpowered the demon king Ravana, the one who had abducted his wife, Sita.
The nine days of Navratri witness the recital and enactment of the epic ‘Ramayana.’
On the tenth day, there is the final fight between Rama and Ravana. Rama kills the ten-headed Ravana by shooting an arrow in his navel.
It was the source of Ravana’s power, and he dies.
The Ramlila concludes with the killing of Ravana and this day is known as Dussehra.
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The celebration concludes with the burning of effigies of Ravana, Meghanatha, and Kumbhakarna.
The second story is mainly from the Eastern states of India. It is related to Goddess Durga.
Goddess Durga defeated and killed the demon Mahisasura.
Her success is celebrated every year through Durga Pooja.
The story is described in the epic “Devi Mahatmya.”
The Southern States in India observe the Navratri festival by worshiping different goddesses. They celebrate their victory.
How is Navratri Celebrated?
Navratri Festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm throughout India. It is celebrated in different ways in different parts of India.
In North India, Navratri is celebrated with much devotion by fasting on all nine days accompanied with worshipping the Mother Goddess in all her nine forms.
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The Chaitra Navratri concludes in Ram Navami, and the Sharad Navratri concludes in Durga Pooja and Dussehra.
All temples are specially decorated with flowers and adorned with ornaments.
In Uttar Pradesh and other northern states, nine days fair are organized where people come in large numbers.
The Kullu Dussehra of Himachal Pradesh is particularly famous in the northern part of India.
In Western India especially in Gujarat and Mumbai people celebrate the festival with the famous Garba and Dandiya-Raas dance.
“Navratri Festival Celebrations” are organized by Government of Gujarat to mark the Navratri Festival.
People from different parts of India as well as abroad come to participate in the nine-day celebration.
In Maharashtra, “Ghatasthapana” is celebrated where ladies perform elaborate rituals and cultural traditions. Kaali, Lakshmi and Saraswati Pujan are also held by many families.
In South, people set up steps and place idols on them which is known as “Golu.”
Elaborate Puja ceremonies are performed, and the Goddess is worshipped with all devotion and dedication.
The Utsava Murthy is decorated, and Vedic offerings are performed followed by Chandi Yagna (Homa).
Ayudha Puja is also performed where people worship implements which are used in daily life such as utensils, kitchen tools, vehicles, books, and computers.
Goddess Durga blessings are invoked for success in coming years. People start new ventures and purchase new household items on these festive days of Navratri.
In the East, Navratri is celebrated as Durga Puja which is the biggest festival of the Bengalis.
People observe fast and worship all the nine forms of Goddess Durga especially Kaali, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.
Puja Pandals are organized from the seventh day of the Navratri fill the tenth day where big idols of Goddess Durga are placed and worshipped.
People sing, dance and celebrate the festival with great joy, and enthusiasm.
Navratri celebration
Other Rituals during Navratri
Although rituals and modes of performing Puja differ from region to region but generally a Puja Thali (Plate) is kept in front of Goddess Durga.
It usually contains five fruits, flowers, and an oil lamp with pure Ghee.
This oil lamp is kept burning on all the nine days of the Navratri Festival.
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Aarti (Devotional Song dedicated to the Goddess) is sung, mantras are chanted, and prayers are performed in the mornings and evenings throughout the Navratri Festival.
On the last day, devotees break their fast. ‘Kanya Pujan’ is performed in which nine little girls are worshiped with great devotion.
These nine girls represent the nine incarnations of the Divine Mother Goddess. They are offered Prasad and new set of clothes by the devotees.
Mantra for invoking Goddess Durga
“Yaa Devi Sarya Bhuteshu Shakti Rooperna Sanstitha. Namastasyei, Namastasyei, Namastasyei Namoh Namah!!”
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All-in-all, Navratri has the status of being one of the foremost festivals of India which is celebrated to honor Goddess Shakti or Durga– the Cosmic Power of God.
The Legends and Mythology behind Navratri Celebration
The Markandeya Purana describes the story associated with Navratri and Durga puja. The entire mythological connection behind Navratri lies with the defeat of Mahishasura. The chapters 81 to 93 states the entire story and is referred as Devimahatmya. People recite this purana to worship the NavaDurga during Navratri. Similarly Chaitra Navratri describes the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana with the help of Maa Shakti (Goddess Durga).
Navratri Mythology
How did Mahishasura Emerge?
There were two brothers Rambha and Karambha who practiced severe austerities to gain powers. Indra felt threatened by such severe penance and killed one of the brothers – ‘Karambha’. This triggered the fire of revenge in Rambha and hence he became more rigorous in his penance. His worship impressed many Gods and they gave him the boon to be very powerful and the one who cannot be defeated by any, neither the Gods nor the demons.
Once Rambha fell in love with a female buffalo and copulated with her. Meanwhile, a male buffalo came in and murdered Rambha. So the sad part was that Rambha had not taken the boon of being protected from an animal.
This incident made the female pregnant buffalo jump into the fire and suicide. The moment she jumped, came out a half buffalo and half human ‘MAHISASURA’.
Mahishasura defeated the gods and the demons. He attacked the heaven and captured it and made ‘devas’ his slaves. He proclaimed that he is now Indra – the lord of the gods. The gods led by Brahma approached Vishnu and Shiva and appraised them of the situation.
Rise of Goddess Durga
The destructive Mahisasura created a lot of havoc and brought in immense anger in the Trimurti. The Trimurti then brought their energies together to form the epitome of power that is NavaDurga. Every God then bestowed on the new feminine power all their characteristic weapons. Shiva – the trident, Vishnu – the discus, Varuna – the conch, Agni – the spear, Yama – the cudgel, Vayu – the bow, Surya – the arrows, Indra – the vajra, Kubera – the mace, Brahma – the water pot, Kala – the sword and Vishwakarma – the axe. Himavan gifted a mountain lion as her vehicle.
The end of Mahishasura
Mahishasura
When Mahishasura came across the vibrant Goddess, he fell in love with her. He asked him to marry him but she put forward a condition. She promised for the marriage only if she could defeat the demon. They started the battle and it continued for 9 consecutive days after which Durga took the terrifying form of Chandika and pinned Mahishasura down with her foot and pierced his neck with her spear and she cut his head off with her sword.
History and Origin of Navratri
The festival of Navratri is celebrated all across India with a great pomp and show and is held to be a festival marking the victory of good over evil. There are several myths associated with the festival and there are several explanations for actually why the festival is celebrated and what its historical significance is.
In India, worshipping Mother Shakti dates back from the Vedic times as mentioned in the Vedas and Puranas. The festival of Navratri is dedicated to ‘Shakti’ or the eternal mother.
Legends of Navratri
Story of Mahishasura
The most popular legend has it that a demon named Mahishasura obtained a boon from Brahma in disguise of a buffalo according to which he could not be killed by any man on the earth. Overconfident, he started committing atrocities on the people and set out to win all the three lokas (Worlds) and made everyone live in perpetual fear of his fiery temper and even drove Indra (Lord of gods) out of his kingdom.
To put an end to the rising sins of Mahishasura all the three supreme deities of Hindus- Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva combined their powers and formed Durga-A female goddess whose charm and beauty made Mahishasura except her challenge to fight in a battle which continued for nine long days. At the end of the 9th day Mahishasura was defeated and since then the nine days of the battle are celebrated as Navratri and the tenth day is celebrated as VijayaDashmi which marks the victory of good over evil.
Story of Lord Ram and Ravana
The tenth day of the festival is apparently also the day when Lord Ram defeated Ravana and won Sita back and this day is celebrated as Dussehra. The nine days prior to Dussehra in India witness Ram Lilas in different parts of the country where actors enact the historical scenes from the Ramayana.
Story of Uma
According to another belief Uma who was beautiful and virtuous daughter of King of Himalayas wished to marry Lord Shiva and as a result of her immense devotion managed to convince Lord Shiva to marry her. But when her father met lord Shiva on the day of the marriage of his daughter he disapproved of him because of his appearance. Uma could not stand insult of his beloved and jumped into the agnikund. However, she was born again and married her lord. It is believed that since then, Uma visits her parent’s home every year since then at the Navratri with har companions which include Ganesh, Kartik, Saraswati and Laxmi and two of her best friends or ‘sakhis’, called Jaya and Bijaya.
Navratri Festival
Navratri, meaning ‘nine nights’, is one of the most popular and widely celebrated Hindu festivals in many parts of India. Gujarat, however, is the only state that erupts into a nine-night dance festival, perhaps the longest in the world. Each night, all over the state, villages and cities alike, people gather in open spaces to celebrate feminine divinity, referred to as Shakti.
The dance form known as ras garba (also joined sometimes by dandiya, which uses small wooden sticks), comes from Lord Krishna’s worship rather than Goddess worship, from the Gop culture of Saurashtra and Kutch. Stories of relationships between Krishna and the Gopis, and their emotions, also often make their way into the ras garba music.
Nevertheless, the focal point of every garba circle is the small Goddess shrine erected by each community to mark the beginning of the festival, on the first day of the Hindu month of Ashwin. The shrine includes a garbo, an earthenware pot, in which a betel nut, coconut, and silver coin are placed.
Each night the village or urban neighborhood gathers to perform a puja to one of the nine forms of Goddess. The nine nights are also broken up into sections of three; the first is for Durga, the goddess who destroyed an evil force represented by the demon Mahishasura, and who destroys human impurities; the second is for Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity; the third is for Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom and art. It is a time to celebrate fertility and the monsoon harvest, represented by a mound of fresh soil in which grains are sown.
After the puja begins the music; it is unmistakable to those who are familiar with the style and irresistible to many. People begin to dance in a circle, whirling away till late into the night. It is not uncommon to find dancers with swords or lit flames and other spectacles.
The traditional dance steps are simple, though over the years people have been inventing more complex steps. Similarly, the music was traditionally acoustic, principally composed of drums and singing, but most people now use amplified sound systems or a blend in the form of a live band with modern instruments. Vadodara is a good place to find the full range of these styles, traditional to modern, acoustic to amplified, simple to complicated, each one represented in its extreme somewhere in the city.
The tenth day, Dashera, also known as Vijayadashami in South India, is celebrated by doing a puja to bless one’s vehicle, and is also the day to buy new vehicles, if necessary. It ‘s also celebrated, probably after getting up far later than usual, by unabashedly eating lots of fafda, a salty fried crunchy snack and jalebi, a sweet fried sticky snack.
Religion and tradition aside, a garba circle can take on a surprising spiritual power. Women often give up certain eatables during these nights, which can be quite a purifying experience, if done right. It is a time for even the most traditional and housebound women to be out of the house and whirling, uninhibited, towards the divinity that hides within her own body. Many of the songs begin slow and gradually speed up, sending the dancers into a trance, especially when the music and dance is in its rawest form. When you come to a garba, wherever in Gujarat you may find yourself for Navratri, imagine this: A circle, or concentric circles, moving around the central representation of a universal creative force, the source of life; everybody performing the same step; a mandala of energetic potential; the Mother Goddess unleashed.
When
Navratri is celebrated for nine nights, beginning on the first day of the bright fortnight of the Hindu month Ashwin, roughly corresponding to dates in the Gregorian calendar in September/October. This also usually coincides with the end of the rainy season. Dashera / Vijayadashami, is the tenth day of Ashwin.
Where
Garba happens at night in villages and neighborhoods all around Gujarat, so just step outside and follow the booming garba music. Vadodara is considered the cultural capital of Gujarat, and the most sought after location for celebrating Navratri. Try to visit at least one village garba too, for a range of experience.
Religious pilgrimage during this festival focuses mainly in the Shakti Peethas: Ambaji, Pavagadh and Bahuchraji near Mehsana. There are also major celebrations in temples such as Ashapura Mata-no-Madh in Kutch, Khodiyar Mandir near Bhavnagar, and Chamunda Mata Mandir at Chotila on the Ahmedabad-Rajkot National HighwayHistory
There are many enthralling legends and myths attached to the history of Navratri:
The demon Mahishasur, after being given a boon by the fire god Agni that he wouldn’t be killed by weapons bearing masculine names, caused grave destruction and terror. The gods sought the help of Lord Shiva, who advised the invocation of the goddess Shakti. With the gods’ prayers, a divine luster sprang from the heart of Lord Shiva and the bodies of all the gods and formed the goddess Adhya Shakti. The gods gave her ornaments, arms and a lion as a vehicle. She fought with the evil Mahishasur for nine long days and nights, and at last, resulted in the beheading of Mahisa on the tenth. The nine nights came to be known as Navratri, while the tenth day was called Vijaya Dashami, the tenth day that brought the triumph of good over the evil.
Sati (also known as Uma) married Lord Shiva against the wishes of her father, King Daksha Prajapati. In revenge, Daksha organized a huge yagna and invited all the gods and deities except his new son-in-law. Sati decided to attend the yagna despite Lord Shiva’s attempt to persuade her not to. The King ignored his daughter’s presence and publically abused Lord Shiva. Unable to bear her father’s insults, Sati committed suicide by jumping into the yagna fire. However, she was reborn and again won Lord Shiva as her groom and peace was restored. It is believed that since then Uma comes every year with her four children Ganesh, Kartik, Saraswati and Laxmi and two of her best friends or ‘sakhis’ called Jaya and Bijaya, to visit her parent’s home during Navratri.
These legends and story are part of the history that surrounds the festival of Navratri and are going to be around as long as the festival continues.
Disclaimer: You are requested to check the exact dates with Gujarat Tourism office before finalising your travel plans for this festival.
Who Comes
Navratri is traditionally a Hindu festival, but it’s not unheard-of to find non-Hindus having fun with their friends at a garba.
Navratri (Day 9) – The Story of Maa Siddhidatri
The festival of Navratri is one of the most sacred festivals in India. It is a period of joy, happiness and excitement. Every year, devotees from all over the country celebrate this festival in different ways.
During Navratri, we worship the nine forms of Goddess Durga. It begins with the worship of Maa Shailaputri and is followed by the worship of the other avatars of Goddess Durga.
The Worship of Maa Siddhidatri
The ninth day of Navratri is dedicated to the worship of Maa Siddhidatri. The word Siddhi means supernatural power and Dhatri means the awarder. Hence, it is believed that Maa Siddhidatri fulfils all divine aspirations.
Maa Siddhidatri is known to be the giver of perfection. She blesses her devotees with wisdom and grants them spiritual knowledge. Maa Siddhidatri is also worshipped by demons and is surrounded by all Gods.
History and Origin
The story of Maa Siddhidatri begins at a time when our universe was nothing more than a deep void. It was filled with darkness and there was no sign of life. This is when Goddess Kushmanda created the universe with the radiance of her smile.
Maa Kushamnda then went on to create the Trimurti of Lord Bramha – the energy of creation, Lord Vishnu – the energy of sustenance and Lord Shiva – the energy of destruction. Once they were created, Lord Shiva asked Maa Kushmanda to bestow him with perfection.
So, Maa Kushmanda created another goddess who bestowed Lord Shiva with 18 kinds of perfection. These included the Ashta Siddhi (8 primary forms of perfection) along with 10 secondary forms of perfection, described by Lord Krishna.
This goddess who had the ability to bestow these perfections on Lord Shiva is Maa Siddhidatri – the giver of perfection. Now, Lord Bramha was asked to create the rest of the Universe. However, since he required a man and a woman for creation, Lord Bramha found this task to be very challenging.
He prayed to Maa Siddhidatri and asked her to help him. Upon hearing Lord Bramha’s request, Maa Siddhidatri converted half of Lord Shiva’s body into a woman’s body. Therefore, Lord Shiva is also known as Ardhanarishwar (Ardh – half, Nari – woman, Ishwar – refers to Lord Shiva).
Lord Bramha was now able to create living beings along with the rest of the Universe. So, it was Maa Siddhidatri who helped Lord Bramha with the creation of the Universe and also bestowed perfection upon Lord Shiva.
Worship of Maa Siddhidatri
Maa Siddhidatri is depicted as being seated on a lotus or a lion. She has four arms and holds a conch shell, a mace, a lotus and a discus in each of these hands.
Worshipped on the ninth day of Navratri, Maa Siddhidatri possesses the Ashta Siddhi. It is believed that Maa Siddhidatri blesses her devotees with spiritual wisdom and she is also known to destroy ignorance.
Significance of Chaitra Navratri and Sharad Navratri
Navratri has been a long-standing tradition for all of us with a great amount of religious value attached to it. We also know that Navratri undeniably is one the biggest Hindu festivals celebrated across the nation with great fervor and enthusiasm. However not many would know, that it is celebrated in different seasons, five times a year. They are Chaitra Navratri, Ashadha Navratri, the Sharada Navratri, and the Paush/Magha Navratri. Of these, the Sharada Navratri in the Varsha ritu (onset of autumn) and the Chaitra Navratri in the Vasanta ritu (season of spring) are very important.
Chaitra Navratri
Chaitra navratri is also known as the Vasanta navratri. It usually falls in the month of March or April and marks the first day of the Hindu calendar. It is a grand nine days festival celebrated with great enthusiasm in Northern India. This Navratri is celebrated during the shukla paksha of chaitra masa (hindu calendar month), which is between March and April. Maharashtrians celebrate the first day of this navratri as Gudi Padwa and in Kashmir, it is called as Navreh. This navratri is exuberantly celebrated in Northern and Western India and makes the colorful spring season all the more fascinating and divine.
“Chaitra” means the beginning of a New Year. So the New Year begins with nine days of turning inwards; prayer, meditation, and chanting. Recognizing the Divinity in the whole creation, and enlivening that aspect – “Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar”
Sharad Navratri
This is the most popular and significant Navratri, also called Maha Navratri. It is celebrated during ashwin masa (hindu calendar month) the beginning of winter in September or October. This Navratri is widely celebrated across India. Sharad Navratri is dedicated to nine forms of Maa Shakti – Durga, Bhadrakali, Jagadamba, Annapurna, Sarvamangala, Bhairavi, Chandika, Lalita, Bhavani, and Mookambika.
Navratri also signifies slaying of demon Mahishasura by Goddess Durga and the tenth day is celebrated as Vijayadashami, also the day on which Sri Rama won the battle against Ravana and recovered Sita. In Southern parts of India, the festival includes worshipping of Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati.
Special homas (fire ritual) are organised, abhishekas (pouring libations) are performed and pujas (worship with prayers and flower offerings to deity) are conducted during the period . People celebrate both these festivals through fasting, meditating and worshiping the nine forms of the goddess.While some people fast for all nine days, others observe the fast for the first and the last day to celebrate the onset and the end of the festival.
Navratri: its history and significance
Did you know that as per Hindu mythology and tradition, Navratri occurs five times in a year? These are Chaitra Navratri, Ashadha Navratri, Sharad Navratri, Pausha Navratri, and Magha Navratri. However, only Chaitra Navratri and Sharad Navratri are celebrated on a large scale. Chaitra Navratri falls during the Chaitra month (March-April) as per the Hindu mythological calendar, also known as Vikram Samvat. While Sharad Navratri is celebrated at the cusp of Autumn, in the month of Ashwin (October-November).
Hindus around the globe fast for the nine days of Navratri. Each day is dedicated to different incarnations or avatars of the Goddess Durga. The auspicious event is celebrated on the theme ‘victory of good over devil’, as Goddess Durga had killed the demon Mahishasura during this time. However, one gets to hear different folklore and tales of Navratri in different parts of India.
As per Hindu mythology, below mentioned are the days designated to different Goddesses:
Day one is dedicated to Goddess Shailaputri (daughter of the mountain).
Day two is dedicated to Goddess Brahmacharini (known for sincere devotion and determination).
Day three is dedicated to Goddess Kushmunda (endowment of vegetation on Earth).
Day four is dedicated to Goddess Skandmata (goddess of love and motherhood).
Day five is dedicated to Goddess Katyayani (the warrior Goddess).
Day six is dedicated to Goddess Kalaratri (ferocious form of Goddess Durga).
Day seven is dedicated to Goddess Mahagauri (goddess of peace and endurance).
Day eight is dedicated to Goddess Siddhidaatri (the giver of siddhi or enlightenment).
On the ninth day, nine pre-pubescent girls are invited to Indian households for Kanya Bhojan. They are worshipped, paid respects, and fed a special meal containing chana, poori and halwa. During Sharad Navratri, Dusshera is celebrated the next day, marking the killing of King Ravana by Lord Rama. On the other hand, Ram Navami is celebrated on the ninth day during Chaitra Navratri.
Navratri and fasting
India is a culturally diverse country. People belonging to different regions follow and abide a different set of traditions and cultures. Fasting during Navratris is an age-old custom, followed by the majority of Hindus. It is believed that fasting and praying during these nine days cleanses the body, soul, mind and Goddess Durga bestows blessings of success and fortune.
The practice of fasting is not mandatory and thus, some Hindus fast for nine days, some for the last two or three days, while others do not. The fasting period dictates consumption of limited food items such as fruits, snacks prepared using rock salt, buckwheat, water chestnut, potato, sweet potato, sago (sabudana), and makhanas, among others. Followers are expected to eat a Satvik meal once a day. It is a meal rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low in fat.
Ram Navami
Ram Navami is an auspicious Hindu festival, celebrated to commemorate Lord Rama’s birth. Maryada Purshottam Ram or Lord Rama is believed to be the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Lord Rama was born on the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri in the month of Chaitra as per the Hindu calendar. The festival generally falls on the brighter half or Shukla Paksha of the month and is celebrated every year with immense zeal and dedication.
History of Ram Navami
Born in Ayodhya in the Tretha Yug, Ram was the son of King Dashratha and Queen Kaushalya. As mentioned in the holy epic ‘Ramayana’, Dashratha had three wives, namely Kaushalya, Kaikeyi, and Sumitra. Unfortunately, all the queens were unable to bear an heir. Therefore, a holy ritual ‘Putra Kamesti Yagna’ was performed on the advice of the great sage, Vashishtha. During the ritual, the queens were given Kheer (an Indian dessert) with the blessings of Lord Yagna.
It is believed that the ritual was successful and all three queens conceived soon after the Pooja ended. Lord Ram was born to Queen Kaushalya on the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri, also known as Maha Navratri. Stories of Lord Rama’s bravery, kindness, love, and respect are quite popular and dear to devotees, not just in India but overseas as well.
How is Ram Navami celebrated?
Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world and also the third-largest in terms of population. Home to Hinduism, India is known for people with religious beliefs and age-old traditions. One can see the enormity and grandeur of celebrations, not just on Ram Navami, but on every Hindu festival.
On this sacred day, devotees conduct rituals such as Kirtans, Hawan, Pooja and seek Lord Rama’s blessings. Some followers feed the poor and needy. On the ninth day or Maha Navratri, Kanya Bhojan takes place, where girls are offered meals and paid homage. They are believed to be manifestations of Indian goddesses. This ritual is practised in most Indian households since time immemorial.
Being the birthplace of Ram, the festival is celebrated with grandeur in Ayodhya. Indian states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Delhi, among others, also witness similar enthusiasm on the occasion. According to another popular tradition, devotees create and decorate idols of Lord Rama. The small idols are then placed in a cradle as a gesture of the Lord’s birth. Kheer as prasad is offered in the pooja.
Navratri Festival
Everything about the celebration of the Navratri Festival!
Navratri Festival Explained
What is Navratri? When is Navratri celebrated? How to celebrate Navratri? If you also have questions like these then read the entire article and find answers to your questions. Navratri, a festival where people come together in order to celebrate and worship goddess Durga. As Hindus, we celebrate a lot of festivals all throughout the year. However, Navratri happens to stand out the most. It is a festival that continues for nine days where people come together and worship Goddesses. The term Navratri meaning in English is Nine Nights.
Navratri symbolism is that firstly it is a Hindu festival celebrated for 9 nights and 10th day of Navratri in the Hindu month of Ashwin (September-October). The story behind Navratri festival is that this festival is dedicated to the worship of the Hindu deity Durga and is widely celebrated in different parts of India with great enthusiasm and zeal. Navratri has its roots in ancient Hindu mythology and is mentioned in Hindu scriptures as a time of spiritual purification and devotion. The significance of Navratri is that during Navratri, devotees fast, pray, and perform traditional dances to show their devotion and seek blessings from the divine.
Navratri is celebrated in different ways in different parts of India. In the northern states of India, Navratri is celebrated as Durga Puja, where large pujas are organised in homes, temples, and community halls to worship the deity. In the western states of India, Navratri is celebrated with navaratri dance which include Garba and Dandiya, where people perform traditional dances to the beats of devotional music. In the eastern states of India, Navratri is celebrated as Kumari Puja, where young girls are worshipped as an embodiment of the divine.
The nine days of Navratri are dedicated to the nine forms of Durga, and each day is symbolised by a different colour. The first day is dedicated to Shailputri, the second day to Brahmacharini, and so on, until the ninth day, which is dedicated to Siddhidatri. The Navratri rituals include the devotees observing fasts on each day of Navratri and offering prayers to the deity. Let us now have a detailed view on which days of Navratri are associated with which Goddesses.
Navratri – The Nine Forms Of Durga
As we know Navratri is a festival that is celebrated for nine days. Moreover, each day is associated and dedicated to the worship of a different Goddess. These Navaratri Goddess are known to be the nine forms of Goddess Durga. Let us see the Goddesses associated with the 9 Days of Navratri and also the Navratri event names:
– Day 1 – Shailaputri Mata
The colour associated with the first day of Navratri is Royal Blue colour. The first day is called as Pratipada. On this day Goddess Shailaputri is worshipped who is also considered to be the daughter of Himavan, the God of Himalayas. As the colour associated with this day is Royal Blue it tends to signify reliability and assurance.
– Day 2 – Brahmacharini Mata
The colour associated with the second day of Navratri is Yellow colour. The second day is known as Dwitiya. This day is dedicated to Goddess Brahmacharini and she is worshipped on Dwitiya. Goddess Brahmacharini is worshipped in order to attain prosperity and peace in an individual’s life. Moreover, the colour associated with the second day is Yellow, this tends to represent and resemble action and strength.
– Day 3 – Chandraghanta Mata
The colour associated with the third day of Navratri is Green colour. This day is called as Tritiya. On this day Goddess Chandraghanta is worshipped. Goddess Chandraghanta is worshipped by people in order to attain beauty and bravery by the natives. As we know the colour associated with this day is Green, this tends to represent luck, health and also prosperity.
– Day 4 – Kushmanda Mata
The colour associated with the fourth day of Navratri is Grey colour. This day comes around to be known as Chaturthi. Goddess Kushmanda is worshipped on this day. Moreover, the Goddess is also seen as a symbol of the creative power of the universe. Moreover, as we know the colour associated with this day is Grey, it tends to represent balance and is also associated with beauty.
– Day 5 – Skandamata Mata
The fifth day is known as Panchami. Also, the colour associated with the fifth day of Navratri is Orange colour. On this day Goddess Skandamata is worshipped. She is seen as a symbol of the power a mother possesses. Thus people worship her as their motherly figure. Moreover, the colour associated with this day is Orange which tends to represent optimism, energy and also creative flow.
– Day 6 – Katyayani Mata
The sixth day is known as the Shashtami. On this day Goddess Katyayani is worshipped. She is the warrior goddess and people see her being symbolic of courage and power. The colour associated with the Sixth day of Navratri is White colour which tends to represent purity, simplicity and also peace.
– Day 7 – Kaalaratri Mata
The seventh day of the Navratri comes around to be called as the Maha Saptami. This day is dedicated to Goddess Kaalaratri. She is the epitome of power. She is a form of Durga Mata in which she fights demons and defeats them. The rage in her eyes is clearly seen in this form. The colour associated with the seventh day of Navratri is Red colour which tends to represent courage, fierce attitude and power.
– Day 8 – Mahagauri Mata
The colour associated with the eighth day of Navratri is Sky Blue colour and this day is also known as Ashtami. Goddess Mahagauri is worshipped on this day. This day also tends to represent the birth day of Chandi Mata. As we know the colour associated with this day is Sky Blue which tends to represent admiration of nature’s beauty.
– Day 9 – Siddhidatri Mata
The colour associated with the ninth day of Navratri is Pink colour. Moreover, this day is also known as Navami. This is the last day of Navratri and on this day Siddhidatri Mata is worshipped. As we know the colour associated with this day is Pink which tends to signify intelligence and peace.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Navratri is a festival that holds great significance for Hindus. It is a time of spiritual purification, devotion, and celebration. Navratri is celebrated with great enthusiasm and zeal in different parts of India and brings people of different communities together. It is also said that people need to keep in mind the 10 points on Navratri. To get more information about Navratri check InstaAstro’s website or download the app and chat or talk to the best astrologers to get further more information on the Navratri history or to get solutions to your problems and answers to your questions.
Moreover, Navratri is not only a religious festival but also a time of cultural and social celebration. People come together to participate in devotional activities, dance, sing, and feast on traditional foods. This festival brings people of different communities together and promotes unity and togetherness.
Historical Significance of Navratri
Celebrating the strength of a woman the festival of Navratri is dedicated to Goddess Durga who defeated the demon Mahishasura. The festivities last for long nine days in which the nine distinct forms of the goddess are worshipped. Being one of the most important festivals in India it has many underlying meanings and distinct versions of beliefs in different parts of India. We have witnessed this at many festivals. Each region celebrates the festival in a distinct light and has a different belief. Just like so even this festival has a different hue in different regions. If you are curious to know the distinct belief and the stories then you are in the right place. This article has almost all the information about Navratri traditions that you need to know about this day and the significance of this festival in the lives of the people in India.
The Story of Navratri in the Northern Region
The northern region of India perceives the story as Mahishasura a demon praying to lord Brahma asks for a boon. The boon that we wished for was to be immortal which was granted by Lord Brahma with the condition that only a woman can kill him. Mahishasura filled with pride accepted the condition as he thought women to be powerless. He thought that he is invincible so he thought that he has obtained the power of eternity. Soon, he started killing and harassing innocent people and set out to win all three Kingdoms of heaven, hell, and the mortal world or Lokas. The gods in Swargaloka appealed to Lord Shiva to help them defeat the demon. To protect the world from the atrocities of Mahishasura, the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva united their powers and created a divine female warrior, known as Goddess Durga. Mahishasura, when he saw the divine beauty of Goddess Durga, got mesmerized and he approached her with the intention of marriage. The Goddess was enraged and she declined his offer and challenged him for a battle. The battle went on for nine days and nine nights. It was on the tenth day that she defeated Mahishasura and the last day is celebrated as Vijaya Dashami.
The Story of Mahishasura Mardini in the Eastern Region
The story of Goddess Durga and Mahishasura is a little different in the eastern region of India. Daksha, the King of the Himalayas had a beautiful daughter Sati. She was a devotee of Lord Shiva she wanted to marry him and worshipped him virtuously. Lord Shiva was pleased by her prayers and they got married but the King was against this union. So, he broke all of his ties with his daughter Parvati. One day Daksha organized a Yagna and did not invite Shiva he even insulted him in the ceremony. Furious at this rude behavior of her father, Sati ended her life by jumping into the Yagna fire and united with eternity. However, she reincarnated and again won Shiva as her groom, and peace was restored. It is believed that since then, she come home every year with Ganesh, Kartik, Saraswati, and Laxmi, to visit her parent’s home during Navratri. Durga is one of her forms she slays the demon Mahishasura who created havoc in the three kingdoms and then visits her parent’s house.
The Legend of Ram and Ravana
Yet another legend of Navratri relates to the Hindu epic Ramayana. It goes that Lord Rama worshipped Goddess Durga in nine aspects, for nine days, in order to gather the strength and power to kill Ravana. He wanted to end Ravana the demon king of Lanka who abducted Sita his wife and restore peace. Those nine nights became to be known as Navratri and the tenth day, on which Lord Rama killed Ravana, came to be called Vijayadashmi or Dusshera, signifying Rama’s (good) triumph over Ravana (evil).
All these stories may have a distinct flavor to them but all of them have the same essence. The stories integrated together express the victory of good over evil. It also shows the strength of a woman and it has motivated many women even to this day. The nine forms of the Goddess represent every woman and it shows how a tender woman can take the form of a warrior when provoked and threatened. The significance of day is intense and till day has kept motivating and blessing the people.
Navratri is an auspicious festival observed in many ways at various places in India, like setting the stages, doing prayers, performing plays of Gods, doing pooja, idol immersion, some perform fasting, some prepare feast, and having a bonfire. Even in Nepal Navratri is celebrated as Dasain, it is a family event and homecoming celebration. Beyond religion, the Navratri celebration is a symbol of eliminating evil from our lives and making us start walking in the path of dharma.
Let us dive into the question of why Navratri is celebrated? and will see about the story, History, Significance, and Importance of the Navratri festival.
Why Navratri is Celebrated?
Navratri is celebrated for the victory of dharma on the earth over evil. Whenever evil suppresses Dharma, it is believed that God will take a new form in this world and protect everyone from evil. In North and western parts of India, the tenth day of Navratri is celebrated as the Dussehra festival as a victory of Lord Ram for killing ten-headed rakshasa Ravana, for destroying the evil on the earth. Navratri is observed as Durga Pooja in eastern parts of India, where Goddess Durga battles and wins over the Mahishasur – buffalo-headed Demon. In southern states, Navratri is celebrated by different Gods and Goddesses for destroying evil and spreading Dharma and peace in this world.
Story of Navratri
The story of the Navratri festival is associated with the battle between Devi Durga and the Demon Mahishasur. The history of the Navratri festival involves the conflict between Devas and Asuras which is a never-ending one. Mahishasur is a buffalo-headed Demon who is an expert in changing his physical form. He worshiped Lord Brahma and wanted to become immortal but no God will take a chance of missing a balance in this universe and so Lord Brahma wished a boon that no man could kill him. After gaining more power Mahishasura raged war against Devas. In the fight between Gods and Demons, Mahishasura won Deva’s head Indra Deva and even captured Trilogy.
The dejection of the war made all the Devas lose their ego and fall to the feet of mother Parvathi. She gave her word that she will save all the Devas from Mahishasur and restore dharma. His boon does not mention women, his faith was to die in the hands of a woman. So, the incarnations of mother Parvathi, Lakshmi, and Saraswathi participated in the war and led the Devas. The war happened for nine days and finally, on the tenth day of the battle, the goddess Durga also known as Aadiparasakthi led the army and killed the Demon Mahishasur with her Trishul. Hence she is called Mahishasuramardhini that means Killer of Mahishasura.
People also believe that the Navratri festival is associated with the battle between Rama and Ravana. It is believed that Rama is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu born to kill Ravana who got a big boon from Lord Brahma that he can’t be killed by any Gods, Devas, Rishis, Demons, or any spirits. So, Lord Vishnu was born as a Human to destroy evil and strengthen the foot of dharma.
Rama was born to Dasharatha and Kowshalya as an elder prince of the Ikshavaku Dynasty. His Siblings are Bharatha, Lakshmana, and Satrugana from his stepmothers Kaikeyi and Sumitra. On knowing that Rama is going to be the next king, Dasharatha’s beloved wife Kaikeyi forced him to send his son Rama for exile for 14 years. Dasharatha with a broken heart sent Rama for exile with Sita and Lakshmana, later he died with the sadness of missing his beloved son Rama.
Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana went to many sacred places, visited great saints, and spent the years. Meanwhile, Rama with his brother Lakshmana destroyed many evils and protected people on their way. Later the king of all Demons Ravana abducted Rama’s wife Sita to Lanka. Rama requested to release her but Ravana refused and this led to the fierce battle between Rama and Ravana. In the end, Rama destroyed Ravana and other evil. The victory is celebrated as Dusshera – the last day of Navratri in many states of India. The arrival of Rama with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana back to Ayodhya is celebrated as the “Diwali” festival that comes twenty days after Vijayadashami
Importance and Significance of Navratri
If we come across the importance of Navratri, it mainly focuses on the benefits and blessings of celebrating the Nine days. Navratri’s nine days are dedicated to nine Goddesses who are Navadurga and they are believed to be the incarnations of Devi Durga named Shailaputri worshiped on Prathamai, Brahmachari on Dwithiyai, Chandrakanta on Trithiyai, Kushmanda on Chaturthi, Skandamatha on Panchami, Katyayini on Sashti, Kaalaratri on Saptami, Mahagauri on Ashtami, Sidhidatri on Navami, and finally, on Dashami i.e on the tenth day, Goddess Durga is worshipped for the victory of the dharma over evil, and that’s why that day is celebrated as Vijayadasami in India. Like in many ways, Navratri has bundles of importance.
The nine days of Navratri festival is always celebrated with full of lights, Colours, excitement, and a great time with family and friends. The beginning three days are devoted to the Goddess Parvati, the next three days are devoted to the Goddess Lakshmi, the last three days are devoted to the Goddess Saraswati.
During Navratri days, everyday people prepare varieties of food and snacks and share the food, dresses, and other holy objects with the people who visit their homes. Especially people share all these items with young girls because there is a belief that the Goddess Durga visits their home in the form of young girls and blesses them for goodness in their lives.
The story of Navratri may vary from place to place, but every incident is related to destroying the evil and restoring the dharma in the world. In the evolution of the world, Humankind is a combined form of both Deva and Asura. The significance of Navratri is to demolish the demonic qualities and enhance the angelic character in every human.
9 Interesting And Amazing Facts About Navratri That Every Kid Should Be Aware Of
One of the much-awaited festivals in India, Navratri is celebrated for nine days. Before you gear up to welcome it, here are nine unique facts that kids should know about this Hindu festival of 9 days
It is the season of fun and festivities, not to forget sweets, gifts, and feasts. Navratri, the Hindu festival that spans nine nights, is arriving soon with Dussehra and Diwali in tow. The festive season is officially here!
While adults are busy charting out plans to celebrate each festival with pujas (the act of worship) and paying reverence to different Gods and Goddesses, kids are excited about the fun parts of the festivals such as gorging on sweet treats and wearing new clothes.
Navratri: The festival of 9 days
The second half of the year is choc-a-bloc with festivals where one festival ends only to be followed by another one. Prominent among the festivals is Navratri which is celebrated by Hindus for a period of nine days.
Navratri is celebrated with much gusto by different states in their own ‘unique’ ways. For instance, the western part of the country celebrates Navratri with dandiya or Garba while in the southern region, Navratri is celebrated with Golu or Bommai Kolu, which involves the festive display of dolls. North India observes Navratri by fasting for nine days while in West Bengal, Navratri is associated with pandals (marquees) and humongous, expertly crafted idols of Goddess Durga.
Note: Garba is a form of dance where women dance in circles around a pot that contains a lamp. It comes from the word ‘Garbha’ which means womb. The lamp is used to represent life within the womb.
Why kids should know about Navratri
During the nine days of Navratri, special pujas, rituals, and fasting are held across many parts of the country. It is essential for children to understand the significance of this festival – why is it celebrated, the history behind the festival, the meaning of the festival’s name. This enables them to delve into the finer aspects of the festival and appreciate it better.
How Navratri is celebrated across the country
In South India, Navratri is when friends and relatives visit each other’s homes to look at the Golu, which is a collection of various dolls and figurines in different shapes, colors, and sizes. In Kannada, this exhibition is called Bombe Hadda, Bommai Kolu in Tamil, Bomma Gullu in Malayalam, and Bommalu Koluvu in Telugu. Interesting, is it not, kids?
In North India, people give gifts to each other during Navratri ranging from sweets to clothes to household items.
Ramalakshmi Nagarajan, who is based in Delhi, says, “My fond memories of Navratri included being invited by neighbours and treated to sweets and even given some money, especially on the eighth and ninth day.”
Dandiya, an integral part of Navratri celebrations in Gujarat, is a dance where men and women participate with small, bamboo sticks called dandiyas. A highlight of the dance involves both men and women striking each other’s dandiyas.
Priya Dave, a journalist based in Bengaluru but whose hometown is Gujarat misses playing dandiya. “More than the pujas, I look forward to playing dandiya. We would begin preparations in advance and visit shops looking for colourful dandiyas. This year, I am not going home and will miss the festivities associated with Navratri.”
Navratri and Ayudhya Puja
Ayudhya Puja is an important feature of Navratri and is observed in many parts of South India on the ninth day with much fanfare. All kinds of tools, books, musical instruments, machinery, and automobiles are worshipped along with the worship of Goddess Saraswati. The tenth day is celebrated all over as ‘Vijaya Dashami’.
Keeping this important aspect in mind, we bring you nine facts that kids should know about the festival of Navratri. From the meaning of the festival in Sanskrit to how different states celebrate it to the different forms of Shakti worshipped during the festival – kids and even adults will be surprised and amazed by these different and unique facts.
9 surprising facts that kids should know about Navratri
The word Navratri is a combination of two Sanskrit words – Nav, which means the number 9, and Ratra, which means night. Since this festival is celebrated over a period of nine nights across the country, it is called Navratri – the festival of 9 nights.
Goddess Durga and her many incarnations are worshipped during the nine days of Navratri. It is widely believed that each of these nine Goddesses has immense power and when combined, they all form Goddess Durga. The nine Goddesses include – Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri.
Navratri occurs five times a year. Yes… The name of months when Navratri can be held are March/April, June/July, September/October, December/January, and January/February. However, the Navratri called Sharad Navratri which is held during the months of September and October is the most popular and widely followed one.
Many believe that Navratri is celebrated to remember the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. Goddess Durga was created by the Gods to end the terrible atrocities of the demons. Mahishasura and Goddess Durga fought for nine days and nine nights and finally, on the tenth day, Goddess Durga emerged victorious by killing the buffalo-headed demon Mahishasura.
Now that you have read about the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasura who was buffalo-headed, another interesting fact emerges. In many parts of India, animal is sacrificed to commemorate the victory.
On the ninth day of Navratri, people all over worship their livelihood and instruments of work. On this day, known popularly as Ayudha Puja in South India, one can see computers and software books being worshipped along with vehicles and machinery.
The dates on which Navratri falls each year are set as per the Hindu lunar calendar. The festival traditionally commences on Pratipada, which is the first day of the lunar month of Ashwin that falls in September or October. When Navratri ends, the festival of Dussehra follows almost immediately.
In many parts of North and West India, Navratri is celebrated with the popular event of Ram Lila (dramatic folk enactment of Lord Rama’s life) and it culminates in Dussehra when huge effigies of Ravana are burnt. This symbolizes the victory of Lord Ram over Ravana.
According to legend, the Gods granted Goddess Durga a period of nine days to visit her mother once a year. This festival is said to celebrate the happiness of the mother and daughter meeting each other.
Navratri is not just celebrating a festival. Kids should understand that it is much bigger – it is an occasion to learn about the rich culture, customs, and traditions of our wonderful country. The nine days of Navratri give ample opportunity for parents and kids to bond, rest, rejuvenate and celebrate.
What is Navaratri?
Navratri, also spelled Navaratri, is a Hindu festival celebrated for nine nights and ten days.
Navratri honors three major goddesses in Hinduism:
Durga, the goddess of energy, strength, determination, and protection
Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, good fortune, power, and beauty
Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, music, and art
Navratri is a celebration of women and empowerment in Hindu culture. It honors the victory of good over evil. The first three nights celebrate Durga, the next three celebrate Lakshmi, and the final three celebrate Saraswati.
How is Navaratri observed?
Every Hindu celebrates Navratri in a unique way. Some may fast or eat vegetarian food, while others dance and feast. Most festivities include family, feasts, dances, and religious ceremonies. Garba and Golu are also common parts of the celebration.
Garba, most famous in Gujarat, is a folk dance accompanied by a live orchestra. Hundreds to thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds dance in concentric circles through the night. Many of these dances include coordinated steps with dandiyas or wooden sticks.
Golu is a festive display of idols, mostly celebrated in South India. Displays are typically organized on an odd number of steps and depict religious stories or family events. Over the course of the festival, families visit each other’s golu displays, sing devotional songs, and share a traditional meal.
The festival ends on the tenth day, on Dussehra or Vijayadashmi. Dussehra celebrates the triumph of good over evil. Some Hindus celebrate Durga puja, a ritual commemorating Durga’s victory over the demon Mahishasura. A large procession carries the clay statues of Durga that they have celebrated throughout Navaratri to the closest river or ocean where the statues are submerged. Other parts of India honor Rama’s victory over the demon Ravana. Vijayadashami celebrates the goddess Saraswati. Devotees worship the tools they use for their livelihood at the altar, now featuring textbooks and laptops.
How can you be respectful of Navaratri and those who are celebrating it?
Navratri honors strong women in Hinduism. Employers can take action to honor Navratri by creating a workplace that is inclusive and supportive to all women. Investigate pay equity within your organization to better understand potential gender pay gaps. Celebrate the accomplishments of women in your industry, and take the time to ask your existing women employees how you might better support their success.
People observe Navratri in unique ways depending on their family history and customs. When you wish your employees a “Happy Navaratri” over social media, it’s helpful to use language like blessed, joyous, prosperous, and happiness. For instance, you might say:
We wish you a prosperous Navaratri with your loved ones.
Wishing you a happy and prosperous Navratri. May this festival bring you happiness and success.
Happy Navratri to you and your family. May the nine days of Navratri light up your lives with love, laughter, and positivity.
Or consider using this moment to share what you’re learning about Navratri, perhaps even linking back to this blog. For example:
Navaratri is a Hindu festival honoring the three Hindu goddesses of strength, prosperity, and knowledge. At our company, we celebrate the women that have contributed to and led our organization over the years. Happy Navratri!
By learning more about different cultures, holidays, and traditions, we can better understand how to be respectful and inclusive of each person’s intersecting identities, backgrounds, and experiences. As part of Global Diversity Awareness Month, Happy Navratri from The Diversity Movement!