Happy Navarathri to all !

Indian culture has always represented the feminine as the most powerful dimension of life. Navratri is dedicated to the feminine nature of the Divine. Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati are symbols of three dimensions of the feminine. They also represent the three basic qualities of existence – tamas, rajas, and sattva. Those who aspire for power, for immortality, for strength, will worship those forms of the feminine which are referred to as tamas, like Kali or Mother Earth. Those who aspire for wealth, for passion, for life and various other gifts that the material world has to offer, naturally aspire towards that form of the feminine which is referred to as Lakshmi or the Sun. Those who aspire for knowledge, knowing, and transcending the limitations of the mortal body, will aspire for that aspect of the feminine which is referred to as sattva – Saraswati is the representative of that – or the Moon.

The word Navaratri means 'nine nights' in Sanskrit, nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Devi are worshipped. The tenth day is commonly referred to as Vijayadashami or "Dussehra" (also spelled Dasera). Navaratri is an important major festival and is celebrated all over India and Nepal.Though there are in total five types of Navaratri that come in a year, Sharad Navaratri is the most popular one. Hence, the term Navaratri is being used for Sharada Navaratri here.Navratri commences on the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashwin. The festival is celebrated for nine nights once every year during the beginning of October, although as the dates of the festival are determined according to the lunar calendar, the festival may be held for a day more or a day less.

Legends Behind Navratri Festival:

Being a grand religious festival, this festival involves the great legends and great stories which one need to aware. We are enlightening the great stories behind the celebration of Navratri festival.

Goddess Durga and Mahishasura story:

It is said that when Lord Shiva empowered the demon, Mahishasura, with powers of eternity, he set off to conquer all the lokas. To stop him, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva combined their divine powers to create Goddess Shakti who fought rigorously with Mahishasura (buffalo faced demon) for nine days, beheading him on the tenth. These nine nights of the battle between the two are celebrated as Navratri and the tenth day of the victory is called Vijaya Dasami (Dussehra). This festival signifies the triumph of good over evil.

Lord Ram Story :

According to Hindu epic Ramayana, another legend of Navratri is Lord Ram “the king of Ayodhya”. Demon king Ravana had abducted lord Ram’s wife Sita so Ram wanted to release his wife from the clutches of that demon. To get the blessings of Goddess Durga (Goddess Shakti) before beginning the war with Ravana, he worshipped nine aspects of Goddess Durga for nine days to collect the strength and power. The battle continued for nine nights and these nine nights are known as “Navratri” and on the tenth day Lord Rama killed Ravana, came to be known as Vijayadashmi or Dusshera.

Navratri Nine Days Puja:

Navratri nine goddess are also called Navdurga, means nine manifestation (nine forms) of goddess Durga. By worshipping till nine days of navratri, devotees invoke the nine forms of goddess Shakti at home and temples. Devotees sing the devotional songs & bhajans and chant various mantras to please all the nine goddes.The nine forms of goddess Maa Durga are Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kalratri, Maha Gauri and Siddhidatri.

Navarathri Rituals:

Navaratri is celebrated in different ways throughout India.

In Kerala and Karnataka three days: Ashtami, Navami, and Vijaya Dashami of Sharad Navarathri are celebrated as Sarasvati Puja in which books are worshiped. The books are placed for Puja on the Ashtami day in own houses, schools, or in temples. On Vijaya Dashami day, the books are ceremoniously taken out for reading and writing after worshiping Sarasvati. Vijaya Dashami day is considered auspicious for initiating the children into writing and reading, which is called "Vidyarambham". Tens of thousands of children are initiated into the world of letters on this day in Kerala. In almost all temples special pujas and vidyarambham are organised with much fervor.

Ayudha Puja, the ninth day festival, is celebrated with the worship of implements used in daily life such as computers, work places, vehicles, or kitchen tools. The effort to see the divine in the tools and objects one uses in daily life is central to this celebration, so it includes all tools that help one earn one's livelihood.

In Tamil Nadu and among brahmin communities of Kerala, people set up steps and place idols on them. This is known as Bomma Kolu. In the evening women in neighborhood invite each other to visit their homes to view Kolu displays, they exchange gifts and sweets. Kuthuvilakku lamp is lit, in the middle of a decorated Rangoli, devotional hymns and shlokas are chanted. After performing the puja, the food items that have been prepared are offered to the Goddess and then to the guests.

On the 9th day Saraswati Puja, special pujas are offered to Goddess Saraswati, the divine source of wisdom and enlightenment. Books and musical instruments are placed in the puja and worshipped as a source of knowledge Ayudha Pooja, the worship of vehicles and instruments is the most important festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu on Navami day .Almost all mechanic shops, heavy industries celebrate ayudha Pooja to thank their instruments On this day one can see autos decorated with banana leaves and pumpkins broken.The 10th day, Vijayadasami – is the most auspicious day of all. It was the day on which evil was finally destroyed by good. It marks a new and prosperous beginning. New ventures started on this day are believed to flourish and bring prosperity. Kids often start tutoring on this day to have a head start in their education.

In the evening of "Vijayadasami", any one doll from the "Kolu" is symbolically put to sleep and the Kalasa is moved a bit towards North to mark the end of that year's Navaratri Kolu. Prayers are offered to thank God for the successful completion of that year's Kolu and with a hope of a successful one the next year. Then the Kolu is dismantled and packed up for the next year.

In Western India, particularly in the state of Gujarat and Mumbai, Navaratri is celebrated with the famous Garba and Dandiya Raas dance. Since the past few years, the Government of Gujarat has been organising the "Navaratri Festival Celebrations" on a regular basis for the nine days of Navaratri Festival in Gujarat. People from all over Gujarat and even abroad come to participate in the nine-day celebration. Garba is a dance which people perform on all nine nights, after the Durga Pooja, in groups accompanied by live orchestra or devotional songs.

The last four days of Sharad Navaratri take on a particularly dramatic form in the state of West Bengal in eastern India where they are celebrated as Durga Puja.This is the biggest festival of the year in this state. Exquisitely crafted and decorated life-size clay idols of the Goddess Durga depicting her slaying the demon Mahishasura are set up in temples and other places. These idols are then worshiped for five days and immersed in the river on the fifth day.

May this be the harbinger of joy and prosperity in your life. Have a colorful Navarathri!