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Navaratri is celebrated five times a year. They are Vasanta Navaratri, Ashadha Navaratri,
the Sharada Navaratri, the Pausha/Magha Navaratri and the Magha Navaratri. Of these, the
Sharada Navaratri of the month of Puratashi and the Vasanta Navaratri of the Vasanta kala are
the most important. The other two are observed by shaktas only.
1. Vasanta Navaratri: Vasanta Navaratri, its nine days are dedicated to the nine forms of
Shakti (Mother Goddess) in the month of Chaitra (MarchApril) and is observed during
the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon) of Chaitra. The beginning of this Navaratri
also marks the start of the new year as per the Hindu mythological lunar calendar
(Vikrami Samvata).
2. Ashada Navaratri : Ashada Navaratri, also referred to as Gupta, Gayatri or
Shakambhari Navaratri, is nine days dedicated to the nine forms of Shakti (Mother
Goddess) in the month of Ashadha (JuneJuly). It is observed during the Ashadha
Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon). This is mostly observed by shaktas only
3. Sharada Navaratri: This is the most important of the Navaratris. It is simply called Maha
Navaratri (the Great Navaratri) and is celebrated in the 'pratipada' (first day) of the bright
fortnight of the lunar month of Ashvini. Also known as Sharada Navaratri, as it is
celebrated during Sharada (beginning of winter, SeptemberOctober).
4. Pausha Navaratri: Pausha Navaratri is observed during the Pausha Shukla Paksha, the
waxing phase of moon, in the month of DecemberJanuary.
5. Magha Navaratri: The Magha Navaratri is also a kind of Gupta Navaratri. The waxing
phase of moon in JanuaryFebruary marks the beginning of Magha Navaratri.
Vasanta Navaratri[edit]
Navaratri Golu, dolls and figurine display festival for girls and women in India
Devi Shakthi at Parashakthi Temple, Pontiac, USA adorned as Goddesses Lakshmi, Durga and
Saraswathi during Navarathri
This is celebrated during Vasanta Rhitu (beginning of spring) (March April). This is also known
as Chaitra navarathri as it falls during the lunar month of Chaitra.
Shardiya Navaratri[edit]
Shardiya Navaratri is the most popular and significant Navaratri of all Navaratris. That's why
Shardiya Navaratri is also known as Maha Navaratri.
It falls in lunar month Ashwini during Sharada Ritu. The name Shardiya Navaratri has been taken
from Sharada Ritu. All nine days during Navaratri are dedicated to nine forms of Goddess Shakti.
Shardiya Navaratri falls in the month of September or October. The nine days festivity culminates
on tenth day with Dussehra or Vijayadashami.
Forms of Shakti[edit]
Main article: Navadurga
Nine forms of Shakti are worshipped during the Navaratris. The Devis worshipped depend on the
tradition of the region.
Durga
Kali
Amba or Jagadamba, Mother of the universe
Annapoorna devi or Mahagauri, The one who bestows grains (anna) in plenty (purna:
used as subjective)
Sarvamangala or Shitala, The one who gives happiness (mangala) to all (sarva)
Bhairavi
Chandika or Chandi, The one who killed a demon named Chanda.
Lalita
Bhavani
Mookambika or Tara
Rituals[edit]
Late Srikanta Datta Wadiyar, Former Maharaja of Mysore inaugurating first day of Mysore Dasara
The Sharada Navratri commences on the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the lunar
month of Ashvini. 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.
Navaratri is celebrated in different ways throughout India. In North India, all three Navaratris are
celebrated with much fervor by fasting on all nine days and worshiping the Mother Goddess in
her different forms. The Chaitra Navaratri culminates in Rama Navami and the Sharada Navaratri
culminates in Durga Puja and Dussehra. The Dussehra of Kullu in Himachal Pradesh is
particularly famous in the North. Navaratri festival in Gujarat is one of the main festivals. 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 Sharada Navaratri take on a particularly dramatic form in the state of West
Bengal in eastern India where they are celebrated as Durga Puja.[4] 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.
In the Punjab, Navaratri is known as Navratras or Naratey where the first seven days are for
fasting. On the eighth day or Ashtami, devotees break their fasts by calling young girls home and
these girls are treated as the goddess herself. They are called "Kanjak Devis". People
ceremonially wash their feet, worship them and then offer food to the "girl-goddesses" giving
them the traditional puri, halwa and chana to eat along with bangles and the red chunnis
(scarves) to wear with a token amount of money as "shagun". The ninth day is then called
Navami which means literally the ninth day of this holy and pious period.
Another prevalent practice is of sowing pulses, cereals and other seeds on the first day of this
festival in a pot which is watered for nine days at the end of which the seeds sprout. This pot is
worshipped throughout the nine days. This custom is also indicative of fertility worship and is
known as "Khetri". The barley grains planted on the first day of Navaratras, in the puja room of
the house, are submerged in water after saying prayers on Dussehra. The sowing and reaping of
barley is symbolic of the "first fruit".[5]
In Western India, particularly in the state of Gujarat and Maharashtra, 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. It is also popular throughout India and among Indian
communities around the world including the UK, Canada, Malaysia, Singapore and USA.
In the temples of Goa, on the first day of the seventh month of the Hindu calendar Ashwini, in
temples (and some households), a copper pitcher is installed surrounded by clay in which nine
varieties of food grains are sown inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. All the nine nights
are celebrated by presenting devotional songs, and through religious discourses. Later in the
night the idol of the goddess is put in a specially-decorated colourful swing,known
as Makhar in Konkani and for nine nights, this swing is being swung to the tune of temple music
(called as ranavadya) by devotees who throng in large numbers to participate in the festival.This
spectacular ritual accompanied by an orchestra of musical instrument and waving of lamps is
called Makharotsav.[6][7]
Makharotsav in a Goan temple during Navaratri
First three days: The goddess is separated a spiritual force called Durga also known as Kali in
order to destroy all our evil and grant boons.
Second three days: The Mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is
considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees inexhaustible wealth, as she is the
goddess of wealth.
Last three days: