Why is this festival celebrated?
Navratri is one of the most important Hindu festivals from every point of view, be it divine, materialistic, moral or religious. The name Navratri comes from the fact that in this nine daylong celebration, nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped. The 9 forms of Goddess Durga worshipped in Navratri are: skandmata, kushmanda, chandraghanta, brahmcharini, mahagauri, siddhatri, katyayani, kaalratri and shailputri.
Importance:
Nav’ means nine, while ‘ratri’ means night. Hence, navratri literally implies ‘nine nights’. Like all the other Indian festivals, several legends surround the origination of Navratri. According to popular belief, Navratri symbolizes the nine day of war between Goddess Durga and the demon Mahishasura.
Mahishasura had been blessed by Lord Brahma that he will not be defeated by any God or mortal. Misusing his invincibility, he started killing and torturing innocent people. Soon, he usurped Indra and took over heaven as well. The Hindu trinity of Gods were unable to defeat him alone, so they together created Durga or Shakti, using all their combined divine powers.
Durga entered into a war with Mahishasura, which lasted for 9 days. On the tenth day, she defeated and killed the demon, saving the mortals on earth from his tyranny. She restored the swarglok to the Gods. So, this festival is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasura, or good over evil.
How is it celebrated?
Navratri is celebrated with zest and ardour all around the country, and holds special significance for Bengalis and Gujaratis. The Bengali durga puja pandals and Gujarati Dandiya and Garba during Navratri do not require any introduction. During the first three days, goddess Durga is worshipped in her various forms. These are Kumari, which represents a girl child, Parvati- a young girl and lastly Kali, a mature woman. The 4th, 5th and 6th days are dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, who is the Goddess of wealth. She is dressed in gold and sits on an owl. The last three days are marked by worship of Goddess Saraswati, the Goddess of wisdom and knowledge; she is dressed in white and adorns a veena.
People fast for the nine days of navratri and indulge in spiritual activities. At night, cultural music and dance celebrations are done to celebrate these auspicious days and please the Goddess. Devotional songs can be heard in every part of the country. The last day of Navratri is called Mahanavmi, on which an important ritual of Kanya Pujan is performed. Nine young girls are worshipped on this day, and they are considered the nine forms of Goddess Durga mentioned earlier. They are treated to special feast, sweetmeats and are gifted with new clothes. Their feet are washed and they are given high respect. Farmers sow seeds during Navratri in hopes of high yield. They pray to the Goddess to bless them and give them a good harvest.
When is it celebrated?
Navratri is celebrated twice a year, once in March or April (chaitra Navratri), and once in September or October (shardiya Navratri)
Where is it celebrated?
The festival is celebrated by Hindus all over India, though the rituals and customs vary hugely in each region.