NAVRATRI

'Navratri' means 'nine nights.' 'Nava' means 'nine,’ and 'Ratri' means
'night.' It is an annual Hindu festival observed in honour of the
goddess Durga. It spans over nine nights (and ten days). There are a
total of 4 Navratris (9 days festival) celebrated in India. first in the
month of Chaitra(Hindu month also known as March/April of the
Gregorian calendar), then in the month of Ashad (Hindu month also
known as June/July of the Gregorian calendar), then in Ashwin (Hindu
month also known as Sept/Oct of the Gregorian calendar)and in Magh
(Hindu month also known as Jan/Feb of the Gregorian calendar). All
the festivals are observed for different reasons and celebrated
differently in various parts of the Hindu-Indian culture sphere. The
Navratri which is practiced and celebrated by most of the people is
the Navratri which falls in the Ashwin month.
 Navadurga or The Nine Godesses
Name Known As Vahana (object Stage
on which she sits

Daughter of Nandi (bull) Parvati (Lord Shiva’s wife) in her stage of childhood

Shailaputri
Mountain with the divine and principal form being Durga
Mother of devotion - (Stands) Durga in her phase of asceticism.
Brahmacharini and penance

Destroyer of demons Tiger Durga in the form of Shakti

Chandraghanta

Goddess of The Lion Durga in the form of Mahashakti.

Kushmanda
Cosmic Egg
Goddess of Lion Durga in her stage of motherhood
Skandamata motherhood and
children
Katyayani Goddess of Power Lion Durga in the warrior stage.
Goddess of Donkey Durga in her form of destruction.
Kalaratri Auspiciousness and
Courage
Goddess of Beauty Ox
Mahahgauri
and Women Durga in her form of recovery.
Goddess of Lotus Durga in her stage of reaching her highest and
Siddhidhatri Supernatural Powers supreme form as Mahashakti.
 CUISINE

The people during Navaratri fast to get

blessings from Goddess Durga and hence
have an intake of upvas / vrat (food eaten
during fasts). This type of food includes potato,
Varai/Sama ke chawal (A special type of rice
for fasts), sabudanana khichdi (rice dish made
from Sago), etc
 CELEBRATION

Like fasting people also come together and

play Dandiya and Garba (both are types of
dances prevalent in Gujrat and some parts of
Rajasthan and north of India ). It is also
believed that Lord Rama killed Demon Ravana
on the auspicious day of Vijaya Dashmi (the
10th day of Navaratri ) and hence a big statue
of Ravana is made and a person demolishes
this statue by putting fire on an arrow and
aiming it at that statue. While some parts of
India also believe that Goddess Durga fought
with Demon Mahishasura during these 9-10
days and on the 9th day he was killed by her
and for the same reason Goddess Durga is
worshipped during these days.
 CENTRAL VALUE:-
• The significance of this festival is to show the win of good over evil. It is also a method to
meet, talk and spend time with each other. The nine days of Navratri are designed to melt
down the year-long tiredness and restore mental cool. If one is a little heedful to follow a
sattvic diet and meditate regularly there is the possibility of a deep body-mind detox in just
a span of nine days.