Navratri, popularly known as Shardiya Navratri, is celebrated with lots of vigor in North India and parts of Eastern India. It, therefore, brings us the festivities of nine nights of the battle between good and evil, ultimately culminating in the victory of good on the tenth day.
During this period, Mother Durga is worshiped as a power, energy, and wisdom deity. The word “Navaratri” has the meaning of “nine nights” in Sanskrit. It is a time of spiritual reflection, commitment, and merriment and closes on the tenth day with good triumphing over evil Vijayadashami
The Significance of Nine Nights
Nine successive nights form Navaratri. There are three successive nights of three nights each. The nightstands for the three major goddesses of the Hindu pantheon:
- Gaya: Three nights are reserved for Goddess Durga, the fierce goddess of war, strength, and defense.
- Brahmi: The next three nights are paid to Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and richness.
- Vaishnavi: The remaining three nights are reserved for Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, and art.
Celebrations and Traditions
Navaratri is celebrated with high spirits across India in their respective regions with different customs and traditions. Some of the most common are as follows
- Garba and Dandiya: These folk dances are very prominent in Gujarat as well as most of the other Indian states. The people dance in a circle with sticks called dandiya or hand-formed patterns in garba.
- Kolu: People in Tamil Nadu create a beautiful display of dolls and various types of figurines, including all the different deities and significant scenes of mythology.
- Navratri Mela: There are fairs and exhibitions in almost every city and town of India during Navratri. These fairs mostly have food, shopping, and lots of fun.
- Fasting and Prayers: Many of the devotees observe partial or complete fasting during the celebration period of Navaratri. Devotees perform the respective rituals and prayers for the related goddess.
The Culmination: Vijayadashami
Vijayadashami is the tenth day, wherein Goddess Durga defeats the demon Mahishasura. It is celebrated with much joy and gaiety all over India. Mass visits to temples, prayers, processions, and cultural activities are performed.
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The Essence of Navaratri
Navaratri is not a festival of mere gaiety but it is a great spiritual experience. It represents the time when a person gets to connect with that feminine energy that is present within him/her and the cosmic world. The devotees seek gifts through the goddesses and their characteristics of fortune, protection, and increased spiritual lifting
Navratri Days
Nine nights of Navratri is devoted to the worship of Goddess Durga in three different ways :
- 1st Three Nights: As ‘Shakti,’ goddess of strength.
- 2nd Three Nights: As Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity.
- 3rd Three Nights: As Saraswati, goddess of knowledge and wisdom.
People observe fasts on various days: grains, onions, meat, alcohol are avoided and there is also some special Navratri fasting diet plan for better fitness. The only food taken during those days is the Navratri food prepared in North India to cater to the festive family members of that region . One remembers Durga Puja being the biggest festival in Eastern India. Well-manicured pandals decorated with lights give a grand stature as vibrant festivals bang out.
In Gujarat and Maharashtra, Garba and Dandiya are the names of the dance of Navratri, and people used to dance in traditional clothes with dandiya sticks in hand, after that they wishes each other.
Special jatras begin during Navratri in Goa, and the temples of Saraswat Brahmin are decorated for the festival. Devotees worship the Dasha Maitrikas using Chandan, Kumkum, and dressing and ornamenting themselves with new attire. Ayudha Puja is also performed on the ninth day in Kerala by which every tool in a house is blessed.
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Story behind Navratri?
Navratri is a celebration of the time Hindus commemorate goddess Durga killing the evil Mahishasura.There was another powerful God, Lord Brahma. In return for his devotion, he granted him the boon of immortality because there would never be a day when he would die.But this boons came with a condition as well, which was that only woman could defeat him.
Mahishasura didn’t think any woman would be strong enough to kill him and was really pleased with the deal.With time, Mahishasura and his men became brutal forces attacking people on Earth and no god was able to defeat him.
Finally, the three most powerful gods of Hinduism, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva decided to come together and create the goddess Durga, an extremely powerful woman whose job would be to destroy Mahishasura.
Before the new goddess Durga faced Mahishasura in combat, the gods gave her a plenty of weapons.
Durga fought the demon for 10 days, who proved to be quite troublesome since he used to take so many forms on each and every occasion to confuse the goddess. But in the end, after taking the shape of a buffalo, he was defeated.
Navaratri is that one festival that is colorful, and vibrant and sounds as if it resonates across regional and cultural lines. It speaks to the enduring power of faith, devotion, and the celebration of the Divine Feminine.
CONCLUSION
For more inspiration during Navratri, Hidden Mantra offers many uplifting quotes and ideas. Discover motivational resources that can encourage you, including peaceful thoughts from Buddha.
Wishing you a joyful and blessed Navratri! May this festival fill your heart with happiness and peace.
Also read : Navratri Fasting Diet Plan
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