Navratri

Navratri is a Hindu festival that is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga and her nine divine avatars for a period of nine days.

Why is it important?

Navratri is one of the most significant festivals of the Hindus celebrated across the world. This is also one of the most ancient festivals dating back to the times immemorable. It spans over nine nights (ten days) twice a year, and it celebrates the triumph of good over evil.

There are four similar festivals, also called Navratri, which are held at various stages of the year. However, the early autumn festival, also called Sharad Navratri, is the most significant.

Festival participants worship God in the form of the universal mother, commonly referred to as Durga, Devi, or Shakti, and the event marks the start of fall.

A time of the Feminine

Nine nights

Navratri literally means "nine nights." These nine nights are counted from the day after new moon day. These first nine days of the lunar cycle are considered feminine.

This is a special time for Devi, who represents the feminine nature of the Divine.

Devi

There are twelve nine-day periods in a year and each of these is focused on a different aspect of the feminine Divine or Devi.

The Navratri that comes around October is considered the most significant one because it is dedicated to Sharada, the goddess of learning.

The post autumnal equinox is the time of the feminine

Since this part of the year naturally supports the feminine, certain societies have worked to establish the feminine consciously, because the masculine asserts itself without much encouragement. The feminine needs support to assert itself – otherwise it moves into the background.

9 Days, 3 Qualities

Worshipping Devi in three forms

Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are seen as three dimensions of the feminine, symbolizing the earth, the sun and the moon, or tamas (inertia), rajas (activity, passion) and sattva (transcendence, knowledge, purity), respectively.

These three qualities are present in everything. There is no physical entity without all these three dimensions, which are mixed to different extents.

Tamas

Tamas is the nature of the Earth, and she is the one who gives birth. In the first of Navratri, the Goddess is separated as a spiritual force called Durga, also known as Kali, in order to destroy all evil and grant boons.

Rajas

In the second three days the Mother is adored as a giver of wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees inexhaustible wealth, as she is the Goddess of Wealth.

Sattva

The final set of three days is spent worshiping the Goddess of Wisdom Saraswati. To have all-round success in life, believers seek the blessings of all three aspects of the divine femininity, hence the nine nights of worship.

The Feast

Navratri is celebrated differently in India's various regions. For many people it is a time of religious reflection and fasting, while for others it is a time for dancing and feasting. Among fasting customs are observing a strict vegetarian diet and abstaining from alcohol and certain spices. Dances performed include garba, especially in Gujarat.