Navratri

Navratri

Navratri Celebration

Navratri festival combines ritualistic puja and fasting and is accompanied by resplendent celebrations for nine consecutive days and nights

Navratri, literally interpreted as 'nine nights' is the most celebrated Hindu festival devoted to Goddess Durga symbolizing purity and power or 'shakti'. Navratri festival combines ritualistic puja and fasting and is accompanied by resplendent celebrations for nine consecutive days and nights. Navratri in India follows the lunar calendar and is celebrated in March/April as Chaitra Navratri and in September/October as Sharad Navratri. During Navratri, people from villages and cities gather to perform 'puja' on small shrines representing different aspects of Goddess Durga, including Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati. Chanting of mantras and renditions of bhajans and folk songs usually accompany the puja rituals for nine consecutive days of Navratri.