What is Navratri?

About Navratri - 9 Days

What is Navratri?

Navaratri or Navaratra is a Hindu festival of worship and dance. The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit. Nav = nine and Ratri = nights. It is celebrated during the period of Sarad Masi Aswin by Hindu lunar calendar, all eight days and nine nights have its importance and is divided into sets of three days to adore three different aspects of the supreme goddess or goddesses.

1st – 3rd day

These days are dedicated to Durga Maa; the Goddess of power and energy. On the first three days, the goddess is invoked as a powerful spiritual force called Durga in order to destroy all our impurities, vices and defects.

4th – 6th day

During this period people worship Lakshmi Maa, the Goddess of peace and prosperity. During the next three days, the Mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees the inexhaustible wealth.

7th – 8th day

Saraswati Maa is worship during this period, to acquire the spiritual knowledge.

9th day

On this day Kanya puja is performed, nine young girls representing the nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped.T he final set of three days is spent in worshipping the daughter of Brahma as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. In order to have all-round success in life, we need the blessings of all three aspects of the divine femininity, hence, the worship for nine nights.

To celebrate a good harvest and to propitiate the nine planets, women also plant nine different kinds of food grain seeds in small containers during these nine days and then offer the young saplings to the goddess.

During Navratri, some devotees of Durga observe a fast and prayers are offered for the protection of health and property. A period of introspection and purification, Navratri is traditionally an auspicious time for starting new ventures.