Volume 10 : October 2007

Navratri is a religious Hindu festival, in which the dates of celebrations are only determined by the Hindu Lunar Calendar.

Nav means nine and ratri means night. During these nine days and nights, nine forms of the mother goddess are worshipped in three different aspects.

The first three days are for Durga ( goddess of destroying all impurities).
Then, the next three days are for Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) and
the final three days are for Saraswati (goddess of wisdom).

During Navratri, men and women celebrate by performing a dance called garba and dandia-ras around the goddess' idols. Also, many believers fast during the seven days, and on the eighth day (Ashtami) they have prayers and chant hymns at home. Then, the devotees break their fast by worshipping young girls (who represent Goddesses) by cleaning their feet and then offering them puri, halwa, chana, red moli, and red chunnis (scarf).

Many individuals who celebrate Navratri believe that during this time positive energy increases in self and around them. In conclusion, Navratri is thus the festival that combines religious, devotional, cultural and recreational activities for the nine nights.