Navratri

Navratri, in Hinduism, a nine-day festival held in honor of the divine feminine. The term navratri originates from two Sanskrit words: nava meaning “nine” and ratri meaning “night.” As the name suggests, the festival lasts for nine nights. Navratri is dedicated to the worship of goddess Durga and her nine forms, each symbolizing different qualities such as strength, wisdom, courage, devotion, and protection. During these nine days, people pray, fast, and participate in traditional music and dance. Navratri is widely celebrated by Hindus across South Asia, particularly in India, and by the global Hindu diaspora.

Navratri is celebrated four times in a year during the Hindu calendar months Chaitra (March–April in the Gregorian calendar), Ashadha (June–July), Ashvina (September–October), and Magha (January–February). Ashadha and Magha Navratri are called Gupt Navratri (Hindi: gupt meaning “secret”). The most widely observed Navratri, which falls in the Ashvina month, is called Sharad Navratri. The 10th day of the Ashvina month, following the nine nights of Sharad Navratri, Dussehra or Vijayadashami is celebrated across India. Additionally, as Navratri depends on the lunar calendar, in some years it may be celebrated for eight days, with Dussehra falling on the ninth day.

Navratri coincides with Durga Puja, a 10-day festival devoted to the victory of the goddess Durga over the demon king Mahishasura (from the Sanskrit terms mahisa, “buffalo,” and asura, “demon”), which is particularly celebrated in eastern Indian states such as West Bengal and Assam.

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Observances and regional practices

Navratri is celebrated differently in India’s various regions, but it is generally regarded as a time for spiritual cleansing and religious reflection. Many devotees follow a vegetarian diet, abstaining from alcohol and pungent spices, and consume satvik food (satvik meaning “pure”; vegetarian meals prepared without onion, garlic, or processed ingredients). Some observe a daylong fast that ends at sunset on each of the nine days. Traditionally, devotees offer bhog (food prepared for the gods) to the murtis (sacred depictions of god) of goddess Durga in their homes.

As part of the celebrations, fairs are organized where people gather to dance and feast. Traditional dances such as garba and dandiya raas are especially popular in Gujarat. Typically, the festival’s nine nights are dedicated to different aspects of the divine feminine principle, or shakti. While practices vary across regions, the festival generally has three phases: the first third centers on aspects of the goddess Durga, the second third on the goddess Lakshmi, and the final third on the goddess Saraswati. Offerings are often made to the goddesses and their various aspects, and rituals are performed in their honor.

One significant ritual of this festival is Kanya Puja (kanya meaning “girl”) or Kanjak, which takes place on the eighth or ninth day. In this ritual nine young girls are worshipped as the nine forms of Durga. The custom includes inviting nine girls into one’s home, washing their feet, performing an arti, feeding them a bhog of puris, semolina halva (a sweet pudding), and black chickpeas (also called Bengal gram). They are also given gifts, including clothes.

Among some followers of the goddess Durga, who are predominant in West Bengal and Assam, the festival is known as Durga Puja. It celebrates the descent of goddess Durga to earth, her victory over the demon king Mahishasura, and her subsequent departure to Mount Kailash. Celebrants worship murtis of Durga daily, and on the 10th day (Vijayadashami) the murtis are taken in jubilant processions to nearby rivers or reservoirs for immersion in water. In addition to private celebrations, the puja, or ritual, days are also marked with public concerts, recitations, plays, and fairs.

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In southern India Navratri is marked by the celebration of Navratri (or Bommai) Golu and Ayudha Puja. Navratri Golu centers on the creative arrangement of dolls, figurines, and idols on stepped platforms, usually in odd numbers of tiers. These displays depict deities and scenes from the ancient epic Ramayana. Families invite neighbors and friends to view the Navratri Golu, exchange offerings, and sing devotional songs. On Ayudha Puja, the ninth day of Navratri, the goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswati, and Parvati are worshipped. The day is dedicated to revering tools, instruments, and objects of knowledge. Artisans, professionals, and students clean and decorate their implements—from pens and pencils to musical instruments and machinery—with flowers and sandalwood paste, honoring them as vehicles of livelihood and learning.

In some regions such as Karnataka, the entire 10-day celebration is referred to as Dussehra. Whether observed as a festival that spans all 10 days or specifically as the 10th day, Dussehra marks the triumph of good over evil, exemplified by Durga’s victory over Mahishasura. Dussehra is also associated with the victory of the god Rama over the demon king Ravana. In northern India the Ramlila (“Play of Rama”) is the highlight of the festival. On successive nights different episodes of the epic poem Ramayana are dramatized by actors in elaborate costumes and masks; the pageant traditionally culminates with the burning of huge fireworks-filled effigies of Ravana—often along with those of Meghnada (Ravana’s son) and Kumbhkarana (Ravana’s brother).