Navratri

 Navratri, meaning "nine nights" in Sanskrit, is a Hindu festival celebrated over nine nights and ten days to worship the various forms of Goddess Durga. Here are the full details about Navratri:


1. Historical and Religious Significance:

   - Navratri is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga and her various manifestations, known as Navadurga, which include Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri.

   - Each form of Goddess Durga is revered for her unique qualities and powers, symbolizing different aspects of the divine feminine energy (Shakti).

   - The festival signifies the victory of good (Goddess Durga) over evil (Mahishasura, the buffalo demon) after a fierce battle lasting nine days and nights.


2. Date and Duration:

   - Navratri is observed four times a year, but the most significant Navratris are:

     - **Chaitra Navratri**: Celebrated in the month of Chaitra (March-April), culminating with Ram Navami.

     - **Sharad Navratri**: Celebrated in the month of Ashwin (September-October), culminating with Dussehra or Vijayadashami.


3. Sharad Navratri (the most widely celebrated):

 Day 1-3: Devotees invoke Goddess Durga in her various forms as Durga, Brahmacharini, and Chandraghanta, seeking her blessings for spiritual upliftment and strength.

 Day 4-6: Goddess Lakshmi is worshipped for prosperity and wealth.

 Day 7-9: Goddess Saraswati is revered for knowledge, wisdom, and the arts.

  Day 10: Known as Vijayadashami or Dussehra, which commemorates the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana, or Goddess Durga over Mahishasura, depending on the tradition.


4.Celebrations:

Ghatasthapana: The festival begins with the ritual of Ghatasthapana, where a pot or kalash symbolizing the presence of the Goddess is filled with water and sown with barley seeds.

Dandiya and Garba: In Gujarat and parts of Rajasthan, Navratri is celebrated with colorful and energetic dances such as Garba and Dandiya Raas, where men and women dance in circles with sticks or clap their hands to traditional folk music.

 Kolu/Kolu/Kolu: In South India, families display dolls and figurines on steps (Kolu) symbolizing the stages of life and invite friends and family to view the festivities

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