Navratri Festival Explained

What is Navratri? When is Navratri celebrated? How to celebrate Navratri? If you also have questions like these then read the entire article and find answers to your questions. Navratri, a festival where people come together in order to celebrate and worship goddess Durga. As Hindus, we celebrate a lot of festivals all throughout the year. However, Navratri happens to stand out the most. It is a festival that continues for nine days where people come together and worship Goddesses. The term Navratri meaning in English is Nine Nights.

Navratri symbolism is that firstly it is a Hindu festival celebrated for 9 nights and 10th day of Navratri in the Hindu month of Ashwin (September-October). The story behind Navratri festival is that this festival is dedicated to the worship of the Hindu deity Durga and is widely celebrated in different parts of India with great enthusiasm and zeal. Navratri has its roots in ancient Hindu mythology and is mentioned in Hindu scriptures as a time of spiritual purification and devotion. The significance of Navratri is that during Navratri, devotees fast, pray, and perform traditional dances to show their devotion and seek blessings from the divine.

Navratri is celebrated in different ways in different parts of India. In the northern states of India, Navratri is celebrated as Durga Puja, where large pujas are organised in homes, temples, and community halls to worship the deity. In the western states of India, Navratri is celebrated with navaratri dance which include Garba and Dandiya, where people perform traditional dances to the beats of devotional music. In the eastern states of India, Navratri is celebrated as Kumari Puja, where young girls are worshipped as an embodiment of the divine.

The nine days of Navratri are dedicated to the nine forms of Durga, and each day is symbolised by a different colour. The first day is dedicated to Shailputri, the second day to Brahmacharini, and so on, until the ninth day, which is dedicated to Siddhidatri. The Navratri rituals include the devotees observing fasts on each day of Navratri and offering prayers to the deity. Let us now have a detailed view on which days of Navratri are associated with which Goddesses.

Navratri - The Nine Forms Of Durga

As we know Navratri is a festival that is celebrated for nine days. Moreover, each day is associated and dedicated to the worship of a different Goddess. These Navaratri Goddess are known to be the nine forms of Goddess Durga. Let us see the Goddesses associated with the 9 Days of Navratri and also the Navratri event names:

  • - Day 1 - Shailaputri Mata
  • The colour associated with the first day of Navratri is Royal Blue colour. The first day is called as Pratipada. On this day Goddess Shailaputri is worshipped who is also considered to be the daughter of Himavan, the God of Himalayas. As the colour associated with this day is Royal Blue it tends to signify reliability and assurance.

  • - Day 2 – Brahmacharini Mata
  • The colour associated with the second day of Navratri is Yellow colour. The second day is known as Dwitiya. This day is dedicated to Goddess Brahmacharini and she is worshipped on Dwitiya. Goddess Brahmacharini is worshipped in order to attain prosperity and peace in an individual’s life. Moreover, the colour associated with the second day is Yellow, this tends to represent and resemble action and strength.

  • - Day 3 – Chandraghanta Mata
  • The colour associated with the third day of Navratri is Green colour. This day is called as Tritiya. On this day Goddess Chandraghanta is worshipped. Goddess Chandraghanta is worshipped by people in order to attain beauty and bravery by the natives. As we know the colour associated with this day is Green, this tends to represent luck, health and also prosperity.

  • - Day 4 – Kushmanda Mata
  • The colour associated with the fourth day of Navratri is Grey colour. This day comes around to be known as Chaturthi. Goddess Kushmanda is worshipped on this day. Moreover, the Goddess is also seen as a symbol of the creative power of the universe. Moreover, as we know the colour associated with this day is Grey, it tends to represent balance and is also associated with beauty.

  • - Day 5 – Skandamata Mata
  • The fifth day is known as Panchami. Also, the colour associated with the fifth day of Navratri is Orange colour. On this day Goddess Skandamata is worshipped. She is seen as a symbol of the power a mother possesses. Thus people worship her as their motherly figure. Moreover, the colour associated with this day is Orange which tends to represent optimism, energy and also creative flow.

  • - Day 6 – Katyayani Mata
  • The sixth day is known as the Shashtami. On this day Goddess Katyayani is worshipped. She is the warrior goddess and people see her being symbolic of courage and power. The colour associated with the Sixth day of Navratri is White colour which tends to represent purity, simplicity and also peace.

  • - Day 7 – Kaalaratri Mata
  • The seventh day of the Navratri comes around to be called as the Maha Saptami. This day is dedicated to Goddess Kaalaratri. She is the epitome of power. She is a form of Durga Mata in which she fights demons and defeats them. The rage in her eyes is clearly seen in this form. The colour associated with the seventh day of Navratri is Red colour which tends to represent courage, fierce attitude and power.

  • - Day 8 – Mahagauri Mata
  • The colour associated with the eighth day of Navratri is Sky Blue colour and this day is also known as Ashtami. Goddess Mahagauri is worshipped on this day. This day also tends to represent the birth day of Chandi Mata. As we know the colour associated with this day is Sky Blue which tends to represent admiration of nature’s beauty.

  • - Day 9 – Siddhidatri Mata
  • The colour associated with the ninth day of Navratri is Pink colour. Moreover, this day is also known as Navami. This is the last day of Navratri and on this day Siddhidatri Mata is worshipped. As we know the colour associated with this day is Pink which tends to signify intelligence and peace.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Navratri is a festival that holds great significance for Hindus. It is a time of spiritual purification, devotion, and celebration. Navratri is celebrated with great enthusiasm and zeal in different parts of India and brings people of different communities together. It is also said that people need to keep in mind the 10 points on Navratri. To get more information about Navratri check InstaAstro’s website or download the app and chat or talk to the best astrologers to get further more information on the Navratri history or to get solutions to your problems and answers to your questions.

Moreover, Navratri is not only a religious festival but also a time of cultural and social celebration. People come together to participate in devotional activities, dance, sing, and feast on traditional foods. This festival brings people of different communities together and promotes unity and togetherness.

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Frequently Asked Questions

This year the festival will start from October 22, 2023.
Navratri is actually celebrated four times a year. However, the most famous ones are just two. These are known to mark the beginning of summer and winter.
The dates of Navratri for the month of October are from October 1st will be the sixth day of the festival of Navratri.
The Navratri known to have the biggest celebration in India is the Sharada Navaratri.
All the four Navratri festivals tend to signify different things. These four navratras are based in the four different seasons. These are known as:
  • Magha
  • Chaitra
  • Ashadha
  • Sharad
The cities that are the most famous for their celebration of Navratri include the following cities:
  • Kolkata, West Bengal
  • Ahmedabad, Gujrat
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