During Navratri, devotees fast for 9 days straight as it is a considered to be the best time to cleanse the body and make the body stronger. Some even fast without taking a sip of water known as 'nirjal vrat'.
How and Where It Is Celebrated?
Every region of India has its own way of celebrating Navratri let's take a look one by one as per the states:
1. Navratri In Maharshtra
In Picture: The sthapana of a ghat
Maharshtrians celebrate by beginning on the first day of Navaratri with Ghatasthapana (sthapana of a ghat), which literally means "mounting of a jar".
On this day, rural households mount a copper or brass jar, filled with water, upon a small heap of rice kept on a wooden stool (path). Additionally, with the jar, is typically placed other agriculture symbols such as turmeric root, leaves of mango trees (Ambyachi Paan), coconut and major staple grains (usually eight varieties). A lamp is lighted symbolizing knowledge and household prosperity, and kept alight through the nine nights of Navaratri.
The family worships the pot for nine days by offering rituals and a garland of flowers, leaves, fruits, dry-fruits, etc. with a Naivedya, and water is offered in order to get the seeds sprouted. Some families also celebrate Kali puja on days 1 and 2, Laxmi puja on days 3, 4, 5 and Saraswati puja on days 6, 7, 8, 9 along with Ghatasthapana.
On the eighth day, a "Yajna" or "Hom" is performed in the name of Goddess Durga. On the ninth day, the Ghat puja is performed and the Ghat is dismantled after taking off the sprouted leaves of the grains.
Also on the ninth day of the festival, men participate in worshipping all kinds of tools, weapons, vehicles and productive instruments.
In the eastern part of India, mainly in Kolkata, Navratri is celebrated as Durga Puja in the days of Saptami, Ashthami, Navami and Dashami- the last four days of Navratri.
It is the most important annual festival to Bengali Hindus and a major social and public event in eastern and northeastern states of India, where it dominates the religious life.
Being the most popular festival in the region, it is celebrated with great enthusiasm and liveliness. The colorful cultural display, the vivid atmosphere, the bright lights adorning the city- under the spell of Durga Puja, the ‘City of Joy’ surely does begin to do justice to its name.
When you think of Durga Puja in Kolkata – dancing to upbeat ‘dhaak’ beats, going on a pandal-hopping spree, munching on lip-smacking bhogs, wearing traditional sarees – is a must-do in the list.
After the nine nights, on the tenth day called Vijayadashami, a great procession is held where the clay statues are ceremoniously walked to a river or ocean coast for a solemn goodbye to Durga. Many mark their faces with vermilion (sindooram) or dress in something red. After the procession, Hindus distribute sweets and gifts, visit their friends and family members.
3. Navratri In Gujarat
Navaratri in Gujarat is one of the state's main festivals. The traditional celebrations include fasting for a day, or partially each of the nine days such as by not eating grains or just taking liquid foods, in remembrance of one of nine aspects of Shakti goddess. The prayers are dedicated to a symbolic clay pot called garbo, as a remembrance of the womb of the family and universe. The clay pot is lit, and this is believed to represent the one Atman (soul, self).
In Gujarat and nearby Hindu communities such as in Malwa, the garbo significance is celebrated through performance arts on all nine days. The most visible is group dances from villages to towns called Garba accompanied by live orchestra, seasonal raga or devotional songs.
It is a folk dance, where people of different background and skills join and form concentric circles. The circles can grow or shrink, reaching sizes of hundreds, sometimes thousands of people, dancing and clapping in circular moves, in their traditional costumes, at the same time. The garba dance sometimes deploys dandiyas (sticks), coordinated movements and striking of sticks between the dancers, and teasing between the genders. Post dancing, the group and the audience socializes and feasts together. Regionally, the same thematic celebration of community songs, music and dances on Navaratri is called garbi or garabi.
So, the next time you are here during Navratri, get your ‘Kedias’ and ‘Lehenga-cholis’ prepared and be ready to become part of a dream-like experience.
4. Navratri In North India
In North India, Navaratri is marked by the numerous 'Ram Leela' events, where episodes from the story of Rama and Ravana are enacted by teams of artists in rural and urban centers, inside temples or in temporarily constructed stages.
The festival and dramatic enactment of the virtues versus vices filled story is organized by communities in hundreds of small villages and towns, attracting a mix of audiences from different social, gender and economic backgrounds. In many parts, the audience and villagers join in and participate spontaneously, some helping the artists, others helping with stage set up, create make-up, effigies and lights.
The most famous Navaratri festival is organized at Katra in Jammu Province. It is an annual event promoted by Directorate of Tourism, Jammu and Shri Mata Vaishno Deviji Shrine Board. Hundreds of thousands of devotees pay their attendance at Katra for the festival.
Navaratri has historically been a prominent ritual festival for kings and military of a kingdom. At the end of the Navratri, comes Dussehra, where the effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, and Meghanada are burnt to celebrate the victory of good over evil forces on Vijayadashmi.
5. Navratri in Karnataka
In Karnataka, Navaratri is observed at home and by lighting up Hindu temples, cultural sites, and many regal processions. It is locally called Dasara and it is the state festival (Nadahabba) of Karnataka.
Of the many celebrations, the Mysuru Dasara is a major one and is popular for its festivities and Mysore elephant procession. In Karnataka starting seventh day Saraswati pooja also starts where books on ancient Indian traditions and books of children are kept for pooja. These books are worshiped and read on the 10th day the Vijaya dashami.
On the ninth day of Dasara, called Mahanavami, the royal sword is worshipped and is taken on a procession of decorated elephants and horses. The day after Navratri, on the Vijayadashami day, the traditional Dasara procession is held on the streets of Mysore. An image of the Goddess Chamundeshwari is placed on a golden saddle (hauda) on the back of a decorated elephant and taken on a procession, accompanied by tableaux, dance groups, music bands, decorated elephants, horses and camels.
Ayudha Puja is dedicated to Saraswati goddess, on the ninth day of Dasara, where military personnel upkeep their weapons and families upkeep their tools of livelihood, both offering a prayer to Saraswati as well as Parvati and Lakshmi. Another Navaratri tradition in Karnataka has been decorating a part of one's home with art dolls called Gombe or Bombe, similar to Golu dolls of Tamil Nadu. An art-themed Gaarudi Gombe featuring folk dances which incorporate these dolls, is also a part of the celebration.
I hope you enjoyed today's blog about Navratri celebrations across India.
See you in the next blog.
Happy Navratri, fellow travel enthusiasts!!!!!
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