Navratri (Navaratri, Navratra) is one of the most auspicious festival for Hindus of India. The festival is also called Navaratra. India observes Navratri festivals twice in a year. Once in Chaitra and another in Ashwina. Nava means number nine in Sanskrit language and Ratri means nights. Hence the word Navaratri means nine nights.

(Navaratri is commonly spelled in English as Navratri)

Hindus of India and abroad worship Devi Durga, a ten-armed goddess, who destroyed evils and brought peace in the universe. (Devi Durga is depicted with eight arms in some places). She is worshiped in different names and manner during nine days of Chaitra i.e. New moon day of Chaitra Shukla Pratipada to Navami the ninth day of lunar calendar. The same is repeated exactly after six lunar months according to Indian calendar. This time it is in the Ashwina, i.e. Ashwina Shukla Pratipada to Navami the ninth lunar day.

These nine days of Navratri are considered as one of the most auspicious time of the Hindu Calendar. Nine different forms of Devi Durga are worshiped over these nine days and nights.

Navaratra falls between September 19 and September 27 in year 2009.

During Navratri, People invoke Shakti, the energy aspect of God in form of the universal Divine mother, Durga. The word Durga in Sanskrit language means remover of miseries in life. Hindus believe her as energy behind creation, preservation and destruction of the universe. Durga symbolizes eternal energy or force behind motions in the universe.

Hinduism salutes the motherly affection of god in form of divine mother Durga, the Adya Shakti in navratri.

Divine power Durga comes in three forms of energies, Maha Kali, Maha Laxmi and Maha Saraswati. Maha Kali is goddess of bravery, Maha Laxmi is goddess of wealth and Maha Saraswati is of wisdom and academics. Each form is allotted three days during the Navaratri (total of nine days). In typical cast system of traditional India, Brahmins (Academicians, wise and knowledgeable community) worship Mahasaraswati, Kshatriyas (Warriors) worship Mahakali and Vaishyas (Traders and Business communities) worship Mahalaxmi mainly. This is how India observes Navratri.

The earth moves round the sun and duration of days and nights are constantly changing round the year. Duration of a day and a night in India are almost equal during March-April and September-October. Navratri fall in these months. As the duration of days and nights are almost equal, the nature lives in equilibrium in these days. These are also moderate seasons. Neither scorching heat nor chill cold. These are perfectly suitable for worshiping balanced energy form of our eternity.

Chaitra Navaratri is beginning of summer end of winter. Similarly Ashwina Navaratri is beginning of winter and end of summer. Both seasons are crucial for our mental and physical health. Devotion and prayer keeps us mentally healthy whereas fast and other penance energize us to fight with diseases and keeps us healthy physically.

1. Shailaputri

The Navratri festival begins with worship of Durga in form of Shailaputri where Shaila means mountain and Putri means daughter. (Daughter of Mountain, the Himalaya).

Devi Durga is considered as a daughter of Himalaya. Shailaputri is the first among nine Durgas. Other name of Shailaputri is Parvati. Parvati or Shailaputri worshiped Lord Shiva to be his wife. Lord Shiva, being satisfied with her devotion and sacrifice married her.

2. Brahmacharini

Hindus worship Durga as Brahmacharini in the second day of Navratri. Here Brahma means Tapa (Penance), Charini means who performs. Hence meaning of Brahmacharini is who performs or observe penance. Devarshi Narad told her to performed it to get Lord Shiva as her husband and she did accordingly. She is also known as Uma.

3. Chandraghanta
Chandraghanta form of Shakti devi Durga is worshipped in the thirdday of navratri. Chandra means the moon. Chandraghanta carries a half circular moon in her forehead, hence called with that name. Her golden color body and three eyed face are charmful and bright . She holds weapons in her ten hands and seated on a lion. Chandraghanta form of Shakti is ready to fight all evils, demons and danavas.

4. Kushmanda
Kushmanda means pumpkin. The fourth form of Durga loves offering of pumpkins. Hence, the name Kushmanda became famous. It is told that she creates the universe. This image has eight hands, holding seven types of weapons and a Rosary. Hindu community worship devi Kushmanda on the fourth day of Navaratri.

5. Skanda Mata
Fifth name of Durga is Skanda Mata having white color, four hands and three eyes,seated on a lotus. Skanda Mata is worshiped in fifth day of navratri. Skanda, General of gods’ army, is son of Devi Durga and Lord Shiva. Hence Durga is also worshiped as Skand Mata where mata means mother. She holds Skanda in her lap.

6. Katyayani

Sixth form of goddess Durga is Katyayani. Rishi Katyayan had observed penance and get Parama Shakti as his daughter. As a daughter of Katyayan, she is referred as Katyayani . She has three eyes and eight hands and seated on a lion. Katyayani is worshipped on the sixth day of Navratri.

7. Kalratri

Hindus worship horrifying image of Durga as Kalratri on Maha Saptami, the Seventh night of Navratri. Here Kal means death and Ratri means night. Kalratri is black as darkness of night, hairs unlocked, three dazzling and rounded eyes and flames coming out of her nostrils. She stands on a Shava (dead body) with a sharp sword in her right hand and a burning torch (mashal) is in the left. She blesses with her lower hands in fearless style. She is known as Shubhamkari while auspicious.

8. Maha Gauri

Maha Gauri, form of Durga as eight years old virgin is worshiped on Maha Ashtami, the eightth day of navratri. Maha means great and Gaur means white. Gauri is derived from Gaur and means a female with white color. Dust made the girl observing penance diry and Lord Shiva brought river Ganga to clean her that made her bright like lightening. Her body, face, clothes, ornaments and even her vehicle bull, all are white . Her are white and clean. She has three eyes. She rides on bull She has four hands. She is calm, peaceful and blessing.

9. Siddhidatri
Siddhi means attainment and Datri means doner or provider. Devotees achieve eight ultimate Siddhis Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, Prapti, Prakamya, Iishitva and Vashitva by worshiping ninth form of Durga as Siddhidatri. Devi Puran tells us that even Lord Shiva got this Siddhies by worshiping Maha Shakti Siddhidatri. Hindus worship her on Maha Navami, the ninth day of Navaratri.

View images of nine incarnations of Durga

Worshiping on the last three days are also called

Maha Saptami Pujan, Maha Ashtami Pujan and Maha Navami Pujan.

Hindu community in India believe that Navaratri days are among the most auspicious days according to Vedic lunar calendar. It falls just after Shraddh Paksh or Pitri Paksh. Hindus perform their duties to ancestors in Shraddh Paksh and then start worshiping mother god. It is also the end of rainy season and monsoon days. It is also beginning of autumn. Farmers in India are free in this particular time after long days of hard work. This is the time for rest and enjoy for them. We have to remember that large number of Indians are dependent on agriculture and farming.

Hindu communities perform auspicious activities during the days of Navaratri. They buy Gold, silver, Jewelry, Real estates / land and building, new clothes and other products in these days. Engagement and ring ceremony, start living in a new house, Mundan sanskar are also common in these days of Navaratri. They also start new ventures in business such as opening a shop or starting an industry. Lots of economic and financial activities take place during these days. In fact, it boosts Indian economy.

It is not only a religious festival but also an economic festival. Shopkeepers prepare their shops especially for this festive season. Economic and festive activities starting from Navaratri continues upto Deepavali (Diwali) and Bhai Dooj. Vijaya Dasami or Dasahara also falls between these days.

Festival of Navaratri is observed in different parts of India in varieties of way.

Navaratri is observed in Bengal as Durga Puja. Durga is Mahishasurmardini in Bengal. It is the incarnation of Durga to destroy demon Mahishasura. Mahish means buffalo in Sanskrit and Asura means demon. Mahishasura is depicted in form of buffalo and ten armed Durga kills him with the help of her vehicle in the form of lion.Durga Puja starts on the sixth day of Navaratri that is called as Shashthi. People of Bengal worship Devi Durga during Maha Saptami (seventh day), Maha Ashtami (Eighth day) and Maha Navami (Ninth day), the final day of Navaratri.

Typically, idols of Durga are made of clay in Bengal.These idols are taken into a procession after completion of Puja and drowned to river Ganges or some other sacred rivers. The act of drowning the idol is refered as Bhasan or Bisarjan in local language. It is done on Vijaya Dasami, tenth day of Ashwina Shukla Paksh in lunar calendar.

Bengalis celebrate Durga Puja with great enthusiasm. Kolkata is pioneer in arranging Durga Puja. Puja pandals are decorated with gorgeousness. Celebrities in Bengal are also called to Puja pandals.

Bengalis buy and wear new clothes and shoes customarily during Durga Puja. They also intend to buy gold and jewelry during these days. Shops are decorated and filled with new range of products. Government and private companies issues yearly bonus before Durga Puja. Schools, colleges and other educational institutes declare Puja vacation during these days. All these features encourage customers for window shopping. Both retailers and whole sellers get good business during these days.

Bengalis also prepare different varieties of traditional bengali sweets besides rasogolla and sandesh. They often gift sweets and other things to friends and relatives.

They perform Kolakoli (Hugging) on Vijaya. It is customary for them to meet and greet each other.

Durga is famous in Gujrat as Amba or Ambe. Navaratri i.e.Navratra in Gujrat is celebrated in Gujrat with Garba dances. People of all ages assemble to perform dandiya nrutya. It is a traditional form of worshiping the goddess as well as enjoying the featival.

Dandiya and garba is performed with great enthusiasm. It is so popular that it is celebrated in huge pandals as events. Not only Gujratis but people from all sects, casts and communities participate in the same.

Many Gujrati people live in Mumbai (Bombay), the financial capital of India. Hence Dandiya and Garba dances are organized as events in Mumbai. Even the film stars and other celebrities participate in these events. These occasions provide event managers an opportunity for their business.

Jain community of India also celebrates nine days as Navapad oli. These nine days are little different from Navaratri. Navapad Oli also comes twice in a year in Chaitra and Ashwina. It starts from Shukla Saptami (Seventh day of lunar calendar in bright fortnight) and ends on the Shukla Purnima (the full moon day). Jain community worship Navapad (Siddha Chakra) by performing Ayambil tapa (Penance), a special type of fast.

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