The combination of two Sanskrit words, Nava (meaning nine) & ratri (meaning nights), form the word Navaratri - the festival that spans over the duration of nine nights and ten days.
The festival is associated with the battle between Goddess Durga and the demon Mahishasur. During these nine nights, people worship the nine forms of Goddess Durga, her nine avatars - the Navdurga. And on the tenth day, falls the festival of Dussehra or Vijaydashmi to celebrate the victory of Goddess Durga over Mahishasur, of Lord Ram over Ravan, of good over evil.
The traditional celebrations include fasting partially for each of the nine days by avoiding the consumption of garlic, onion, wheat, rice, lentils, and meat during the nine days of Navratri. A vrati (the person who is fasting) should also not consume processed/common salt, spices that generate heat, and may only use rock salt, black pepper, and cumin seeds in their food. Consumption of wheat flour is also prohibited, people use buckwheat and water chestnut flour instead. Fruits and milk can also be consumed during the Navaratri fasts.
Each day is associated with an incarnation of the goddess, each day depicted by a different color and its own unique significance.
Day #1 - Devi Maa Shailaputri
Her name literally means the daughter (putri) of mountain (shaila). The first one among the nine forms of Goddess Durga, Devi Maa Shailaputri is the daughter of Lord Himalaya, Himavan. She is the form that Devi Sati took after performing self-immolation and is also worshipped as Parvati or Hemavati. She is the absolute form of Mother Nature and is depicted to be mounted on Nandi (the bull) with a trident in her right hand and a lotus flower in her left. She also has a crescent moon on her forehead.
Color of the day - Grey
Mantra to be chanted on this day - Om Shailaputraye Namah
Day #2 - Devi Maa Brahmacharani
The name of the second form of Navdurga, Devi Maa Brahmacharini, is originated from the words "Brahma" meaning 'the absolute reality, the sacred knowledge, the supreme consciousness', and, "Charini" which means 'to conduct, to follow'. She is the goddess of asceticism and penance who in order to obtain Lord Shiva as her divine consort went through unearthly penances. She is depicted with a japa maala in her right hand, a kamandal in her left hand, and bare feet.
Color of the day - Orange
Mantra to be chanted on this day - Om Brahmachaarinnya Namah
Day #3 - Devi Maa Chandraghanta
Moon (Chandra) and bell (ghanta), these two words make the name of the third form of Goddess Durga, that is, Devi Maa Chandraghanta. She is the form that the goddess took after getting married to Lord Shiva. She is depicted to be mounted on a tigress, has ten hands, and wears a sem-circular moon on her forehead which looks like a bell, hence her name. She is shown to be ready for war to maintain peace and protect her devotees. She carries a lotus flower, arrow, bow (dhanush), and japa maala in her four right hands and keeps the fifth right hand in Abhaya Mudra which represents protection, peace, benevolence, and the dispelling of fear. While in her five left hands, she carries a trident, a mace, a sword, a bell, and a kamandal. She also has a third eye in the middle of her forehead and her complexion is described to be golden.
Color of the day - White
Mantra to be chanted on this day - Om Chandraghantaaye Namah
Day #4 - Devi Maa Kushmanda
Worshipped on the fourth day of Navaratri, Devi Maa Kushmanda is the fourth form that Goddess Durga took when she began to live inside the sun to liberate the energy of the sun to the universe. Her name is comprised of three words - Ku, Ushma, and Anda - meaning 'a little', 'warmth, heat or energy', and 'the cosmic egg or universe' respectively. Also called as Asht-bhujadhari (the one with 8 hands), Devi Maa Kushmanda is depicted to be riding a lioness and her body glow being as radiant and luminous as that of the sun. Sometimes she is depicted to have ten hands holding a trident, discus, sword, hook, mace, bow, arrow, and two jars of honey (Elixir) and blood.
Color of the day - Red
Mantra to be chanted on this day - Om Kooshmandaaye Namah
Day #5 - Devi Maa Skandamaata
Devi Maa Skandamaata is the fifth form of Goddess Durga who is worshipped on the fifth day of Navaratri. When Goddess Parvati gave birth to Lord Kartikey (Lord Skanda, the god of war), she got the name Skandamaata. She rides a lion and is also recognized as the goddess of fire. She carries her son Skanda in her lap and is depicted to have four hands and three eyes. She carries lotus flowers in her upper two hands while she holds Skanda with her right hand, her other left hand always being in abhaya mudra.
Color of the day - Royal Blue
Mantra to be chanted on this day - Om Skandamaatraaye Namah
Day #6 - Devi Maa Katyayani
The sixth form that Goddess Durga took to destroy the demon Mahishasur whom she killed three days later after taking the form. She got the name Katyayani after being born to sage Katyayana. She is the warrior goddess who is depicted to have four hands; she carries a lotus flower and a sword in her left hands while her right hands are kept in abhaya and varada (symbolizes dispensing of boons) mudras.
Color of the day - Yellow
Mantra to be chanted on this day - Om Kaatyaayannye Namah
Day #7 - Devi Maa Kaalratri
The seventh among the nine forms of Goddess Durga, Devi Maa Kaalratri is the destroyer of darkness and ignorance. She is the fiercest and the most ferocious form of the Goddess Durga who is depicted to be riding a donkey. This is the form that the goddess took to destroy the demons Shumbh and Nishumbh. Her name literally means the night of death representing the violent side of Mother Nature that encompasses death and destruction. She is of dark complexion, as dark as the night, disheveled hair, three eyes, and has four hands. Her right hands are always in abhaya and varada mudras while she carries a sword and an iron hook in her left hands.
Color of the day - Green
Mantra to be chanted on this day - Om Kaalraatrayee Namah
Day #8 - Devi Maa Mahagauri
The goddess of purity and cleanliness, Devi Maa Mahagauri is the eighth form of the goddess that came into existence when Goddess Parvati performed penance to Brahma to gain her fair complexion back. She gained the epithet "Mahagauri" - the most beautiful form of Navdurga after gaining her fair complexion. She rides the bull, just like Devi Maa Shailaputri, and is depicted to have four hands. She holds a trident in one of her right hands while the other one is in abhaya mudra. One of her left hands depicts the varada mudra and in her other left hand, she holds a tambourine (damaru).
Color of the day - Peacock Green
Mantra to be chanted on this day - Om Mahagauryaa Namah
Day #9 - Devi Maa Siddhidatri
The primal form of the goddess, Devi Maa Siddhidatri is worshipped on the ninth day of Navaratri. It is said that when at the beginning of the universe Mother Goddess, Adi Parashakti had no form so she appeared as Devi Maa Siddhidatri. She possesses the knowledge or eight supernatural powers or siddhis and bestows all these siddhis to her devotees, hence her name - Siddhidatri; where "Siddhi" means the supernatural power and "datri" means the giver. She is depicted to have four hands - a mace and a chakra in her right hands while in her right hands she holds a conch shell (shankh) and a lotus flower in her left hands. She sits on a lotus flower.
Color of the day - Purple
Mantra to be chanted on this day - Om Siddhidaatrye Namah
Edited by dmegha - 3 years ago
Dusshera is one of the biggest festival of Hindus and is celebrated by them all around the world. The first nine days is celebrated as Navratri where devotees pray and worship goddess Durga and her nine different forms. The tenth day of Navaratri, is known as Vijaydashami (Dushera).
The festival is about the triumph of good over evil and marks the victory of Lord Rama over the demon Ravan who abducted Sita (wife of Ram). Throughout India and in different parts of the world, Dusshera signifies that the victory of goodwill and truth.
Dusshera is celebrated all around India in different ways.
In West Bengal, people celebrate Dusshera or Durga Pooja with a great pomp. It is considered as one of the biggest festival and holds a great importance. Various pandals are created based on different themes where beautifully made idols of Goddess Durga is placed and worshipped along with Lord Ganesha and Goddess Laxmi. People dance, pray, get together and have a good time. After the festival is over, the idol is then immersed in water bodies.
People in Gujrat, celebrate the festival by wearing colorful clothes (lehenga choli for woman and kedia for men) and dance the popular folk dance, garba to the tunes of their traditional songs. Garba is played throughout the night after the worship of goddess Durga.
The celebrations are quite unique in Kullu town of Himanchal Pradesh where people worship Lord Raghunath (Ram) on the ground of Dhalpur Maidan. Local people bring idols of different gods and goddesses to the ground in a holy procession. This is celebrated for seven days.
In the state of Punjab, people fast and worship goddess Durga. They organise jagarata (singing songs about godess) that last night long. On the eight day, they break their fast by organising Bhandara for nine little girls.
People of Tamil Nadu worship goddess Durga, Swaraswati and Laxmi. Married woman invite each other over and exchange gifts that include accessories and marital symbols (bangles, vermilion, mangalsutra) along with coconut, betal nut and money. People also have doll shows in their houses.
In Uttar Pradesh, Ravan Daha holds a great importance during Dusshera. A statue of Ravan is made and set on fire by Ram (played by an actor or a local person). This signifies the victory of good over evil. There are also Ram Leela shows where local people act the Ramayan tale for the audience.
Dusshera celebration in Karnataka is different than all the other states where there is vibrant grand carnival like festival known as Mariamma. There is a parade in which dramas about God and goddess are performed along with dances dedicated to the Mahabharat character, Draupadi. The festival goes back to the time of Haleeri Kings.
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