Navratri, the festival of nine nights is dedicated to Goddess Durga and her nine forms. According to the Hindu calendar, Navratri begins from the first day of the bright fortnight of Ashwin which usually coincides with the end of the rainy season.

The nine days have great religious significance as Goddess

¤ Introduction
¤ Rituals
¤ Navratri Puja
¤ Legends
¤ Celebrations
¤ Durga Puja
¤ Dussehra
Durga, the divine mother, had destroyed the evil force (in the form of the demon Mahisashura) during this period.

Navratri
The festival is celebrated with true devotion and purity all over the country. People from various sections of the society irrespective of caste and creed celebrate this festival by visiting temples and offering pujas at the Mother’s feet.

In some places special puja samarohas are also held by setting the images of Mother Durga on beautifully decorated pandals. Temples dedicated to Shakti also make arrangement for pujas and bratas to mark these nine days as true symbols of devotion and adoration towards the divine mother.

Answered by Point , an ibibo Master, at 7:16 AM on October 12, 2008

Navaratri is a very special time of honoring the Divine Mother. Navaratri means nine nights. Navaratri happens in Spring and in Autumn of every year. It begins on a New Moon in the month of Ashwini and Chaitra. Both sets of nine days are also connected to Lord Rama. The chaitra shula navaratri is known as Ram navami. I will be writing about that in the march next year. Lord Rama fought with the demon Ravana for nine days and nine nights when the Sun went in Virgo all those centuries ago.Lord Rama prayed to Durga to give him strength to fight the demon ago and on the 10th day he emerged victorious on Vijaya dashami also known as Dussherra.

According to the Puranas, Durga also fought the demon Mahishaasura in her form as Goddess Chamundeshwari and on the 10th day she emerged victorious. These wars, for a spiritual aspirants are the wars we fight with our inner demons so that we can progress on the path of self realisation. The nine days are nine steps to moksha and the goddesses give our power to find our higher self.

Rahu represents the demon in our chart. Those who want to pacify Rahu; this is the best time.

Although this festival is celebrated in a big way, people forget the spiritual aspect of it and its connection to our spiritual development. To fight the fears of Rahu, the rejections of Ketu, it is important to fast during the day during these nine days with the mind set to overcome our inner fears and the resolve to confront and overcome our weaknesses.

The divine mothers are representation of Shakti and they alone give the power to their devotee to conquer all. These divine mothers are known as the Nava Durga (9 Names of Durga). Each of the days honours an aspect of Divine Mother and step by step the aspirant .

Day One: Sailaputra - Daughter of the Himalayas

Day Two: Brahmacharini - She Who remains celibate

Day Three: Chandraghanta - She Who is Beautiful as the Moon

Day Four: Kusmanda - She Who brings happiness

Day Five: Skandamata - Mother of Skanda, the leader of armies against evil

Day Six: Katyayani - Aspect of Mother Kali

Day Seven: Kalaratri - Kali Night of no Moon

Day Eight: Mahagauri - The Great White Goddess

Day Nine: Siddhidatri - She Who is of great spiritual Powers and knowledge

The days are also subdivided into 3 sets of three days:

Kali: The first three days are devoted to Kali, the Goddess of Destruction and Restoration. She is the wife of Shiva. It is a time of purification, a time to let go of all that is not right for your life so that the heart is clear to accept the new energy from the divine. This is also a time to control the demons of Rahu, the desires, the needs , the fears that keep us tied to the world and give rise to more and more desires and therefore disappointments in life.

Lakshmi: The second three days are devoted to Lakshmi, the Goddess of Prosperity and wealth. She is the wife of Vishnu; it is a time of preservation of your good nature and what is good in your life and acquiring new things ethically that make your life wealthy and prosperous. Think about preserving and acquiring spiritual wealth.

Saraswati: The last three days are devoted to Saraswati, the Goddess of Wisdom, Knowledge and the Arts. She is the wife of Brahma. This is the time of receiving Divine Guidance on how to properly use all resources.

With each set of three days, you move closer to your spiritual goals. Goddess Kali helps to purify your mind and free it up for new possibilities. The mind has to be free of its old obsessions and desires, only then it is ready to take on new information. In the second set, Goddess Laxmi help you preserve what is good already and make positive steps to make yourself wealthy both materially and spiritually. Finally Goddess Saraswati gives the knowledge and the wisdom to embrace the path of Brahman and overcome any obst

Answered by Yogeshwar , an ibibo Specialist, at 5:42 PM on October 11, 2008

Navaratri: Navaratri or the nine sacred nights dedicated to the Mother Goddess are celebrated in the month of October-November. Navaratri includes the Sarasvati Puja and the Durga Puja festivals. "Nava" means nine and "ratri" means night. So Navaratri literally means nine nights. It is during these nine nights of festivities that the goddess is worshiped in Her different forms of Durga, Lakshmi and then Sarasvati. Durga is worshiped during the first three nights of the festival because of her destructive aspect. She destroys the anarthas or unwanted barriers that hold us back from our true spiritual potential. She reduces the evil tendencies in the mind, which is the meaning of durgati harini. Thus, she is worshiped to relieve us of our destructive desires of desire, lust, passion, greed, anger, etc. Without removing these obstacles, the spiritual unfoldment cannot take place.

The next step is to apply the positive process of adding the qualities we need. So Lakshmi is worshiped over the next three nights. She gives one the wealth of good qualities, such as love, goodness, compassion, forgiveness, cooperation, nonviolence, devotion, purity, and the like. Virtue is the true wealth, which is given by Lakshmi. This is not merely the wealth of riches and possessions, but the real wealth that can propel us toward the spiritual goal. These positive uplifting qualities replace the bad ones that were removed by Durga.

At this point the seeker can become fit for the philosophical study and contemplation that is required. Then Sarasvati, the goddess of knowledge, is worshiped the remaining three nights. Sarasvati gives one the intelligence, knowledge and wisdom by which spiritual realization is possible. She represents the highest knowledge of the Self. By invoking her blessings, she plays her well-tuned vina of knowledge and insight, which can then tune our mind and intellect for working in harmony with the world and the purpose of our existence. Then our spiritual practice, study, and meditation become effective for producing the victory of rising above the influence of our mind and senses. Then we can perceive our real identity of being spiritual entities and parts of the spiritual dimension, free from illusion.

After having removed our impurities, gained the proper virtues, and then acquired the knowledge of the Self, then the last day is called Vijayadasami, or the day of victory over our minds and the lower dimension after having worshiped the goddess in her three forms. The celebrations of Navaratri are held at night because it represents our overcoming the ignorance of the mode of darkness, the night of tamoguna.

Additionally, Navaratri commemorates the day on which the combined powers of the three Goddesses of Durga or Maha-Kali, Maha Lakshmi and Maha Sarasvati put an end to the evil forces represented by the buffalo-headed demon Mahishasura. The ninth day is also the day of the Ayudha Puja in the south. The Ayudha Puja is worship of whatever instruments one may use in one's livelihood. On the proceeding evening, it is traditional to place these instruments on an altar to the Divine. If one can make a conscious effort to see the Divine in the tools and objects one uses each day, it will help one to see one's work as an offering to God. It will also help one to maintain constant remembrance of the Divine. Children traditionally place their study books and writing implements on the altar. Throughout the ninth day, an effort is made to see one's work or studies as imbued with the Divine presence. The tenth day is called Vijaya Dashami. Devotees perform a puja to the Goddess Sarasvati to invoke the blessings of Sarasvati on books, writing implements, musical instruments and tools of trade. After the pujas, little children are initiated into the learning process.

So the Vedic festivals are performed in these phases of first preparation, then purification, realizat

Answered by Ashish Yadav , an ibibo Wizard, at 5:17 PM on October 10, 2008

Navaratri is a festival of self- Restrain, a festival of Spiritual upliftment of individual soul to perfection, to the God realization. Mythology of Devi Bhagavatam brings a truth at home that problems of the present mankind simply existed before the creation of the cosmic phenomenon. Durga Saptasati of Sri Markandey-Purana narrates the story of destruction of Madhu, Kaitabha, Raktabij, Mahisashur, Shumbh and Nishumbha. Those Devils were slained by Mother Durga or Mother Kali. All the devas were troubled, distressed by them and when they found themselves helpless, they collectively prayed and worshiped Mother Goddess, the Supreme Power to overcome them. From individual devas a sparkling energy appeared, and that collective energy is known as Shakti, which was capable of destroying the entire race of the devils.

. The story of Devi Bhagavat or Markandey Purana or any of the epics is a great essay on the subject of minding the Mind. Mind is the principal cause of agony, pain, sorrow, and disharmony of disrupted lives. It may be individual, social, national or international. Problems may be economical, physical, mental or so on, but the cause of the problem lies in the individual’s mind.

Lust, anger, greed, ego, desires and passions are the devils that rob one of the peace and harmony. What one needs is to restore ones own energy and contemplate whole-heartedly to be free from the undesirable vices. To eradicate vices and gain values of life what one needs is to cultivate a sincere, scientific and earnest habit of self-control. Pujya Bapuji, Mahatma Gandhiji poured out his heart on this subject by following self-restraint versus self-indulgence.

The entire spiritual festivities of Sri Durga Puja spread out in Nine nights called ‘Navaratri” and then follows “Vijaya Dashmi” the tenth day of the victory. Why these nights are only nine and not seven or five? The physical frame of human being is known as a city with nine gates. “Nav Dware Pureh Dehi”. These gates are two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth and two lower gates of execratory system, the principal holes from where our energy is being drained out. But if we cultivate a new way of living by which we conserve our energy.

Answered by Jitendra , an ibibo Master, at 9:12 AM on October 10, 2008

(Sanskrit: नवरात्रि) is a Hindu festival of worship and dance. The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit; Nava meaning Nine and Ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti/Devi i.e. female divinity are worshippedThe Navratri commences on the first day (pradipta) of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashwin. The festival is celebrated for nine nights once every year during the beginning of October, although as the dates of the festival are determined according to the lunar calendar, the festival may be held for a day more or a day less.

Navaratri is celebrated in different ways throughout India. In North India, all three Navratris are celebrated with much fervor by fasting on all nine days and worshipping the Mother Goddess in her different forms. The Chaitra Navratri culmintes in Ram Navami and the Sharad Navratri culminates in Durga Puja and Dussehra. The Dussehra of Kulu in Himachal Pradesh is particularly famous in the North.
The last four days of Sharad Navratri take on a particularly dramatic form in the state of West Bengal in East India where they are celebrated as Durga Puja. This is the biggest festival of the year in this state. Exquisitely crafted and decorated life-size clay idols of the Goddess Durga depicting her slaying the demon Mahisasura are set up in temples and other places. These idols are then worshipped for five days and immersed in the river on the fifth day.

In Western India, particularly in the state of Gujarat, Navratri is celebrated with the famous Garba dance. It is also popular throughout India and among Indian communities around the globe.

Navratri is divided into sets of three days to adore three different aspects of the supreme goddess or goddesses.

Answered by Vipan Thapar , an ibibo Master, at 7:28 PM on October 09, 2008

Navratri is a festival of 9 days during which Durga ma is worshiped . it is believed that the devi killed the devil Mahishsur & therfore the festival is celebrated all over India.

Answered by Moksha G , an ibibo Master, at 6:17 PM on October 09, 2008

well,Navaratri or Navaratra is a Hindu festival of worship and dance. The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit
Nav = nine and Ratri = nights. It is celebrated during the period of Sarad Masi Aswin by Hindu lunar calendar, all eight days and nine nights have its importance and is divided into sets of three days to adore three different aspects of the supreme goddess or goddesses.

Answered by Debashis , an ibibo Master, at 1:14 PM on October 09, 2008

Navaratri is a festival that lasts nine days and nine nights. The word "Navaratri" actually means nine (Nava) nights (ratri). This is celebrated in different styles throughout India. Navaratri occurs during the first 9 days of the bright half of the month of Aashwina in the Indian calendar.

Navaratri is the worship of the three divine goddesses, Saraswati (Goddess of learning and speech), Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth and prosperity), and Durga (Goddess of strength and courage). It is also said to be the battle that occurred between Goddess Chaamundeshwari and the asura (demon), Mahishaasura. The battle lasted 9 days and 9 nights. Finally, on the tenth day, Goddess Chaamundeshwari killed Mahishaasura. This day is known as Vijayadasami. Vijayadasami means the 10th day of victory.

Answered by Shishir , an ibibo Master, at 12:55 PM on October 09, 2008

"Nava-ratri" literally means "nine nights." This festival is observed twice a year, once in the beginning of summer

During Navaratri, we invoke the energy aspect of God in the form of the universal mother, commonly referred to as "Durga," which literally means the remover of miseries of life. She is also referred to as "Devi" (goddess) or "Shakti" (energy or power). It is this energy, which helps God to proceed with the work of creation, preservation and destruction. In other words, you can say that God is motionless, absolutely changeless, and the Divine Mother Durga, does everything. Truly speaking, our worship of Shakti re-confirms the scientific theory that energy is imperishable. It cannot be created or destroyed. It is always there.

Why Worship the Mother Goddess?
We think this energy is only a form of the Divine Mother, who is the mother of all, and all of us are her children. "Why mother; why not father?", you may ask. Let me just say that we believe that God's glory, his cosmic energy, his greatness and supremacy can best be depicted as the motherhood aspect of God. Just as a child finds all these qualities in his or her mother, similarly, all of us look upon God as mother. In fact, Hinduism is the only religion in the world, which gives so much importance to the mother aspect of God because we believe that mother is the creative aspect of the absolute.

Why Twice a Year?
Every year the beginning of summer and the beginning of winter are two very important junctures of climatic change and solar influence. These two junctions have been chosen as the sacred opportunities for the worship of the divine power because:

(1) We believe that it is the divine power that provides energy for the earth to move around the sun, causing the changes in the outer nature and that this divine power must be thanked for maintaining the correct balance of the universe.

(2) Due to the changes in the nature, the bodies and minds of people undergo a considerable change, and hence, we worship the divine power to bestow upon all of us enough potent powers to maintain our physical and mental balance.

Why Nine Nights & Days?
Navaratri is divided into sets of three days to adore different aspects of the supreme goddess. On the first three days, the Mother is invoked as powerful force called Durga in order to destroy all our impurities, vices and defects. The next three days, the Mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees the inexhaustible wealth. The final set of three days is spent in worshipping the mother as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. In order have all-round success in life, we need the blessings of all three aspects of the divine mother; hence, the worship for nine nights.

http://hinduism.about.co m/od/festivalsholidays/a/navaratri. htm

Answered by Arle Rambabu , an ibibo Master, at 11:49 AM on October 09, 2008

Navaratri is a specific period on which the Hindus observe a prayer to Mother Godess Durga. The prayer stretches for a period of 9 days. There are 4 Navratris in a year.The most important ones are the Ashwin and the Chaitra Navratri.

Answered by Vijay Kayal , an ibibo Master, at 11:48 AM on October 09, 2008