Navratri

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Navratri (Sanskrit:नवरात्रि) is a Hindu festival of worship and dance. It is the largest festival of Nepal. The word Navaratri literally means nine nights in Sanskrit; Nava - Nine and Ratri - nights. During these nine days and nights, nine forms of Shakti i.e. female divinity are worshipped.

1 Forms of Shakti
2 Rituals
3 See also
4 External links
5 References

[edit] Forms of Shakti

The following 9 forms of goddesses are worshipped during these nine days:

Durga,
Bhadrakali,
Amba or Jagadamba,
Annapurna,
Sarvamangala,
Bhairavi,
Chandika or Chandi,
Lalita and
Bhavani.

[edit] Rituals

The festival is celebrated for nine nights twice every year during mid-March and the beginning of October, although as the dates of the festival are determined according to the Hindu lunar calendar, the festival may be held for a day more or a day less.

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

[edit] First three days

The goddess is invoked as a spiritual force called Durga in order to destroy all our impurities, vices and defects.

[edit] Second 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 inexhaustible wealth.

[edit] Final three days

The final set of three days is spent in worshipping as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. In order to have all-round success in life, believers seek the blessings of all three aspects of the divine femininity, hence the nine nights of worship.

During Navratri, some devotees of Durga observe a fast and prayers are offered for the protection of health and property. A period of introspection and purification, Navratri is traditionally an auspicious time for starting new ventures.

On the tenth day of Navratri in October - the holiday of Dussehra, an effigy of Ravana is burnt to celebrate the victory of good (Rama) over evil.

Navratri is celebrated in a large number of Indian and Nepalese communities. The mother goddess is said to appear in 9 forms, and each one is worshipped for a day. These nine forms signify various traits that the goddess influences us with. The Devi Mahatmya and other texts invoking the Goddess who vanquished demons are cited.