{"id":202,"date":"2025-09-22T19:00:11","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T10:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/?p=202"},"modified":"2025-10-05T15:57:54","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T06:57:54","slug":"hindu-festivals-navaratri","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/2025\/09\/22\/hindu-festivals-navaratri\/","title":{"rendered":"Hindu Festivals: Navar\u0101tri \u2013 Worshiping the Goddess"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Today, September 22, 2025, is the start of Navar\u0101tri in India. Navar\u0101tri (literally \u201cnine nights\u201d) is celebrated across India for nine nights and ten days. The nine nights are nights of battle between good and evil, and the tenth day, Vijayadashami, is the day of victory of good over evil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Navar\u0101tri is primarily a Goddess worship festival, and its history goes back at least to the early centuries of the common era, when Goddess worship became widespread across the Indian subcontinent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Goddess is worshipped in all her aspects in Hinduism. Sarasvati is the Goddess of wisdom and learning; Lakshmi is the Goddess of prosperity and fertility; Parvati is the divine Mother; Durga is the Mother who protects her children when they are in peril.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hindu sacred texts<\/a> such as the Dev\u012b Mah\u0101tmya and Dev\u012b Bh\u0101gavata Pur\u0101na tell the story of Goddess Durg\u0101 and her slaying of the demon Mahish\u0101sura following a fierce battle that lasted nine days and nights. On the tenth day, Mahish\u0101sura was finally killed, and morality was restored.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Story of Durg\u0101 Slaying Mahish\u0101sura<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mahish\u0101sura, the buffalo demon, was as powerful and ambitious as he was evil. He had earned a boon of invincibility through great penance, and having done so, went to war against the Gods, rampaging, destroying the cosmic order, and bringing in a reign of terror and evil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What made Mahish\u0101sura so formidable was his ability to shape-shift \u2013 he took on the forms of buffalo (symbolizing brute strength, resilience, and chaos), lion (symbolizing agility and speed), elephant (symbolizing mass and size), and human warrior (symbolizing intelligence, strategic thinking, and skill with weapons), changing at will in response to different situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mahish\u0101sura also had a massive army that included other terrifying demons. One of these was Raktab\u012bja, the demon who could create a clone of himself out of every drop of his blood that was shed, resulting in a never-ending army of demons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gods were at their wits\u2019 ends. Indra, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and others, powerful as they were, could not defeat Mahish\u0101sura and his army individually. So, they combined all of their powers (shakti<\/em>) and created Goddess Durg\u0101 (also called Shakti).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is interesting that the combined powers of all the Gods manifested as the divine feminine. This probably reflects how men tend to be driven by competition, while women are good at bringing people together. It took a Goddess to unite the Gods and inspire them to work together for a common purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Durg\u0101 is depicted with many arms, each holding a different weapon \u2013 Shiva\u2019s trident (trish\u016bla), Vishnu\u2019s disc (sudarshana chakra), and Indra\u2019s thunderbolt (vajra), sword, spear, mace, and various other weapons given to her by the Gods. She rides the lion, a symbol of cosmic law, righteousness, courage, strength, and ferocity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Figure 1. Painting of Durga by Sri Shilpi Siddanthi Siddalinga Swami (1885 – 1952)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For nine days, Durg\u0101 waged war against Mahish\u0101sura and his army, manifesting herself in different forms to defeat his different aspects. On the tenth day, with Mahish\u0101sura taking on the form of a buffalo, Durg\u0101 finally pinned him down with her foot and beheaded him, restoring cosmic order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

K\u0101l\u012b and Her Symbolism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An important side chapter in the story is the defeat of Raktab\u012bja, the demon who spawned countless clones of himself with every drop of his blood that fell to the ground. Overwhelmed and enraged, Durg\u0101 manifested as K\u0101l\u012b, the terrifying goddess with a dark complexion, wild hair, a garland of skulls, and a protruding tongue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

K\u0101l\u012b\u2019s role was to drink Raktab\u012bja\u2019s blood before it touched the ground, preventing new demons from forming. K\u0101l\u012b devoured Raktab\u012bja\u2019s clones and drank his blood, ultimately enabling him to be slayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Figure 2. Painting of Kali by Raja Ravi Varma (public domain image)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

K\u0101l\u012b\u2019s bloodlust and destructive energies, however, became uncontrollable after having defeated Raktab\u012bja. To subdue her, Shiva lay down on the battlefield directly in her path. When frenzied K\u0101l\u012b stepped on Shiva, she was instantly calmed and came back to her senses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

K\u0101l\u012b symbolizes how great power can be harnessed for great good, but also has the potential to become uncontrollable and destructive, requiring moderation and stability to wield it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Celebrating the Girl Child<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A common feature of Navar\u0101tri celebrations across India is Kany\u0101 Puj\u0101, or the worship of pre-pubescent girls (kany\u0101), who are seen as living manifestations of the Goddess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In every neighborhood, little girls dressed in great finery are invited to people’s homes and treated to specially prepared foods, sweets, and gifts. Protein-rich legumes are an essential component of food prepared for Kany\u0101 Puj\u0101 as an offering to the Goddess and her living manifestations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Figure 3 Kanya Puja, photo by Nvstudio989, CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Regional Variations in Navar\u0101tri Celebrations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Durg\u0101 Puj\u0101<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In East India, Navar\u0101tri is celebrated as Durg\u0101 Puj\u0101. Each neighborhood erects elaborately decorated pand\u0101ls (temporary structures) housing massive clay idols of the various forms of Durg\u0101 and the stories associated with each form. The festival features vibrant processions, traditional music and dance, recitation of the Dev\u012b Mah\u0101tmya, and offerings of fruits, flowers, and sweets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Figure 4 Durga Puja pandal, photo by Subhrajyoti07, CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On the tenth day, Vijayadashami, the idols are immersed in the river in an emotional culmination to the festival, symbolizing Durg\u0101\u2019s return to her divine abode and the impermanence of everything in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Golu<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In South India, Navar\u0101tri is celebrated with golu<\/em>, a tiered display of dolls depicting Gods, sages, mythological figures, ordinary people, animals and birds, in a hierarchy from top to bottom. The dolls are traditionally made of clay, wood, and other natural materials, and arranged in an odd number of tiers (typically 3, 5, 7, or 9). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Odd numbers are seen as incomplete or in motion and, therefore, symbolize the dynamic and transformative power of the Goddess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Figure 5 Golu display, photo by G. Hari Hara Krishnan (public domain photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Little girls in each neighborhood get together in the evenings and visit various houses to admire their golu<\/em> display and eat sundal<\/em>, a flavorful legume preparation. A different legume is cooked on each of the nine days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The girls are egged on by the hosts to show off their artistic talents (singing or dancing) and lovingly sent home with gifts of jewelry and knick-knacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Garb\u0101<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In West India, especially Gujarat, Navar\u0101tri is synonymous with the vibrant folk dances of Garb\u0101 and Dandiya, performed nightly to honor Goddess Durg\u0101, particularly her form as Amb\u0101 (\u201cmother\u201d). Garb\u0101, derived from the Sanskrit word garbha<\/em> (womb), symbolizes life, creation, and the divine feminine energy of the Goddess. Dancers move in circular patterns around a central clay lamp or Durg\u0101 idol, mimicking the rhythm of the universe, the cosmic cycle and the womb of existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Figure 6  Garba dance, photo by anurag agnihotri, CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Garb\u0101 is performed during each of the nine nights of Navar\u0101tri, with each night honoring a specific aspect of the Goddess. Before the dance beings, an \u0101rat\u012b (ritual offering of light) is performed to invoke Durg\u0101\u2019s blessings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dussehr\u0101<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In North India, Navar\u0101tri (worshipping the Goddess) is celebrated alongside Dussehr\u0101, which commemorates the battle between Prince R\u0101ma of Ayodhy\u0101 and R\u0101vana, the ten-headed demon king of Lank\u0101. R\u0101vana had kidnapped R\u0101ma\u2019s wife S\u012bt\u0101 and many other women. R\u0101ma went to war with him and eventually defeated him, rescuing his wife and the other women. The victory of R\u0101ma over R\u0101vana (i.e., of good over evil) is celebrated as Vijayadashami.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The R\u0101mayana was originally composed in Sanskrit by the sage V\u0101lm\u012bki sometime around the 7th<\/sup> century BCE. However, after a highly popular vernacular adaptation was composed by the saint-poet Tulsid\u0101s in the 16th<\/sup> century, celebrations of R\u0101ma\u2019s victory over R\u0101vana became widespread as part of Navar\u0101tri in North India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

R\u0101ml\u012bla, the dramatic reenactment of R\u0101ma\u2019s life, is performed in open-air stages across towns and villages during the nine nights of Navar\u0101tri, and on the 10th day, there is a grand R\u0101van Dahan, or burning of R\u0101vana\u2019s effigy, accompanied by fireworks and celebration to symbolize the destruction of evil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Figure 7 Ravan Dahan, photo by Pete Birkinshaw, CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Historically a Pre-Harvest Period of Fasting?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Autumn Navar\u0101tri is celebrated with great pomp and splendor across India, and this may be the only Navar\u0101tri many young Indians are aware of. However, a Spring Navar\u0101tri is also widely observed in many parts of the country. Some people additionally observe a winter and summer Navar\u0101tri, but these are relatively more obscure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A common feature of Navar\u0101tri across India is partial fasting. Many people avoid animal protein, pungent foods, and stale foods, limiting themselves to fresh, natural, and easily digestible s\u0101tvik<\/em> foods for the duration of Navar\u0101tri. One theory is that this may be intended to boost immunity and promote physical health during a change of seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, an interesting aspect of fasting during Navar\u0101tri is the avoidance of staple grains such as rice and wheat, replacing them, instead, with tubers, legumes, and fruits. This, combined with the fact that the Autumn and Spring Navar\u0101tri fall right before the major harvesting periods in India, seems to indicate that Navar\u0101tri may originally have been a period of fasting observed during a period when grain stores were running low. As far back as the Rigveda<\/em> (a pre 1500 BCE text), there are mentions of rituals tied to the end of the growing season that involved offerings of non-grain foods like roots and pulses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the reasons little girls are prioritized for receiving nutritious food in the form of protein-rich legumes during Navar\u0101tri may be to make sure that the most vulnerable members of society are fed and looked after even during the lean period.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both the Spring and Autumn Navar\u0101tri are closely followed by post-harvest festivals of abundance. Diwali falls a couple of weeks after the Autumn Navar\u0101tri. Similarly, the Hindu New Year is celebrated as a harvest festival of plenty across India roughly a week after the Spring Navar\u0101tri.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similar Festival in Faraway Japan – Hina Matsuri<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Japanese festival of Hina Matsuri, which originated in the Heian period (794-1185), is strikingly similar to the South Indian golu<\/em> in many ways, even though historians are yet to find a direct connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hina Matsuri, which is celebrated on March 3 in Japan, prays for the healthy growth and future happiness of girl children while warding off evil sprits and misfortune.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The festival involves a display of Hina dolls, which represent the ancient imperial court, on a tiered platform. Similar to the Indian golu<\/em>, Hina displays also have an odd number of tiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Figure 8 Hina matsuri, photo by Advancemirror, CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The timing of Hina Matsuri also roughly coincides with the spring Navar\u0101tri. In the past, Japan, like India, used the lunisolar calendar, and Hina Matsuri fell on the third day of the third lunisolar month (typically early April in the Gregorian calendar), coinciding with the blossoming of peach blossoms. Another name for Hina Matsuri, therefore, is Momo no Sekku (Peach Festival).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, after Japan officially switched from the lunisolar calendar to the Gregorian calendar in 1873, the date for Hina Matsuri was standardized to fall on March 3 each year. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The world is more inter-connected than we realize. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Navar\u0101tri goes back to the early centuries CE, when Goddess worship became widespread across India.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":220,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,137,132,133,36,134,135,136,31,1,146,32,131,7,140,34,98,138],"tags":[118,114,115,112,113,117,129,110,128,58,147,43,84,130,122,126,127,111,119],"class_list":["post-202","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-texts","category-durga","category-durga-puja","category-dussehra","category-festivals","category-garba","category-golu","category-hindu-gods","category-hinduism","category-history","category-kali","category-mythology","category-navaratri","category-puranas","category-rama","category-religious-practices","category-tantra","category-the-goddess","tag-bommai-golu","tag-dashahara","tag-durga-puja","tag-dussehra","tag-dusshera","tag-golu","tag-hina-matsuri","tag-hindu-festivals","tag-hindu-mythology","tag-hinduism","tag-immersion-of-idols-in-rivers","tag-india","tag-indian-mythology","tag-japan","tag-kanjak-puja","tag-mahishasura","tag-mahishasuramardini","tag-navaratri","tag-ravan-dahan"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/DurgaCropped.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=202"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":291,"href":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/202\/revisions\/291"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=202"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=202"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/india-insights.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=202"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}