The festival of Navratri begins on the first day of the fortnight of the lunar month of Ashwin. It is celebrated for nine nights once every year during the beginning of October.
The rituals of celeberating Navaratri is different throughout India. In North India, Navratris are celebrated with much gaeity and fervor by fasting on all nine days. During these days the Goddess Durga is worshipped in her different forms. The Chaitra Navratri culmintes in Ram Navami and the Sharad Navratri culminates in Durga Puja and Dussehra. Kulu in Himachal Pradesh celebrates the festival of Dussehra in a traditional and contemporary way.
West Bengal observes the last four days of Sharad Navratri in an entirely dramatic and interesting way. Navartas are celebrated there as Durga Puja. This is one of their major festival. Temples and specially erected ‘pandals’ are exquisitely crafted and decorated with life-size clay idols of the Goddess Durga depicting her slaying the demon Mahisasura. These idols are worshipped for five days and immersed in the river on the fifth day.
In the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu & Karnataka, Sharad Navratri is celebrated by setting up of Golu (pronounced as Golu or Kolu) or Bombegalu. People believe that it is a way to invite people home for festivities. In Karanataka, particularly Mysore on the 10th day the enacting of destruction of evil (Ravana’s killing by Rama) is represented by lighting of dolls representing Ravana and forces of evil.
In South India, 7th day is observed as Saraswathi pooja and 8th day is Durgashtami. The 9th day is Ayudha Pooja when tools of all trades are worshipped by respective people. The 10th day is considered as 'Vijaya Dashami'. Students also pay homage to their respective teachers this day as they are considered the third god after Mother and Father. On this tenth day of Navratri in October - the holiday of Dussehra, effigies of Ravana and his other two brothers, are burnt to celebrate the victory of good over evil.
Many devotees observe fast and offer during Navratras for the overall prosperity protection of health and property. Navratri is traditionally considered an auspicious and religious time for starting any new venture.
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