Navratri : The festival's history, significance and importance

Navrati is considered one of the most auspicious times of the year. There is festivity in the air for these nine days and the occasion is celebrated with gusto across the country. The temples are vibrantly decorated and devotees start preparing for the festival days in advance. Interestingly, the festival has a beautiful history and significance. Here’s all you want to know about it.

Navratri: History, significance and more 
The word Navratri is derived from a Sanskrit word that translates ‘Nava’ as nine and ‘Ratri’ as night. Each day is dedicated to one of the nine avatars of goddess Durga (namely Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri) and every day has a colour significance associated with it. 

The festival symbolises the victory of good over evil. It is believed that goddess Durga fought with demon Mahishasur (who represents egoistism) for nine days and the final day, when the demon was beheaded by her, is called Vijay Dashmi. 

The Navratri falls four times in a year. However, the ones observed during September- October (called Sharad) and March-April (Vasanta) are considered the most auspicious ones and are widely celebrated across the country. 

The festival is known with different names in different parts of the country and rituals and traditions also vary from state to state. Navratri is celebrated as Durga Puja in various parts of Northeast India. In north and western parts of the country, devotees celebrate the festival by fasting, staging ‘Ramlila’ and conclude with Dussehra where the effigies of Ravana and his brothers are burnt, again signifying the victory of good over evil. In Tamil Nadu, it is celebrated as Golu and Gujrat is famous for its dandiya nights.

Navratri literally means nine nights. According to Hindu tradition, it refers to nine nights of prayers at specific times of the year. In an year, Vasanta Navrati and Sharad Navratri, that fall in spring and autumn, respectively, are celebrated widely across the nation. The dates change according to the Gregorian calendar every year as they are in accordance with the Hindu calendar. 

The way Navratri is celebrated varies in every state of India. The Navratri starting on 10 October is the Sharad Navratri and is also called Ram Navratri as it concludes with Ram Navmi, Lord Ram’s birthday, that falls on the ninth day of Navratri and Dusshera, the anniversary of the day Lord Ram defeated Ravana in the epic battle. This Navratri also marks the anniversary of the day Goddess Durga defeated the Rakshasa (demon) Mahishasura and is sought as a powerful symbolism of the restoration of dharma, the restoration of the balance of the universe. Depending on the state or culture, different tales support worshiping of different Gods but throughout these nine days, different prayers are conducted to seek blessings from the nine forms of the Goddess to purify home and mind.

The auspicious nine days of worshipping nine different forms and powers of Goddess Durga. Navratri 2018 starts from October 10 and will end on October 18 with Ram Navmi. Navratri falls twice in an year and the one that falls in the month of Ashwin is called Shradhiya Navratri. 

Auspicious time 
The time duration for offering prayer to the goddess this time is short and requires you to get up early in the morning. 
Those who wish to follow the ‘Brahm Muhurat’ for doing the navratri puja, the timings are - 4.39 AM to 7.25 AM. 
From 7.26 AM, the next date will start so the puja should be done early in the morning this time. 

Time for Ghat Sthapna: 
The auspicious time for ghat sthapana this time is - 6.22 AM to 7.25 AM. But, if for some reason you are unable to do ghat sthapana during this time, you can do it in the Abhijeet muhurat which is from 11.36 AM to 12.24 PM.