Navaratri Begins (Sharad)
शरद नवरात्रि
The start of the most widely celebrated Navaratri, nine nights devoted to Goddess Durga and her many forms. Each night has special prayers, and in many regions people perform Garba and Dandiya Raas dances.
Why We Celebrate
Sharad Navaratri is the most celebrated of the four annual Navaratris. Over nine nights, devotees worship nine forms of Goddess Durga (Navadurga) — from Shailaputri on Day 1 to Siddhidatri on Day 9. The Devi Mahatmya (Durga Saptashati) describes how the goddess defeated the buffalo demon Mahishasura, restoring cosmic balance. Each day is associated with a specific color, form, offering, and prayer. The festival culminates on Vijayadashami (Dussehra), symbolizing the victory of good over evil.
Sharad Navratri is the most widely celebrated of the four Navratris, observed in autumn (Sharad season) over nine nights dedicated to Goddess Durga. The festival commemorates Durga's epic nine-day battle against Mahishasura, a powerful buffalo-demon who had terrorized the heavens and earth. The gods combined their powers to create Durga, the Divine Mother, who rode into battle on a lion. Each day she fought in a different form, and on the tenth day (Vijayadashami or Dussehra), she triumphed, symbolizing the victory of good over evil.
Each of the nine nights honors a different manifestation of Durga: Shailputri (daughter of the mountains), Brahmacharini (the ascetic), Chandraghanta (the warrior), Kushmanda (the creator), Skandamata (mother of Kartikeya), Katyayani (the fierce form), Kaalratri (the destroyer of darkness), Mahagauri (the radiant), and Siddhidatri (the bestower of perfection). Devotees fast, perform rituals, and celebrate with regional traditions — Garba and Dandiya dancing in Gujarat, grand Durga Puja pandals in Bengal, Ramlila performances in North India, and Golu doll displays in South India.
Sharad Navratri is a time to honor the Divine Feminine (Shakti), the creative and protective force of the universe. It reminds us that when we invoke the goddess within — courage, wisdom, and compassion — we too can conquer the demons of ego, ignorance, and fear.
How It's Celebrated
Set up a Ghat/Kalash (sacred pot) on Day 1 with mango leaves and coconut
Sow barley seeds (jwar) in the Ghat — they sprout by Day 9 as a sign of blessings
Worship the corresponding form of Durga each day with specific offerings
Light an akhand jyoti (continuous lamp) for all nine days
Read the Durga Saptashati or Devi Mahatmya daily
On Ashtami (Day 8), perform Kanya Puja — honor nine young girls as forms of the goddess
Observe fasting (phalahar) for all nine days or selected days
Regional Variations
What You Need
- Clay or brass Kalash (pot) with mango leaves and coconut
- Barley seeds (jwar) and soil
- Akhand diya with ghee or oil
- Red dupatta or cloth for the goddess
- Flowers (especially red), kumkum, and sindoor
- Durga Saptashati or Devi Mahatmya book
- Fruits, coconut, and satvic food items for the fast
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Ghatasthapana
Sacred pot installation — Day 1 ritual
Durga Kumkum Archana
Chanting the 108 names of Durga
The full step-by-step guided walkthrough with audio, mantras, translations, and a supply checklist is available in the app.
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Did You Know?
- ✦Garba, the circular dance performed during Sharad Navratri in Gujarat, represents the cycle of life and time, danced around a lamp or image of Durga symbolizing the divine light at the center of existence.
- ✦In Bengal, Durga Puja is the biggest festival of the year with weeks of preparation, elaborate artistic pandals, and the immersion (Visarjan) on the tenth day when thousands of Durga idols are carried to rivers in grand processions.
- ✦The nine forms of Durga worshipped during Navratri represent the complete spectrum of feminine power — from the gentle mother (Skandamata) to the fierce destroyer (Kaalratri) — showing that the divine feminine contains all qualities.
Related Festivals
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