Navratri is one of the much-awaited festivals in India. This year it is beginning on Saturday, 17 October 2020, and finishes on Monday, 26 October 2020. Here are some interesting and fun facts about Navratri and double the exhilaration of the celebration.
Around the world, individuals have found out about the Navratri festival, yet a large portion of individuals don’t know with all the Navratri facts, rituals, Puja procedure, and even history of it (why is it celebrated). Here we are illuminating on certain points, which you need to know about Navratri. These Navratri facts can upgrade your insight and help you in seeing more about Navratri and nine goddesses and so forth
A huge number of individuals around the world celebrate the Navratri festival, which is a nine days-nights festival, dedicated to Goddess Shakti. Believers worship nine types of goddess Shakti to get the divine blessings of Maa Durga. During nine days and nine nights, the goddess battled with the demon Mahishasur and killed him on the 10th day. These nine hallowed days represent the nine days of Navratri.
30 Interesting and Fun Facts about Navratri
- In the Sanskrit language, the word “Navratri” originates from two words – “Nav” which means Nine (9), and “Ratra” signifying “Night”. The festival of this celebration extends for 9 nights and along these lines, the name Navratri is given.
- Navratri festival is observed “Five Times” in a year, for example Sharad Navratri, Chaitra Navratri, Ashada Navratri, Paush Navratri and Magh Navratri.
- Navratri Dates have been set by Hindu Lunar Calendar. The most famous Navratri is Sharad Navratri which is praised in the month of Ashwin (September or October). Sharad Navratri is otherwise called Maha Navratri.
- In Tamil Nadu, Navratri is known as “Golu”. Nine signs of goddess Shakti are venerated during Navratri.
- Individuals love Maa Durga in different types of Shakti or Power all through Navratri. Nine goddess names are Durga, Bhadrakali, Jagadamba, Annapurna, Sarvamangala, Bhairavi, Chandika, Lalita, Bhavani, and Mookambika.
- Other than Goddess Durga, another legend of the Navratri festival is Lord Rama who killed the evil spirit Ravana.
- Every day of Navratri is for a manifestation of Goddess Durga. For these 9 days, individuals love 9 unique manifestations of the Goddess. Individuals believe that every one of these 9 goddesses has monstrous power and they all consolidates to form Maa Durga.
- This Navratri happens five times each year and a 9-day celebration follows. The months of Navratri is celebration are: March/April, June/July, September/October, December/January, and January/February. However, the Sharad Navratri held during September/October is the most well-known one.
- Dusshera is the day next to Navratri. There is an alternate history behind it as well. Lord Rama or Ram won the war against the evil spirit lord Ravana or Ravan in Sri Lanka on this day. Thus, to mark that success, individuals cause enormous representations of Ravan and burn them. This signifies the triumph of good over evil.
- Soon after 20 days of Dusshera celebration comes another extraordinary festival – Diwali. On this day, Lord Rama or Ram alongside his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana got back from 14 years of exile to his country, Ayodha.
- According to our legendary stories, Mahishasura – the king of Asuras was half buffalo and half man. He adored Lord Brahma with extraordinary commitment and the Lord was cheerful seeing his dedication and in this manner instructed him to request anything. Thus, Mahishasura requested that Lord Brahma award him immortality. Lord Brahma said that no man could kill him. In this manner, Mahishasura became the strongest man and he wanted to govern both earth and heaven and soon commenced a fight with the Gods. At the point when the abominations of Mahishasura got unendurable, all the Gods decided to make Devi Durga kill Mahishasura. The boon of Lord Brahma was “No Man Could Ever Kill Mahishasura”. All things considered, that implies an influential woman can kill him. Consequently, Goddess Durga came into form with all the supreme powers of all the Gods. This mission was a triumph.
- Another story says that Mahishasura wanted to wed Goddess Durga. Goddess Durga declined the proposal. Yet, she additionally said that she would wed Mahishasura just on the off chance that he could defeat her in a fight. This is the fight that proceeded for 9 long days and toward its finish, Devi Durga killed Mahishasura.
- According to another fanciful story pervasive in Kerala, Mahishi – the sister of Mahishasura proceeded with this fight in any event, when her brother’s demise.
- There is faith in the Eastern part of India that Daksha’s daughter Uma or Parvati who wedded Lord Shiva and went to Mount Kailasa comes to this earth or her parental home each year during Navratri. She accompanies her four kids – Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik, and Ganesha. Two of her best friends or sakhis known as Jaya and Bijaya likewise accompany her. That is the reason Navratri is likewise implied as a homecoming for all the married women.
- The dedication and prayer that we as a whole follow during Navratri keep us intellectually healthy. The fasting for one-two or nine days alongside other atonement reinforces us to battle diseases and keeps us physically fit.
- Some old sages and researchers related this Navratri season of love to thank the divine powers appropriately. Since this divine or spiritual powers furnish mankind with powers as well as gives enough energy to the earth to move around the sun which causes different changes in the atmosphere coming about to a balance in the universe.
- These 9 days are additionally isolated into a lot of three days and each set has some significance. During the initial three days, the Goddess Durga is invoked as a ground-breaking power. She is venerated as Durga who comes to earth to destroy all impurities, evils, and flaws. In the next three days, she is adored as Lakshmi who gives riches and satisfaction. Throughout the previous three days, individuals love the Saraswati manifestation who is the supreme fountain of all learnings.
- Navaratri is observed two times every year, once at the start of summer and again at the beginning of winter.
- Sharad Navratri, Vasant Navratri and Ashada Navratri are the three primary Navratri celebrations in India.
- Sharad Navratri is observed for nine days and nine nights, with three days each for the love of three distinct aspects of Mother Shakti – as Goddess Durga for the initial three days, as Goddess Lakshmi for the next three days and as Goddess Saraswati for the last three days.
- Vasant Navratri is celebrated during the Hindu Vasant season (March-April) and is praised in North India.
- Ashada Navratri is celebrated during the Hindu Ashada season (July-August) and is praised in Himachal Pradesh.
- The dates of the Navratri festival are set according to the lunar schedule. The occasion traditionally initiates on Pratipada, the first day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashwin.
- The Dusshera festival immediately follows Navratri to make a 10-day happy occasion in numerous spots.
- Other celebrations connected with the Navratri festival are Rama Navami and Dussehra. On the ninth day of Chaitra Navratri, Rama Navami is praised while after the finish of nine days of Sharad Navratri Vijayadashmi (Dussehra) is celebrated.
- During Navratri, in West Bengal, “Durga Puja” is a famous ritual, in Karnataka, it is a Royal Festival while Mumbai and Gujarat are known for traditional dance forms of Dandiya and Garba.
- The finish of Navratri, or the 10th day, marks Dusshera. Dusshera is praised as the day Lord Rama defeated the devil, King Ravan, in Lanka, which is portrayed in detail in the holy Hindu epic, Ramayana. The tenth day is praised around the globe by setting amazingly enormous “Ravanas” on fire, representing the overcoming of good over evil. As per the epic, following this triumph Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshman as well as Lord Hanuman traveled back to their realm of Ayodhya.
- Diwali is celebrated twenty days after, as the day Lord Rama re-visitations of Ayodhya as the king. Diwali is known as the festival of lights, implied through diyas, which were lit to direct Lord Rama has returned to his realm, following 14 years of exile.
- Gujrat and Mumbai are particularly known for their excessive Garba celebrations every night during the nine days of Navratri. Garba is a type of dance that is done in a circle, representing the cyclical conviction of time within Hinduism. Generally, the dance is performed with a clay lantern at the center representing the Devi. Dancing around this lantern representing that every human has this type of energy within him or her.
- In West Bengal, India, a detailed Durga Puja is likewise celebrated during this time. Pictures of Durga killing the devil buffalo Mahishasura are constructed and shown in temples. They are worshiped for five days, and on the fifth day, the idols are then positioned into the river. The Durga Puja performed during Navratri is the greatest festival of the year in Bengal.
The nine days of Navratri
Day 1 – Pratipada: Goddess Shailputri is worshipped on this day. She is the exemplification of the aggregate power of Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh. It is in this form that the goddess was adored as the consort of Shiva. The Navratri color of the days is grey.
Day 2 – Dwitiya: Goddess Brahmacharini is worshipped on this day. She is joyful and endows happiness, peace, prosperity, and grace upon all aficionados who love her. Loaded up with happiness and joy, she is the best approach to emancipation or Moksha. The Colour of the day is orange.
Day 3 – Tritiya: Goddess Chandraghanta is worshipped on this day. She represents beauty and grace and is loved on the third day for peace, tranquillity, and prosperity throughout everyday life. She is the apostle of bravery and has extraordinary quality. The Colour of the day is white.
Day 4 – Chaturthi: Goddess Kushmanda is worshipped on this day. She is viewed as the inventor of the universe. It is believed that Kushmunda made the universe through a bout of laughter and made it verdant with vegetation. The Navratri color of the day is red.
Day 5 – Panchami: Goddess Skandamta is worshipped on this day. She is the mother of Skanda, or Karthikeya, who was picked by the gods as their commander-in-chief in the battle against the devils. The Colour of the Day is royal blue.
Day 6 – Shasthi: Goddess Katyayani is worshipped on this day. Katyayani was born to the incredible sage, Kata, as an avatar of Durga. The Colour of the day is yellow.
Day 7 – Saptami: Goddess Kalaratri is worshipped on this day. She has a dark complexion, disheveled hair, and a daring posture. The fiercest type of Durga, she has three eyes that shine bright, with flares radiating from her breath. The Navratri color of the day is green.
Day 8 – Ashtami: Goddess MahaGauri and Durga are worshipped on this day. Sandhi Puja and Rama Navami will be recognized this day. The Colour of the day is peacock green.
Day 9 – Dashami: The day of Navratri Parana. The Colour of the day is purple.
Vijaya Dashami and Durga Visarjan happens on Day 10 i.e. 26 October.
