Navratri is a vibrant and widely celebrated Hindu festival that lasts for nine nights (and ten days). The word Navratri comes from Sanskrit: “Nav” meaning nine and “Ratri” meaning nights.
Navratri Festival is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga and her nine forms (Navadurga), each representing different virtues like strength, wisdom, love, and protection. Each day is associated with a different avatar of the Goddess and has a specific color, which devotees often wear.
There are four seasonal Navratris, but the most popular one is Sharad Navratri, usually celebrated in September or October, leading up to Dussehra/Vijayadashami.
People celebrate Navratri in different ways across India:
Garba and Dandiya Raas in Gujarat
Durga Puja in West Bengal
Golu displays in Tamil Nadu
Fasting and rituals in North India
There’s something about the way the air shifts during this time of the year. The monsoon retreats quietly, leaving behind skies washed in gentle blues and the first whiff of festivity. In homes and hearts across India, a soft excitement starts to stir — the kind you feel deep in your bones, even before the first dhak (drum) beats or garba music begins.
This is the time of Navratri and Durga Puja — two festivals, deeply rooted in devotion and divine femininity, that turn ordinary days into something extraordinary. And for so many of us, they’re not just religious observances. They’re memories, emotions, smells, sounds, lights, music — they are home.
When the Earth Dances: The Arrival of Navratri
Navratri — “nine nights” dedicated to the Goddess Durga — is more than just rituals. It’s like the universe is pausing, watching, and celebrating the power of feminine strength. Each night, each form of the goddess, represents something we carry within us: courage, kindness, creativity, rage, peace.
I remember being a child, watching my mother light the diya in front of the goddess every evening during Navratri Festival, her saree would be neatly pleated, her face glowing with reverence. She would hum old bhajans while preparing prasad, and I’d sit close by, pretending to help, but mostly just soaking in the love that surrounded the space. That diya, that little flame — it felt like it could protect the whole world.
The Garba Nights of Navratri Festivals: Where Devotion Meets Dance
Come evening, the streets would light up. Women would gather in vibrant chaniya cholis, shimmering like they were born from stars. Men in kediyu kurtas would twirl, clap, and stomp in rhythm. Garba isn’t just a dance. It’s a kind of spiritual trance. When you’re in the circle, dancing to the beats, looking up at the moonlit sky, you forget the world. Your body dances, but your soul prays.
There’s always that one night where it feels like you’re not just dancing with friends — you’re dancing with the goddess herself. She’s in every beat, every swirl, every smile.
The Nine Days of Inner Reflection of Navratri Festivals
Each day of Navratri has its own goddess avatar:
- Shailaputri – Strength of the mountains
- Brahmacharini – Devotion and knowledge
- Chandraghanta – Courage and peace
- Kushmanda – Creation and growth
- Skandamata – Nurturing energy
- Katyayani – Fearless warrior
- Kalaratri – Destruction of evil
- Mahagauri – Purity and calm
- Siddhidatri – Fulfillment and wisdom
But beyond the myth, these are phases we all move through in life. Some days we’re calm, some days fierce, some days gentle. Navratri reminds us that it’s all divine. Every shade of us is holy.
Meanwhile, in Bengal: The Goddess Descends
While most of India celebrates Navratri with fasting and dance, in West Bengal, the goddess arrives as a daughter returning home. Durga Puja isn’t just a religious festival — it’s an emotion.
I still remember my first Pujo in Kolkata. The city was alive. Pandals, those temporary temples, weren’t just structures — they were stories. One looked like a ship, another a palace. And inside each, stood Durga, majestic, smiling, radiant — slaying the demon Mahishasura as her children stood by her side. It’s impossible not to fall in love with her.
The Dhak, the Sindoor, the Bitter-Sweet Goodbyes of Navratri festival
The sound of the dhak (drums) is like nothing else. It enters your chest and becomes your heartbeat. Women in red and white sarees, the scent of incense and flowers, the chanting, the aarti — it all feels like the whole city is breathing together.
And then comes the tenth day — Vijaya Dashami. The idols are taken for immersion. And women smear each other with sindoor, laughing through their tears. Because that’s the thing about Durga. She comes every year, but she also leaves — and in that leaving, she teaches us something about letting go, about cycles, about renewal.
Food, Faith, and Family of Navratri Festival
What’s a festival without food?
Whether it’s the kuttu puris during Navratri fasts or the bhog (offerings) during Durga Puja — the food isn’t just nourishment. It’s heritage. It’s made from recipes passed down by grandmothers. It carries prayers whispered while stirring the kheer. Every bite has memory in it.
And in both festivals, the heart of it all is togetherness. The house feels warmer. Everyone is home. There’s teasing, laughter, endless selfies, and storytelling. The aunt who hasn’t smiled in months suddenly breaks into a garba step. The father who is always busy, stays up till midnight, watching the Durga idol with childlike wonder.
Why Navratri Festivals Matter So Much
In today’s world, where everything is fast, digital, and fleeting, these festivals slow us down. They remind us of who we are, where we come from. They give us a reason to dress up, to call old friends, to cook forgotten dishes, to look up at the moon and whisper a thank you.
They celebrate the power of the feminine, not just in goddesses, but in every mother, daughter, sister, and friend. They celebrate light over darkness, joy over sorrow, and love over ego.
A Note to the Reader
If you’ve ever danced under the Navratri sky or stood in front of a glowing Durga idol with folded hands, you know what I’m talking about. And if you haven’t, I hope someday you will. Because festivals like these aren’t just for celebrating — they’re for remembering, for healing, and for coming home to yourself.
