9 Attractions of Nine Nights Festival of Navratri

The Great Navratri festival of India is one of the major tourist attraction not across the country but in the world too. Navratri is festival of nine nights dedicated to Hindu deity Shakti and its nine incarnation and the 10th day is referred as Vijayadashami. Navratri is one of the biggest Hindu festival and celebrated by every state in different forms and names. जय माता दी!

Idols of Maa Durga: The Nine Nights and 10 days the big idols of Mata Durga and Kali are placed in pandals along the roadside. These Durga Puja pandals are well decorated with artistically depicted idols of Goddess Durga up to 50 feet in height and 40 feet wide. Kolkata durga puja is well famous for its unique celebration of Navratri and its the best place to see Durga Idol and pandals.

Decorated Temples: During the Navratri festival, each and every temple to Goddess Durga are  are beautifully decorated with flowers, leaves and petals and Idols of Goddess Durga are highly ornated. There are many famous Durga temples situated at different parts of India and celebrate Navratri to honor the Mother Goddess. Whole market and street along with the Durga temples are highly decorated till the next most famous festival, Diwali.

Durga Puja: Durga Puja is start with Navgrah puja and Jyoti Kalash Sthapna, a representation of Goddess Durga. The Jyoti Kalash are placed on earthen pots in every Durga Devi temples and in house for 9 days and the light of Jyoti Kalash is burns continuously for nine days and nights of Navaratri. During these nine nights and ten days nine incarnation of Maa Durga are worshipped with different rituals and traditions. The 9 forms of Goddess Durga are  Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri.

Aarti Dance: The Aarti dance in Durga puja is one of the main ritual of worship and part of Durga puja. During the Durga Puja in Bengal, ritual drummers,dhakis, carrying large leather-strung dhak, show off their skills during ritual dance worships called Aarati or Dhoop dance.

Navratri Cuisines: Navratri is a special occassion and during the Navratri special and traditional dishes are prepared and offer to Maa Durga. The Navratri special recipes like Sada Aloo,Sabudana Kheer and Singhare Ka Halwa are healthy, traditional and very delicious Navratri dishes.

Kanya Puja: The girl child represents the forms of Goddess Durga and worship on the eighth and ninth day of Navaratri as Kanya Puja. Nine young girls representing the nine forms of Goddess are worshiped and offers bhoj and new clothes as gifts as a mark of respect for the Goddess.

Ayudha Pooja: Ayudha pooja or Astra Puja celebrated on the ninth day as a part of the Navratri and Dasara. The books, vehicles, weapons, Bommala Koluvu,tools along with various types of all equipment are worshiped on this day.

Garba and Dandiya: The Dandiya Raas and Garba Dance are two most famous traditional folk dance of Gujarat and Vrindavan. Dandiya Raas is performed along with Garba during the Navratri evenings at every place in the country, Specially in Gujarat.

Durga Idol Immersion: On the final day of the Durga Puja Festival idol of Goddess Durga to immerse in water bodies. The thousands of devotees bid tearful farewell to Mother Durga which marks the end of the Nine day Durga puja festival and marking the beginning of Vijayadashami.

Vijayadashami Or Dussehra

The 10th day is celebrated as Vijayadashami,one of the most important Indian festival. Vijayadashami or Dussehra is celebrated on the marks of victory of Goddess Durga over demons Shumbh and Nishumbh and the victory of Lord Rama over the demon king Ravana. Effigy of 10-headed demon Ravana is burnt on Vijayadashami to celebrate triumph over evil.

The Great Divine Festival of 9 Nights of Devi and Shakti