LIGHT ON NAVRATRI CELEBRATIONS THIS SEASON

by sunil gavaskar clan member

Since October is approaching and it is Navratri, everybody is prepping up to welcome the Nine days of Divinity this Festive season on Navratri 2016. This year Goddess Durga is arriving on the first day of October and staying till the ninth, i.e. October 1^st till October 9^th. Navratri literally means the nine propitious nights of the year to welcome Maa Durga.

Navratri Festival falls five times a year with five different names and significances.

· Vasanta Navratri

· Ashadha Navratri

· Sharad Navratri

· Paush/Magha Navratri

· Magha Navratri

The Navratri start date also known as ‘the Pratipada’ includes the Ghatasthapna, the welcoming rituals for Maa Shailputri as she is the form of the Goddess worshipped on the day. The consequent Navdurga festival Navratri days with their associated goddess forms are:

Second Day	Dwitiya	Brahmacharini
Third	Tritiya	Chandraghanta
Fourth	Chaturthi	Kushmanda
Fifth	Panchami	Skandamata
Sixth	Shashthi	Katyayani
Seventh	Saptami	Kaalraatri
Eighth	Ashthami	Mahagauri
Ninth	Navami	Siddhidatri

Out of all the five Navratri festivals in India, Sharad or Sharadiya Navratri is the most popular and thus called the Maha Navaratri. The ritual or Navratri puja vidhi involves various ways to offer prayers to the Goddess like Garba and Dhunuchi Nritya. While Garba is a famous Gujrati dance form where people dance in a huge circle formation, Dhunuchi Nritya is a Bengali form of dancing with a Dhunuchi<ext> an Indian incense burner, holding it towards the Goddess Idol.

The Navratri start and end dates are considered to be the most important days in the festival, since the former includes the welcoming of the deity whereas the latter is celebrated as the goodbye ritual.

Throughout India, Navratri is celebrated in various ways. We eagerly wait for this festival to arrive so that we can celebrate with grandeur and joy. Navaratris are meant to worship the Mother Goddess and her different forms. Chaitra Navaratri in Ram Navami, the Sharad Navaratri in Durga Puja and Dussehra. Navratri festival in India is one of the awaited festivals mainly in Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.