Durga Navratri Celebrations In India
Posted on September 29, 2008 in Festivals by naveen
Durga Navratri is the most celebrated festivity season of India. Since it is involved with utmost devotion and dedication of devotees, Durga Navratri is celebrated as a family as well as a social festival throughout India.
There are many ways to worship Goddess Durga. Due to the diversity in Indian states, the rituals and customs of Durga Puja are also differ a lot. We can see some differences in the celebrations of North India and South India, but the purpose of Durga Puja is same for whole India – to worship and to please the Goddess.
Celebrations of Durga Navratri Puja In Various Regions of India :
Durga Navratri Puja In Maharashtra :
In Maharashtra, Durga puja is a good occasion to watch. Devotees keep the flower garland as it is on Goddess Durga idol for nine days of Navratri, they do not remove the garland. After Navratri (nine days), they remove all nine together. The ‘Kanyas’ (the young girls who are not attained maturity) are treated as the forms of Goddess Durga. They are offered food and they are invited to play, sing and dance.
Observance of Durga Navaratri In Gujarat :
In Gujarat, Navratri is dedicated to Shri Amba Mata. Many Gujarati families worship images of Mata Amba in their houses with a strict and accepted practice. The very usual form of celebration in Gujarat during Navratri is performance of Garba or Dandiya-ras. Garba or Dandiya-ras is the most popular folk dance of Gujarat. People of Gujarat celebrate the festival with great devotion.
Durga Puja Celebrations In West Bengal :
People of West Bangal celebrate Durga Puja for five days. The vital day of the celebrations is the day of Mahalaya. On this day, Goddess Durga was assigned the great task of demolishing evil. Anotehr legend says that Lord Sri Ram observed Durga Puja for nine days to invoke the blessings of the Goddess and destroyed demon Ravana. In Bengal, Durga puia is popular as ‘Akal Bodhan’.
In 2008, the five-day Durga Puja festival starts on 4th October, Saturday (Panchami) and ends with Nabami, 8th October, Wednesday. Bijaya Dashami is celebrated on 9th October, Thursday.
Durga Navratri Puja In Kerala :
In Kerala, people believe that Durga puja is the right time to begin formal education for children of 2 to 5 years of age. This ritual is popularly known as ‘Vidyarambham’ (Vidyarambha). During the ten days of Durga Navaratri, the last three days are very important. On Durga Ashtami, devotees worship the tools that they use in their daily life. They do not use any tool on the day of Ashtami. On the day of Maha Navami, Goddess Sarasawti is worshipped.
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