Devotees Offer Prayers to Goddess Durga and Observe Fast for Nine Divine Nights, Starting Today

New Delhi, September 21, 2017: Millions of Hindus prayers in temples and observe a fast across India, as the nine-night Navratri Hindu festival begins on Thursday, September 21.

Navaratri or Navarathri, is a multiple days Hindu festival acknowledged during the autumn, every year. The festival holds immense importance in Hinduism.

Whereas, theoretically Navratri falls twice a year; the autumn Navratri also called as the Sharada Navaratri is the most popular.

Sharada Navaratri is celebrated during the lunar month of Ashvin which is post-monsoon (September–October).

It is observed that the festival is celebrated for a different reason in the different part of the country.

• Durga puja is observed in the honor of divine Goddess Durga Maa in the eastern and northeastern part of India, apposite to Navratri. It resembles the battle to restore Dharma and peace, Goddess Durga battles and emerges victory over Narkasur, the buffalo demon.
• Dussehra is celebrated in the northern and western parts of India. 'Rama Lila' and Dussehra is a celebration of the triumph of Lord Ram over the demon king Ravana.
• Similarly, in the southern part, the victory of Lord Rama or Saraswati is observed.

The victory of good over evil is the main cause of this celebration, sharing a famous epic like the Ramayana or the Devi Mahatmya.

The festival comes to an end with the final day, Dussehra or Vijaya Dashami, where the idols of the evil are burnt and alternatively the idols of the Gods and Goddess from the festival are immersed in the water body.

– Prepared by Abhishek Biswas of NewsGram twitter: @Writing_desire