Navarathri – The why, what and how
 

Today is the last day of Navarathri. In my childhood days my parents celebrated many religious occasions regularly. As children we never cared to find out why anything was celebrated but they were days of fun pur.

Being away from your own country things are easily forgotten. Now that I am retired I have more time to find out the meanings and keep in touch with religion more closely.

Read below what I found:

Navarathri means nine nights. In Indian culture these are followed with great fervor both religiously and socially. It is very rare in India to have a village without a temple let it be for Rama, Siva or Krishna (Vishnu). Always these temples have their concert Goddesses also and Navrathris are special occasions for puja celebrations. In North India, which is subjected to frequent wars and invasions these are merged into social celebrations. The Navarathris are celebrated from Sukla Padyami to Navami tithis of Hindu panchanga.
In fact there are two Navarathris – Vasant and Sarat. Vasant falls in month of Caitra and Sarat falls in of Asvyuja. The ninth day of Caitra is doubly auspicious and is celebrated as birth day and marriage day of Lord Rama.

Navarathri

Rajpriya

People in navratri buy new things, lands, houses etc. Being just to this auspicious occasion, people try finding out what would they be having after the blessing of goddess Durga. Astrologers seeing their birth charts guide them for it and hence they get the happiness they were seeking for.