NAVARATHRI

Navarathri translates 9 nights. This 9 nights is dedicated to the Mother Goddess with such grandeur, incorporating dedications of songs, music and dance to her.

The beginning of Spring and Autumn are two very important junctions of climatic and solar influence. These 2 periods are considered as sacred occasions to worship the Divine Mother.

Navarathri is celebrated twice prominently.

The first Navarathri is observed in the month of Chaitra/Chitra, which usually falls between March-April also symbolising the start of Spring. This Navarathri is known as Vasantha Navarathri, celebrated during Shukla Paksha (1st fortnight between New Moon Day and Full Moon Day, the period of waxing moon). The commence of this Navarathri also marks the start of New Year as per lunar calendar.

This Navarathri is mostly celebrated in North and Western India.

The second and most common Navarathri is Sharad Navarathri , also known as Ashwin Navarathri or Maha Navarathri. It is known as Durga Pooja in the Eastern parts of India. It is known by this name as it is celebrated during Sharad; marking the beginning of Autumn (Sept-Oct). It starts on the 1st and ends on the 10th day of the half bright of the lunar month Ashwin/Aipasi.

LET'S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT SHARAD NAVARATHRI.

Why does Sharad Navarathri fall on this particular month and not in any other months in the lunar calendar?

The most prevalent and plausible theory is that, the dawn of life on earth began after the cessation of deluging rains. According to our scriptures, Ashwin is the month when the rainy season ends. Symbolically, this is also regarded as the time when the deluging turbulence ceases and normalcy returns on earth. Biologists also aver that, life starts to grow i water only when it is stationary. After the rainy season stagnant water germinates life. But on the contrary, it is also notorious for giving birth to germs and viruses.

The ancient man , must have observed the beginning of Autumn as most deadly period of the survival of life. Hence, to protect their life, they devised a system based on their medical knowledge. While doing so, they found that the best way to ensure good health is to observe fast or avoid taking meals which was likely to be polluted owing to the rampant viruses and germs during that particular period, which they fixed a duration of 9 days.

Why 9 days?

Because 9 was the highest number known to the ancient man kind. And perhaps the concept of "ZERO" was not discovered yet. 

Fasting for nine days meant a change in their routine and conserving their energy. So to keep themselves occupied, they indulged in worship , to keep the safe from the potential lurking dangers in forms of demons, beasts and illness. Since a mother is always looked as the protector of her child, mortals started worshiping Maa Durga for this 9 days. This is probably the most logical and most plausible explanation as to why Maa Durga is revered this 9 days.

MYTHICAL APPROACH OF NAVARATHRI

Navarathri celebrates the slaying of the evil Asura Mahishasura by Maa Durga, therefore earning Maa Durga the name MAHISHASURAMARDHINI, which translates into slayer of Mahishasura.

Maa Durga is worshiped in the form of Navadurga (9 forms of Durga) in this 9 days and the 10th day is celebrated as Vijayadasami, the day Maa Durga slayed Mahishasura.

In the Southern Region of India, the first 3 days of Navarthri is dedicated to Durga, the second three days to Lakshmi and the final 3 days to Saraswathi.