Celebrate Navratri as a festival honouring women and nature

Navratri embodies reverence for women, nature's rhythms and spiritual cleansing through devotion.

- LAKSHMI BAYI

The Navratri which is celebrated twenty days before Diwali is the one which is prevalent throughout India.

It is believed that the whole of Ayodhya was lit up to welcome back Shri Rama, Sita Devi and Lakshmana after their fourteen years sojourn in the forest. This is after winter Navratri.

The summer Navratri or the Greeshma Navratri ends with Shri Rama Navami being the equivalent of Maha Navami. The other two Navratris are the Vaarahi Navratri and the Raja Maathangi Navratri, both secretive and for initiated followers of Ma Shakthi.

Kids love the winter Navratri. This is the only time in their lives when they are forbidden to study. Even during the long holidays in summer, they are urged to prepare for the higher classes. But from Durga Ashtami evening throughout a glorious Maha Navami to Vijayadashami morning, their books are kept for pooja in front of the Mother Goddess. At that time students cannot study. Mandatorily.

Farmers, carpenters, and people who work with implements keep them for pooja as do dancers their anklets, painters, their brush and palettes etc. It is believed that the Goddess goes through all of this, corrects mistakes and blesses them for the oncoming year. Sadhaks keep their very selves for pooja. It is considered to be a cleansing process with the Goddess permeating into everything.