Navratri ; Why the festival is celebrated twice between seasons

These reasons include spiritual, natural and mythological ones. All these causes contribute to the celebration of Navratri twice every year.

Navratri, is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in North India among the Hindu community has its own mythological significance. It symbolizes the victory of good over evil, the awakening of the divine feminine.

However, the festival is not celebrated once but twice a year. The Ashwina Navratri that starts at the beginning of winter (between September and October) is the more popular Navratri. Very few people know about the Chaitra Navratri that happens during the beginning of summer between March and April. Both these Navratris as the name goes are celebrated for nine continuous days in honour of Shakti or the mother goddess who is also referred to as Durga, Sherawali Maa or Parvati in different parts of India.

There are some important reasons why Navratri is celebrated for nine days and twice every year. These reasons include spiritual, natural and mythological ones. All these causes contribute to the celebration of Navratri twice every year.

Change Of Weather :

Navratris fall within the cusp of two seasons. The first one is celebrated in the trasition of winters and summers and the second one in autumn that is also the transition of summer to winter. If you notice carefully, both the Navratris are celebrated at the juncture of seasonal changes. Just before the beginning of summer and winter, Mother Nature undergoes a major change and that is what is commemorated by this festival to celebrate Goddess Shakti, who is an embodiment of Nature itself.

Length Of Day And Night :

Scientifically speaking, between March and April as well as September and October, the length of the day is almost equal to the length of the night. It constitutes as a scientific proof that Navratri is celebrated exactly at the break of summer and winter.

Pleasant Weather

Both the Navratris are celebrated at a time when the weather is pleasant. You neither have to face the scorching heat of the summers during Navratri nor the biting cold of the winters. As the weather is so temperate, these two times of the year are perfect for celebrations.

 Lord Ram`s Puja

 If Hindu mythology is to be believed, Navratri used to be celebrated only at the break of summer earlier. But when Lord Ram had a war with Ravan, He did not want to wait another 6 months to take the blessings of Maa Durga. So He started the tradition of celebrating Navratri just before winter. He did a Durga Puja before He left for Lanka and returned victorious. The significance of Navratri remains the same in both cases. The time itself is symbolic of Nature and its magical ways.

 


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