India is a diverse country not only in the geographical aspect but also in terms of culture and religions. Check different ways in which the festival is celebrated across India.
India is a diverse country not only in the geographical aspect but also in terms of culture and religions. Navratri marks the days of spiritualism as the people from different states across the country take up different reasons to indulge themselves in the holy spirits. Take a look at some of the different places and see how differently this majestic festival is celebrated throughout the country.
West Bengal
Durga Puja is one of the most popular festivals in West Bengal, Assam and Bihar, and is celebrated with great enthusiasm. The festival is an ode to Goddess Durga. The entire state dones itself into the high spirits of Pujo.
Gujarat
The reverberation of dandiya sticks and dhol can be heard making rounds all over Gujarat as the nine days are full of fun and frolic. Devotees observe fast and worship Maa Shakti. After the Aarti traditional both by men and women enjoy by performing traditional dance form garba and dandiya.
Tamil Nadu
During Navratri, they worship the goddesses Durga, Saraswati and Laxmi. Three days are dedicated to each of them. In the evenings, relatives and friends are called up at the house and gifts are exchanged among each other. Married women are given bangles, bindi and other ornaments. They prepare Kolu, where a crude staircase is adorned with dolls which are passed on from generation to generation.
Punjab
Every night jagrans are held, where devotees gather to sing religious songs in joyous spirits. At the end of nine days, nine girls, called as ‘kanjak’, are invited for lunch and gifted food, money etc. they are considered to be representations of the nine different avatars (forms) of Maa Shakti.
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh celebrates Bathukamma Panduga, the nine days devoted to Maha Gauri, the goddess representing womanhood. In this festival, women make flower stacks with local flowers and perform a puja. At the end of Navratri, this stack is floated on a lake or any other water body.
Kerala
Kerala links Navratri with education. Keralites consider the days as the most positive for learning or starting something new. During the last three days, they worship Goddess Saraswati and place books next to her statue in their homes.
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