Navratri 2012 Celebration of Goddess Durga

 

Navratri 2012 Celebration of Goddess Durga

Navratri (Navaratri)  is a nine-day festival in Hinduism of  the worship of  Goddess Durga and entails traditional folk group dances known as Garba  & other festivities.

Navratri means
Navratri actually means nine  nights in Sanskrit, nava meaning the number ’9′ and ratri meaning ‘nights’. During these nine nights and ten days, nine forms of Shakti/Devi are worshiped and is celebrated for Goddess Durga, the manifestation of Deity in form of Shakti, which is the representation of power.  Navaratri is divided into three-day sets, each devoted to a different aspect of the supreme goddess.

The first three days are devoted to Durga (to destroy all our vices, impurities, and defects). The next three day set is devoted to Lakshmi (the giver of spiritual and material wealth), and the last set is devoted to Saraswati (the goddess of wisdom). The 10th day is commonly referred to as Vijayadashami or Dussehra, which is the day Goddess Durga defeated demons known as Shumbh and NiShumbh. Dussehra is also the day Lord Ram defeated Ravan. The dates of Navaratri are determined according to the lunar calendar.

The nine-day Navratri festival began in the city on Tuesday with people (particularly Gujaratis) setting up Garbas (clay matkis which symbolizes Goddess Durga) besides many installing idols of the goddess in their homes.
The Hindu festival of Navaratri is celebrated all around the world, mainly in India  and Nepal. In the Indian state of Gujarat, Navratri is celebrated with greater attention as it is local culture to participate in the traditional folk dance Garba. In some Indian communities, people participate in fasts during this season that lasts for the nine days of Navratri. The festival culminates on Mahanavami. On this day, Kanya Puja is performed. Nine young girls representing the nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshiped.
 
Navarathri is celebrated 5  times a year and the most important Navratri is SharadaNavratri (Mahanavratri).
1.    VasantaNavaratri
2.    Gupta Navaratri
3.    SharadaNavaratri
4.    PaushNavaratri
5.    MaghaNavar atri

Teluguone team wishes everyone a happy and shubhNavratri. Jai DurgaMaa!

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