“Nava-ratri” literally means “nine nights.” This festival is observed twice a year, once in the beginning of summer and again at the onset of winter.

What’s the Significance of Navratri?
During Navaratri, we invoke the energy aspect of God in the form of the universal mother, commonly referred to as “Durga,” which literally means the remover of miseries of life. She is also referred to as “Devi” (goddess) or “Shakti” (energy or power). It is this energy, which helps God to proceed with the work of creation, preservation and destruction. In other words, you can say that God is motionless, absolutely changeless, and the Divine Mother Durga, does everything. Truly speaking, our worship of Shakti re-confirms the scientific theory that energy is imperishable. It cannot be created or destroyed. It is always there.

Why Worship the Mother Goddess?
We think this energy is only a form of the Divine Mother, who is the mother of all, and all of us are her children. “Why mother; why not father?”, you may ask. Let me just say that we believe that God’s glory, his cosmic energy, his greatness and supremacy can best be depicted as the motherhood aspect of God. Just as a child finds all these qualities in his or her mother, similarly, all of us look upon God as mother. In fact, Hinduism is the only religion in the world, which gives so much importance to the mother aspect of God because we believe that mother is the creative aspect of the absolute.

Why Twice a Year?
Every year the beginning of summer and the beginning of winter are two very important junctures of climatic change and solar influence. These two junctions have been chosen as the sacred opportunities for the worship of the divine power because:

(1) We believe that it is the divine power that provides energy for the earth to move around the sun, causing the changes in the outer nature and that this divine power must be thanked for maintaining the correct balance of the universe.

(2) Due to the changes in the nature, the bodies and minds of people undergo a considerable change, and hence, we worship the divine power to bestow upon all of us enough potent powers to maintain our physical and mental balance.

Why Nine Nights & Days?
Navaratri is divided into sets of three days to adore different aspects of the supreme goddess. On the first three days, the Mother is invoked as powerful force called Durga in order to destroy all our impurities, vices and defects. The next three days, the Mother is adored as a giver of spiritual wealth, Lakshmi, who is considered to have the power of bestowing on her devotees the inexhaustible wealth. The final set of three days is spent in worshipping the mother as the goddess of wisdom, Saraswati. In order have all-round success in life, we need the blessings of all three aspects of the divine mother; hence, the worship for nine nights.

Why Do You Need the Power?
Thus, I suggest you join your parents in worshipping “Ma Durga” during the Navaratri. She will bestow on you wealth, auspiciousness, prosperity, knowledge, and other potent powers to cross every hurdle of life. Remember, everyone in this world worships power, i.e., Durga, because there is no one who does not love and long for power in some form or the other.

Search results for Navaratri

I want to know when Dasara(Navaratri Festival start date and end date)was celebrated in 1976 year. Kindly help?
I just want the date and month of start and end of navaratri estival(dasara)
Dasara – 1 Answers – 2008-09-19 22:43:58

what are the rules for keeping navaratri fasting and when it is going to start in the month of march?

Religion & Spirituality – 1 Answers – 2009-03-26 21:01:32

What Happens at a Garba during Navaratri?
I have been invited by a HIndu friend to attend a garba for Navaratri. Can anyone tell me what will be happening during this and is there anything I need to know since this will be my first experience with it?
Other – Holidays – 1 Answers – 2007-10-07 06:26:29

How does the Navaratri of Spring differ from the one that is in the Fall?

Religion & Spirituality – 2 Answers – 2007-03-19 13:58:40

can anyone tell me what fusion of indian western clothes can i where this navaratri dandiya celebrations?
*wid some good accesories?
Fashion & Accessories – 1 Answers – 2006-09-23 05:44:49

usa which date navaratri is starting28th sept is amavasya ok?

Other – Family & Relationships – 1 Answers – 2008-09-29 08:52:38

When is Navaratri celebrated?
I have to do an assignment on hindu celebrations. When reasearching, some website say that Navaratri is celebrated twice a year, while other say its celebrated once a year. I need someone (hindu person, preferably) to tell me when Navaratri is celebrated and why it is celebrated at that time? thanks for all the help…. 10ptns for best answer
Diwali – 3 Answers – 2009-03-28 20:11:59

Do u know why hindus celebrate navaratri?
The number nine is closely associated with the process of Creation in the cosmic time cycle. It is considered puran or complete. Any number multiplied by nine gives a figure that adds up to nine. Ratri means night. The Rigveda states that creation came about when everything was covered in the darkness of night. Navratra signifies the concept of ‘Back to Godhead’ Nav means nine and Ratri means night. These nine nights occur on equinoxes when the sun is vertically overhead at the equator. The Cosmic Mother is worshipped during these 9 days. The number nine is closely associated with the process of Creation in the cosmic time cycle. It is considered puran or complete. Any number multiplied by nine gives a figure that adds up to nine. Ratri means night. The Rigveda states that creation came about when everything was covered in the darkness of night. Navratra signifies the concept of ‘Back to Godhead’. The entire cosmic cycle consists of three phases: Creation, Preservation and Diss and Dissolution. If one was to split each part into triads, then 3 times 3 would be 9. The universe is composed of 36 ‘tatvas’ and there are 360 ‘tithis’ in a lunar year. Both numbers add up to 9. The No 9 is the highest number. After the number 9, comes the 0. In order to truly worship the Lord either become complete (with all the great qualities) like the number 9, or empty (devoid of ego, or in a state of total surrender) like the 0. What Is Navratri? Well, it is the nine days when we are suppose to thank the female principle of nature and the goddesses connected to them. As the agricultural communities had free time only in the evenings (days being too busy with manual labour in the fields), evenings and nights were chosen as the ideal times to celebrate the festival of the goddesses. In brief, the nine nights are dedicated to the three main goddesses of Hinduism—Parvati, Lakshmi and Saraswati. The first three nights are dedicated to the goddess of action and energy. Her different manifestations viz Kumari, Parvati and Kali are worshipped during these days. They represent the three natures or classes of womanhood—the virgin young girl, auspicious wife or mother and the angry old hag! This is not a criticism of women, just a classification. It helps us recognise the different aspects of our own nature. Lakshmi is worshipped for the next three days in her various aspects as the goddesses of peace, plenty and bliss. Fulfilment is more important than wealth itself. As the goddess of wealth, she governs not just the bank balance, but also such basic things as family, friends, food etc. Saraswati is the goddess of knowledge. Not just the knowledge of how to earn a living, but how to ‘live’ as well. She is the goddess of the spiritual knowledge and the knowledge that frees us from this bind of Samsara. She is worshipped during the final three days of the Navratri. The nine nights are there for us to revel in the knowledge of the goddesses that live within us, imbibing us with their spiritual energy and power. Used for the good, they help liberate us from the mire of this world. Use these energies unwisely, and they will snare us in the maya of this world. We should meditate of these aspects of the nine nights that was the reason they originally came into being. For the ardent devotees of Maa nine divine nights are the utmost heavenly bliss.
Religion & Spirituality – 3 Answers – 2006-10-02 18:44:51

regarding the festival of navaratri what are marapachi bomais (dolls) ?
navaratri is an indian festival celebrated over nine days. a kollu(exibition of dolls) is usually kept in households. Each household will have a pair of marapachi dolls. what do they signify ?
Other – Society & Culture – 2 Answers – 2006-09-30 05:41:10

when was navaratri in 1972?
saptami in 1972,navaratri
Dodge – 1 Answers – 2009-08-15 08:46:18

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