Good afternoon readers! I hope you've all enjoyed HMN Issue 9 so far. I’m here today to discuss with you an amazing festival celebrated by those all over India… Navratri!

Introduction to Navrati:
Navratri is a Hindu celebration, dedicated to the worship of the goddesses and the feminine deities associated with Hinduism. The celebration goes on for a total of nine days. It is a time for Hindus to celebrate the victory of the goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. The date of the festival changes with the lunar calendar each year, and this festival is popular in India.
There are 4 Navratri celebrations in a year, each festival connecting to the seasons. Magha Navratri falls between January and February, Chaitra Navratri follows in March-April, Ashadha Navratri in June-July, and finally Shardiya Navratri in September-October. Not everyone celebrates all 4 Navratri, as the two most popular are the Chaitra and Shardiya celebrations. This month we will celebrate Shardiya Navratri from October 3rd to October 12th!

Celebrating Navratri:
This festival is observed and celebrated differently depending on your area in India. Forms of celebration include:
- Offering Prayers
- Performing Rituals (can be different depending on the night)
- Religious Reflection
- Fasting
- Dancing (specifically Garba, in Gujarat)
- Feasting

The Nine Nights:
The nine nights of Navratri are dedicated to honoring the divine feminine principles (otherwise known as shakti). The first third of the festival generally focuses on aspects of the goddess Durga, the second third on the goddess Lakshmi, and the last three days on the goddess Sarasvati. Each night, offerings are made to the goddesses (such as food/clothing) and their various aspects, and rituals are performed in their honor. The final day marks the ultimate victory of good, and people celebrate by burning effigies of the demon Ravana to symbolize the destruction of evil.

I hope you learned a little more about this festive holiday! If you celebrate it, then may the divine blessings of Maa Durga always be with you. Happy Navratri! <3

Written by Daphne Clarke.
Edited by Ivy Dewdrop.
Proofread by Ross Geary.