Navratri is celebrated on 16 October to 23 October 2012 and 9 Days Festival.
About Navratri
In Gujarat, Navratri festival celebrates the worship of Goddess Jagdamba, while in West Bengal, Durga Puja is the reason to rejoice. Though, every region in India celebrates this festival in its own way, Navratri Festival is dedicated to the 3 avatars of Goddess Shakti – Durga (the warrior Goddess), Lakshmi (the Goddess of wealth), and Saraswati .
‘Nava’ means ‘nine’ and ‘ratri’ is made up of ‘ra’ which also means ‘night’ and ‘tri’ meaning the three aspects of our life – body, mind and soul. There are three types of botherations or problems that may affect a person – physical, mental and spiritual. That which gives you relief from all these difficulties is ‘ratri’. ‘Ratri’ or night relieves you of misery and brings comfort. The night relaxes everybody; whether happy, unhappy or miserable, everybody goes to sleep. The nine-day period of Navratri is marked by a series of Yagna and Homas.The nine days have great religious significance as Goddess
Durga, the divine mother, had destroyed the evil force (in the form of the demon Mahisashura) during this periodThe festival is celebrated with true devotion and purity all over the country. People from various sections of the society irrespective of caste and creed celebrate this festival by visiting temples and offering pujas at the Mother’s feet.
In some places special puja samarohas are also held by setting the images of Mother Durga on beautifully decorated pandals. Temples dedicated to Shakti also make arrangement for pujas and bratas to mark these nine days as true symbols of devotion and adoration towards the divine mother.
Navratri Celebration2012 Navearti festival is also celebrated with intense fervor and zest, in whole of India, in the form of Durga Puja. The vibrant festivities last for ten days, of which nine nights are spent in worship. But the celebrations vary from place to place.
Gujarat
The most famous Navaratri celebrations are held in the western states of India (Gujarat and Maharashtra) and Amedabad Navratri is Grand Celebration. Traditional dances in the form of Dandiya and Garba take place almost everywhere. The dancers move around in a circle, with different steps around a lamp, which signifies the Eternal Light of the Durga.
Generally Gujarati men and women wearing colorful dresses dance around in a circle by clapping their hands or decorated sticks to the rhythm of the devotional songs. After worshipping and ‘Aarti’, ‘Dandiya raas’ is performed all through the night.
In Maharashtra, celebrations are slightly different. Navratri is dedicated to Goddess Durga while the Vijayadashami is dedicated to Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge. Here, this day is considered auspicious to start education, buy new homes, and start new ventures.
West Bengal
People of West Bengal commence their navratri celebrations by worshiping huge idols of the Goddess, replete with devotional songs and dances, until, till the tenth day when they take out a finally take out an opulent procession, that concludes with the immersion of the idols in water. Of prime importance in Bengal are the first four days of the puja, the distinction being the worship of pre-pubescent young girls, known as ‘kanyas’, which are believed to be the living embodiments of the Goddess Durga. The ninth day is the day of the ‘Ayudha Puja’, the items of worship being tools, placed at the altar of the goddess for her benedictions. Dashmi or Dussehra, the ‘Saraswati Puja’ is consummated, the purpose being the desire for knowledge and inner peace. Also worth mention is the Dakshineswar Kali Temple in Kolkata, thronged by devotees during the navratras.
Maharashtra
Maharashtra, true to the indomitable spirit of its people, celebrates Navratri with great fervour, Goddess Durga being worshipped for nine days at a stretch. The tenth day sees the worship of Goddess Saraswati, with the tantric symbol of the goddess revered by school children for her blessings for their studies. This day is also considered auspicious to embark on any new task or for the purchase of jewellery
1)
May your life be filled with happiness on this pious festival
of Navratri,
Happy Navratri!
2)
Aapi shako to aapni dosti magu chu,
dil thi dil no sahkar magu chu,
fikar na karo dosti per jaan lutavi dais,
rokdo vyavhar che kya, udhar mangu chu…
Happy Navratri!
3)
Aaya hai Maa Durga ka tyohar.
Maa aap aur aapke parivar par ,
sada apni kripa banaye rakhe .
Yahi hai dua hamari.
Aapko Navaratri ke pawan,
avsar par bahut-2 badhai ho.
4)
Jai Maa Durge!
Jai Maa Ambe!
Jai Maa Jagdambe!
Jai Maa Bhawani!
Jai Maa Sheetla!
Jai Maa Vaishno!
Jai Maa Chandi!
Mata Rani meri aur apki manokamna puri karey
Jai Mata di!
5)
Aapi shako to aapni dosti magu chu,
dil thi dil no sahkar magu chu,
fikar na karo dosti per jaan lutavi dais,
rokdo vyavhar che kya, udhar mangu chu…
Happy navratri!
6)
Maa durga humein sarvshreshtha banne ka
Saahas-ichha-dhairya pradan kare.
Unki aseem kripa hum par bani rahe!
Apko aur apke parivar ko
Navratri ki shubhkamnaye
7)
Lakshmi ka hath ho
Saraswati ka sath ho
Ganesh ka niwas ho
Aur maa durga ke aashirwad se
Aapke jeevan mai prakash hi prakash ho!
‘Happy Navratri’
