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The Nine Nights of Navaratri

By Brishti Bandyopadhyay; Illustration by Shiju George

This year, the end of September marks the onset of Navaratri or "nine nights" in the Hindu calendar. With this begins one of the most festive phases in India, with Durga Puja in east India, Dussehra in north, central and west India, and Saraswati Puja in South India. It also sets the stage for Diwali in the near future.

Navaratri literally means 'nine nights'. This nine-day period, sacred to Durga, is celebrated sometime in the months of October and November. It is considered the most auspicious time of the Hindu calendar.

Although it has different names in different parts of India, the festival celebrations centre on the conquest of good over evil. Every region has its own myths and reasons to explain this.

Nine aspects of Devi
The nine different aspects of Devi are worshipped over the nine days, says a report on indiancultureonline.com. As Durga, she is the goddess beyond reach; as Bhadrakali she is the power of time; as Amba or Jagdamba, she is mother of the world; as Annapurna, she is giver of food and plenty; as Sarvamangala, she is the auspicious goddess; as Bhairavi she represents the fearful power of death; as Chandika or Chandi she is violent, wrathful, furious; as Lalita she is playful; and as Bhavani, giver of existence.

The festivities culminate on the tenth day, called variously as Vijayadashmi, Dussehra or Dassain when people in most parts of India burn effigies of Ravana, his son Meghanatha and brother Kumbhakarna.

The legend
It is believed that in ancient times, this was a festival intended for the Kshatriyas or warrior-class of India. After the four-month long monsoon when military activity was not possible, this was considered a good time to start afresh on one's conquests. For nine days before starting on the war journey, kings prayed to the nine different aspects of Devi or Adishakti. They also prayed for their arms and ammunition. The tenth day was when the journey for the conquest began.

The origin of this custom can also be traced to the Ramayana. According to it, Rama had to pray to the nine different aspects of Devi to be able to kill Ravana. He then accumulated enough power to kill Ravana on the tenth day, which was called Vijayadashmi or day of victory.

Since then, the tradition of praying to the Devi for nine days has continued. The Kshatriyas believed that by doing so, they too would be able to defeat their most powerful enemy.

On the eighth day, an animal is sacrificed by many communities, specially Gurkhas and other hill tribes who are believers in the Devi cult. This blood sacrifice is a way of thanking the goddess for a wish that has been granted. People often sacrifice a buffalo symbolic of the killing of Mahishasura by Durga.

The practice
Some people fast on all nine days, eating only fruit and milk dishes. Some fast only on the eighth or ninth day. As the festival is dear to the mother goddess, on the eighth or ninth day many people invite over nine young girls from the neighbourhood. These girls are treated as the goddess herself. People ceremonially wash their feet, worship them and then offer food to the "girl-goddesses.