Sharada Navaratri is one of the biggest Hindu festivals of the year.
The festival is celebrated over nine nights and ten days from September 26th to October 4th, 2022 with festivities varying across India.
The festival is celebrated in the Hindu month of Ashvin and is considered as being an auspicious time of the year.
Although Navaratri (sometimes spelled as Navratri) comes every month, there are 4 that are more significant across the year – Magha Navratri (also called Vasant Panchami) after the winter solstice, Sharada Navratri after the autumnal equinox, Chaitra Navratri, after the spring equinox, and Ashada Navratri, after the summer solstice.
On Navaratri, the nine forms of Durga are worshipped as Navdurga.
Navraatri’s Festival nights are each dedicated to one of the forms of Goddess Durga.
That is, every Ratri of the Navaratri represents a form of worship to each of the 9 different forms of Maa Durga.
The names of nine Durgas are Devi Maa ShailPutri, Devi Maa Brahmacharini, Devi Maa Chandraghanta, Devi Maa Kushmanda, Devi Maa Skandamata, Devi Maa Katyayani, Devi Maa Kalratri, Devi Maa MahaGauri, and Devi Maa Siddhidatri.
Usually a fast, called Navaratri Vrat is observed on all nine days in most parts of India. Navaratri is the celebration of the feminine as the vanquisher of evils.
This is the time of the year when (in the Northern Hemisphere) the entire planet and nature slow down. The human body too enters a period of reduced activity, while preparing for winter.
Fasting during this period of the year increases our body’s immunity as we get rid of all the toxins accumulated from the summer solstice.
If you prefer not to fast completely, you can eat fresh fruits and vegetables, instead. Lentils are a perfect food for these days.
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