India Marks Beginning of Nine-Day Navratri Festival to Worship the Goddess Durga
© AFP 2023 / SANJAY KANOJIA
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‘Navratri’ is a term that means “nine nights” in Sanskrit; the term is used to refer to the festival of the Goddess Durga and her nine incarnations marking the power of womanhood. The festival is widely celebrated across India, with devotees fasting, offering prayers to the Goddess in temples and dancing folk dances such as the garba' and others.
Hindu devotees around the world are marking the beginning of Navratri, a festival that will last until October 5th, by worshipping the Goddess Durga at their homes, or visiting temples decked up in the festive spirit.
The festival begins with Mahalaya (the day on which the Goddess Durga is believed to have arrived on Earth) and ends with Vijaydashmi (the day of the Goddess Durga's victory over the demon king).
The festival begins with Mahalaya (the day on which the Goddess Durga is believed to have arrived on Earth) and ends with Vijaydashmi (the day of the Goddess Durga's victory over the demon king).
The festival begins with Mahalaya, which marks the arrival of the Goddess to Earth. On the first day of the festival, Hindu devotees worship the Goddess Shailputri, also known as Hemavati and Parvati, one of the forms of the Goddess Durga.
The festival ends with Vijaydashmi, commemorating the Goddess Durga's victory over the mythical Hindu demon king Mahishasura in a fight that exemplified the triumph of good over evil.
While some people fast only on the first day, some keep fasting during the whole festival by abstaining from eating grains or by keeping a liquid diet or Satvic (a vegetarian diet).
Calling it "the great festival of worship to Shakti", the divine power of the Goddess Durga, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media on Monday morning and extended Navratri greetings to the devotees.
The festival ends with Vijaydashmi, commemorating the Goddess Durga's victory over the mythical Hindu demon king Mahishasura in a fight that exemplified the triumph of good over evil.
While some people fast only on the first day, some keep fasting during the whole festival by abstaining from eating grains or by keeping a liquid diet or Satvic (a vegetarian diet).
Calling it "the great festival of worship to Shakti", the divine power of the Goddess Durga, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to social media on Monday morning and extended Navratri greetings to the devotees.
India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi extends Navratri greetings to netizens on Twitter
© Photo : Twitter/@narendramodi
Several other public figures and celebrities, including Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor and federal Home Minister Amit Shah, took to Twitter to extend greetings to their followers on Navratri and also shared pictures from Hindu temples.
#WATCH गुजरात: केंद्रीय गृह मंत्री अमित शाह ने अहमदाबाद में पौराणिक मंदिर मेलडी माताजी पहुंचकर पूजा अर्चना की। pic.twitter.com/KiddM01pK4
— ANI_HindiNews (@AHindinews) September 26, 2022
#HappyNavratri pic.twitter.com/hxl0Woh0zY
— Shahid Kapoor (@shahidkapoor) September 26, 2022
#WATCH | Maharashtra: Early morning 'Aarti' being performed at the Mumba Devi Temple in Mumbai on the first day of #Navratri pic.twitter.com/Yx2GUS10BS
— ANI (@ANI) September 26, 2022
Happy #Navratri to our Hindu brother and sister's in India and across the globe.
— Fazila Baloch🌺☀️ (@IFazilaBaloch) September 26, 2022
Our Hindu community celebrating
Navratri in Balochistan😍👇 pic.twitter.com/eC1Jl3ygJN
