Navratri is a very important Hindu festival celebrated in India, which is devoted to Goddess Durga. The festival is celebrated with great reverence and faith across the country. The nine days being dedicated to one of the nine forms of the Goddess.
India is a country of festivals and celebration. It has a very rich historical and cultural background. Each Indian festival has a proper meaning, reason and significance behind its celebration. Fun and enjoyment are the aspects of the festivals, which sets the festive mood. Navratri, as the name suggests, means nine nights. It is one of the important Hindu festivals. It is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga, the deity of Power. Like other festivals of India, Navratri also has a significance and meaning attached to it. Each day of the nine-day festival are dedicated to the worship of different forms of Goddess Durga, which unfolds the religious importance of the occasion.
Navaratri is very much women’s festival. during this month women bring down gulu dolls handed down for years in a family. They dust them lovingly and arrange them in “golu padi” or in steps. These are usually make shift benches and are made up of old boxes, cases etc. covered with the white cloth. They also buy new dolls to make delicacies as well as other essential like blouse bits, thamboolam etc.
During navaratri women invite their friends, relative and neighbors to see their gulu. It is only women folk who are invited.
Nine different types of sundal and rice dishes are made each day. Sundal is navaratri essential. These dishes served to guest are given to take back home too. They are given the traditional thamboolam, a blouse piece, a small mirror, a comb and a kumkum container.
The ninth day of navaratri is Ayudh pooja. People pay respect to the implements (ayudham) they make use of tools such as scissors, knives, agricultural implements, factory machinery, computers etc. are considered sacrred and prayers are offered.
This day is also the day of Saraswati Pooja. An idol or a picture of the goddess kept along with the books, musical instruments etc. prayers are offered to the goddess and children are generally urged to pray hard, so that they will score well in the exams.
The tenth day is vijaya dasami. On this day, after the Pooja the dolls are all packed neatly in their boxes and taken back to the loft, where they will lie till next navaratri.
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