Healers World
Devi
Pan-India
What does Navratri mean for your practice?
Navratri, meaning 'nine nights', is dedicated to the worship of the Divine Mother in her nine forms (Navadurga), celebrating the victory of the goddess Durga over the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. It is a period of devotion, fasting, dance and purification, honouring Shakti — the feminine cosmic energy — and culminating in Vijayadashami.
Which story is remembered?
The buffalo-demon Mahishasura, granted a boon that no man or god could slay him, terrorised the heavens. The combined energies of the gods gave rise to Goddess Durga, a radiant warrior mounted on a lion and armed by every deity. She battled Mahishasura for nine nights and on the tenth day, Vijayadashami, slew him — each of the nine nights of Navratri honouring her relentless fight and her nine manifestations.
Puja vidhi for Navratri
Fasting and abstaining from grains, onion and garlic during the nine days
Installing and invoking the goddess (ghatasthapana / kalash sthapana) on the first day
Worshipping a different form of Durga on each of the nine days
Performing Garba and Dandiya Raas folk dances (especially in Gujarat)
Reciting Durga Saptashati and singing devotional aartis
Kanya Pujan — honouring young girls as embodiments of the goddess on Ashtami or Navami
Offerings and festive foods
What families prepare and offer on Navratri.
Fruit, sabudana, kuttu and singhara dishes for the nine-day fast
Barley (jau) sown beside the kalash on the first day, its sprouts a sign of the Goddess's blessing
A red chunari, coconut and shringar items offered to Durga
Halwa, puri and black chana served to young girls in kanya pujan on Ashtami or Navami
Fresh flowers each day for the form of the Goddess being worshipped
Mantras to chant
Chant with a clear sankalp, facing east or north, on a mala if you keep one.
Names and customs across India
Navratri is celebrated differently across regions: in Gujarat it is famed for nights of Garba and Dandiya, in Bengal and the East the latter days merge into Durga Puja, in the South homes display the Golu/Bommai Kolu of dolls and figurines, and in the North it includes Ramlila performances and Kanya Pujan. There are four Navratris in the year, of which the autumn Sharad Navratri is the most prominent.
Which classical sources guide the practice?
Panchang rule-derived — expected to hold, worth a final check against a published panchang closer to the date.
Navratri · 2027Concludes (Navami) · 2027
