Navaratri

Navratri
Murti of Durga upon a tiger during Navaratri, Pune
Also called
  • Navratri
  • Nauratha
  • Nauratri
  • Navarathri
  • Navaratra
  • Naraate
  • Navratan
  • Naurata
  • Nauraat
  • Durga Puja
  • Sharad Utsav
  • Dashain
Observed byHindus
TypeHindu
Celebrations9 nights
Observances
  • Socio-cultural programmes
  • Prayer
  • Fasting
  • Puja
  • Pandal visiting
  • Idol immersion
  • Bonfire prayers are offered to goddess Durga and Parvati
Datemulti-day
2023 date15 Oct (Sun) – 23 Oct (Mon)
2024 date3 Oct (Thu) – 11 Oct (Fri)
FrequencyAnnual
Related toVijayadashami, Dashain
Explanatory note
Hindu festival dates

The Hindu calendar is lunisolar but most festival dates are specified using the lunar portion of the calendar. A lunar day is uniquely identified by three calendar elements: māsa (lunar month), pakṣa (lunar fortnight) and tithi (lunar day).

Furthermore, when specifying the masa, one of two traditions are applicable, viz. amānta / pūrṇimānta. If a festival falls in the waning phase of the moon, these two traditions identify the same lunar day as falling in two different (but successive) masa.

A lunar year is shorter than a solar year by about eleven days. As a result, most Hindu festivals occur on different days in successive years on the Gregorian calendar.

Navaratri[a] is an annual Hindu festival observed in honor of the goddess Durga, an aspect of Adi Parashakti, the supreme goddess. For Shaivites and Shaktas, Durga is a form or actually is Goddess Parvati. It spans over nine nights, first in the month of Chaitra (March/April of the Gregorian calendar), and again in the month of Ashvin (September–October).[2][3] It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Hindu Indian cultural sphere.[2][4] Theoretically, there are four seasonal Navaratris. However, in practice, it is the post-monsoon autumn festival called Sharada Navaratri. There are 2 Gupta Navaratris or "Secret Navaratris" as well, one starting on the Shukla Paksha Pratipada of the Magha Month (Magha Gupta Navaratri) and another starting in the Shukla Paksha Pratipada of Ashadha Month.

  1. ^ Drik Panchag. "Navratri 2020 detailed calendar". Archived from the original on 17 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  2. ^ a b Encyclopedia Britannica 2015.
  3. ^ James G. Lochtefeld 2002, pp. 468–469.
  4. ^ Fuller, Christopher John (2004). The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India. Princeton University Press. pp. 108–109. ISBN 978-0-69112-04-85. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2017.


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