("nine
evenings") The Goddess is honored twice a year with a festival devoted to
her.
The spring Navaratri takes place in the bright, waxing half
of the lunar month Chaitra (March–April), while the autumn Navaratri takes
place in the brilliant half of the lunar month Ashvin (September–October).
Each Navaratri festival lasts for the first nine nights of
these lunar months, culminating in a festival honoring the deity Rama: Ram
Navami in Chaitra and Dussehra in Ashvin.
The autumn Navaratri is significantly more important than
the spring Navaratri.
In Bengal, where the Goddess is the major regional goddess,
the autumn Navaratri is celebrated with zeal.
Large processions with intricately adorned clay
representations of the Goddess define Bengali Navaratri.
Individuals, companies, trade unions, and neighborhood
groups commission these photographs.
It is a symbol of significant prestige to have the greatest
image.
During the weeks leading up to Navaratri, Bengali children
are excused from school, state employees are given vacation, and Calcutta's
energy supply is uninterrupted— a phenomena termed the Navaratri
"miracle" since shortages and outages are prevalent the rest of the
year.
The purpose of the Navaratri festivities is to win the favor
of the Mother Goddess, especially in her strong manifestations like Durga.
Devotees (bhakta) execute a variety of ceremonies during the
course of these nine nights.
Some others fast (upavasa) and worship at home, consecrating
temporary representations of the Goddess to be used throughout the festival.
Devotees may also worship young girls as incarnations of the
Goddess, or sponsor readings of the Devimahatmya, the Goddess's oldest and most
significant literature.
They may also worship the Goddess as Navadurga, with each of
the nine nights honoring a different manifestation of the Goddess.
Another typical custom is to harvest barley shoots, which
are sometimes worn on the festival's final day.
The Goddess, among other things, symbolizes the feminine
force of fertility and birth, hence this tradition alludes to the festival's
aim.
The spring festival is celebrated in northern India before
the crops are sown.
Wearing sprouted grain is an effort to appease the Goddess
in order for the harvest to thrive.
After the harvest, when this promise of fruition has been
realized, the autumn Navaratri is observed as a time of thankfulness for the
benefits received.
The Goddess also symbolizes the victory of good over evil;
on these occasions, the Devimahatmya is recited aloud to remind listeners of
the Goddess' wonderful achievements and to assure them of her continuous
protection.
