The festival is also celebrated with intense fervor and zest,
in whole of India, in the form of Durga Puja. The vibrant festivities last for
ten days, of which nine nights are spent in worship. But the celebrations vary
from place to place.
West Bengal
In West-Bengal (specially in the city of Kolkata), Navaratri
is celebrated in the form of Durga
Puja (click
here to know more about Durga
Puja). This festival is essentially religious in nature. Celebrated
with true devotion, huge idols of the Goddess Durga posed as killing the demon
Mahishasura are worshipped everywhere in West Bengal. Huge 'pandals' are set
up every where beautiful idols of the Goddess are decorated and adorned, and
worshipped until they are finally immersed on Dashami, the last day of the puja.
Devotees in large numbers visit to worship Goddess Durga. Men and women and
children all dressed up in new clothes visit different ‘pandals’
to offer prayers to the Mother Goddess. The ceremonies are conducted amidst
grand prayers, overnight pandal hopping and mass feeding. This is one of the
biggest and most important festivals for the people of West Bengal. Currently,
Durga Puja is famous all over he world.
Gujarat
The most famous Navaratri celebrations are held in the western
states of India (Gujarat and Maharashtra). Traditional dances in the form of
Dandiya and Garba take place almost everywhere. The dancers move around in a
circle, with different steps around a lamp, which signifies the Eternal Light
of the Durga. Generally Gujarati men and women wearing colorful dresses dance
around in a circle by clapping their hands or decorated sticks to the rhythm
of the devotional songs. After worshipping and 'Aarti', 'Dandiya raas' is performed
all through the night.
Maharashtra
In Maharashtra, celebrations are slightly different. Navratri
is dedicated to Goddess Durga while the Vijayadashami is dedicated to Saraswati,
the Goddess of Knowledge. Here, this day is considered auspicious to start education,
buy new homes, and start new ventures.
Himachal Pradesh
In the Kulu valley of Himachal Pradesh, the hill-folk celebrate
Dasara with a grand mass ceremony. On the day of Dusshera, village deities are
taken out in elaborate processions.
Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh
In Tamil Nadu, the first three days are dedicated to the worship
of Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and prosperity. During this time they perform
puja every night and regular cleaning is maintained all throughout because it
is believed that Lakshmi would not enter if the place is dirty. The next three
days are devoted to Saraswati, the Goddess of learning and arts and the last
three days to Shakti (Durga). In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, women arrange
'Bommai Kolu', a special placing of dolls in various costumes decorated with
flowers and ornaments on specially prepared steps. Nine young 'kanyas' or virgins
are offered new clothes and sweets as the goddesses and married women share
flowers, kumkum and snacks among themselves. The Dusshera of Mysore is also
quite famous where decorated elephants lead a colourful procession through the
gaily-dressed streets of the city. During Navaratri Chamundi, the royal deity
of the Mysore royalty is worshipped with pomp and religious fervor. In the South
Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, the festival of Navratri
is celebrated in a different manner. Women adorn their houses with dolls (Bommai
Kolu), draw traditional designs or rangolis (patterns made on the floor by using
various coloured powders and flowers), and light lamps. During this festival
(also known as Kolu in the state of Tamil Nadu), families proudly display traditional
wooden dolls and gather to sing songs and depict scenes from the various epics,
for a period of ten days. Another runaway hit is the sundal, a special sweet
made from lentil and brown sugar. Families and friends exchange the traditional
gifts of coconuts, clothes and sweets on this occasion.
Punjab
Navratri is celebrated in Punjab by fasting for seven days.
On the eighth day or Ashtami, the fast is broken by worshipping young girls
who are believed to symbolize the Goddess herself. This festival is predominantly
linked with harvest. The young girls are offered puris (sort of deep-fried Indian
bread), halwa (a dessert primarily made of flour and sugar), chanas (Bengal
gram) and red chunnis (long scarves).
In different states of India especially around the North, the
Ram Leela is performed during Navratri. It is the staged enaction of the Ramayana.
This is the day according to the Ramayana when Lord Ram killed the demon Ravana
and hence this day marks the victory of good over evil. The day after Navratri
(i.e the tenth day) is known as Dassera. In many parts of India this is also
referred to "Vijaya Dashmi" and is celebrated with equal pomp and
glory associated with Divali.
In northern India, on the tenth day (Dassera) giant effigies
of Lord Rama's enemies of the demon king Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and
son Meghnad, are publicly burnt. But despite the various ways in which this
festival is celebrated the feature that is common is that of the worship of
the mother goddess.
The highlights of the festival are the extremely colourful
dances of Garbha and Dandiya-Rasa during which, both men and women dressed in
the traditional attires of dhoti-kurta (traditional Indian attire worn by menfolk,
comprising a long shirt and a long flowing garment worn over the lower part
of the body), and chania-choli (mirror-work skirts and blouses), put up stunning
performances to the vibrant rhythm of music. These dances are performed around
the traditionally decorated terracotta pot called the garbi that has a small
diya (lamp) burning inside signifying knowledge, or light meant to dissipate
the ignorance, or darkness, within. Dholak players (drummers) accompany the
dancers, and groups of singers sing songs handed down generations.
Today the commercialisation of these dances seems evident,
with the traditional and delicate rhythms being replaced by alternate forms
that are quite far-removed from the original versions.
As a dance form, the Garbha is mainly performed by women. The
leader starts with the first line of the song. Other dancers who sway gracefully,
with their arms describing movements in perfect synchrony to the rhythmic clapping,
or beating of sticks then pick this up.
Yet another variation of the Garbha is the Goph Guntan, or
the string dance. As the dancers execute the movements, they hold on to one
end of a rope in strands, while the other end of the rope is tied either to
the ceiling or a wooden pole. Gradually, as the dancers weave in and around
each other, a braid is formed. It is quite an interesting sight as it takes
a certain degree of skill and accuracy to intertwine and untangle the braid
without falling out of pace.
Another dance form that is popular during the Navratri celebrations
is the Dandiya-Rasa, performed mostly by menfolk forming complex circular patterns
to represent the lotus and other floral designs. These dancers hold the dandiyas
(small wooden sticks with tiny bells attached at the ends) and dance in complex
concentric circles. The dancers rhythmically beat the sticks even during a series
of complicated moves that they must execute while sitting, standing or lying
down.
Different communities have different variations of these dances.
and the heady mix of jubilation and enthusiasm is all-pervasive.
