Best Places to visit During Navratri

Best Places to Visit During Navratri

 

Navratri is a Hindu festival that celebrates the divine feminine in various forms. It is observed for nine nights and ten days in the month of Ashvin or Ashvina, which usually falls in September or October. Navratri is celebrated differently across India, but some common themes are fasting, worshiping, dancing and feasting. Here are some of the best places to visit during Navratri to experience the diverse and vibrant culture of this festival.

- Gujarat: Gujarat is famous for its garba dance, which is performed by people in colorful costumes and jewelry. Garba is a circular dance that involves clapping and spinning around a clay pot with a lamp inside, which represents the goddess Durga. Gujarat also hosts the longest dance festival in the world, called Navratri Mahotsav, which attracts millions of visitors every year.

- West Bengal: West Bengal celebrates Navratri as Durga Puja, which is the biggest festival of the state. Durga Puja honors the goddess Durga, who defeated the demon Mahishasura. People make elaborate idols of Durga and her four children, and display them in pandals or temporary structures. The idols are worshiped for five days and then immersed in water on the tenth day, called Vijayadashami.

- Tamil Nadu: Tamil Nadu observes Navratri as Golu or Kolu, which means display of dolls. People arrange dolls of gods, goddesses, saints, animals and other figures on steps or platforms in their homes. They also invite guests to see their Golu and offer them prasad or sweets. The dolls are believed to bring prosperity and happiness to the household.

- Himachal Pradesh: Himachal Pradesh celebrates Navratri as Kullu Dussehra, which is a unique festival that starts on the tenth day of Navratri, unlike other places where it ends on that day. Kullu Dussehra commemorates the victory of Lord Rama over Ravana, as well as the arrival of Raghunathji, an idol of Rama, to Kullu from Ayodhya. Hundreds of deities from nearby villages are brought to Kullu in colorful processions and placed in a large ground called Dhalpur Maidan. The festival lasts for seven days and ends with a huge bonfire.