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Festival
of Navratri -
from 06 April to 14 April
The festival of Navratri (nav = nine and ratri = nights) lasts for 9 days with three days each devoted to worship of Maa
Durga, the Goddess of Valor, Ma Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth and Maa
Saraswati, the Goddess of Knowledge. During the nine days of
Navratri, feasting and fasting take precedence over all normal daily activities amongst the Hindus. Evenings give rise to the religious dances in order to worhip Goddess Durga
Maa.
The 9 nights festival of Navratri begins on the first day of Ashwina of the bright fortnight. Seeds are sown, sprouting is watched, the planets are consecrated, and on the 8th and 9th days, Goddess
Durga, Vijayashtami and Mahanavami are worshipped. The Devi Mahatmya and other texts invoking the Goddess who vanquished demons are cited.
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