Navratri Festival

Navratri is a Hindu Festival that literally means “nine nights”. It is, in fact, celebrated for nine nights to honor and worship the nine forms of the Goddess Shakti. This festival comprises a lot of fasting, chanting religious hymns and praying. Some people also express their participation in this festival by sending Navratri greeting to distant relatives. This is different from other festivals in the sense that it is celebrated twice every year. 

Navratri Wallpaper from 365greetings.com

First, in the month of Chaitra, this is between April-May and next is on the month of Ashwin between the months of September-October. The Navrati festival is associated to some other kinds of rituals and ceremonies observed within the celebration.

In Bengal 

Bengalis in India are admired for their ways in worshipping their Goddesses. During Navratri, they perform devotional activities such as songs of praise and dances for the Gods and organize grand processions of their Idols during the tenth day of the festival. During this time, people give praises to pre-adolescent girls whom they consider a holy embodiment of their Goddess Durga. They even offer some things used for their livelihood to the Goddess to gain the blessings of wealth and prosperity.

In Gujarat

In Gujarat, the celebration of Navratri is more of a community affair mostly performing songs of praises and dances. Devotees take time to visit the Amba Mata Temple in Junagarh, Gujarat and there they’ll find earthen pots which are valued as the abode of the Goddess. Gujarati women perform dances around these sacred pots.

In Maharashtra. 

The Goddess Durga is continuously adored for nine days in Maharashtra. While on the tenth day, the Goddess Saraswati is given praises. On the start of the festival itself, they intend to start new beginnings in their life’s endeavors or initiate buying of new ornaments to symbolize hope and blessings of prosperity and wealth.

In Kashmir

In Kashmir, most people celebrate Navratri through religious fasting for nine days with only water and fruits to fill themselves up until the evening. Devotees make it a point to visit the temple of their guardian Goddess Kheer Bhawani amd also the temple of Vaishno Devi.

Navratri Picture from 365greetings.com

In Kerala

The Goddess Saraswati is worshipped by giving honor to things and means that help in the livelihood of people. A temple of the Goddess Saraswati in Kottayam is visited by thousands of devotees from different places during the celebration of Navratri.

Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Mysore, Tamil Nadu. Traditionally in Karnataka as well as in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, women arrange dolls decorated with flowers and ornaments in a specially prepared pathway, offer new clothes and sweets to nine young virgins and married women share flowers and snacks for themselves. Mysore holds the most elegant way of celebrating Navratri. A grand procession of elephants, horse, chariots and costumed attendants pave the way of maharaja as he goes to the hilltop temple to worship the Goddess.

Navratri Greetings for Celebration

As this year's Navratri festival is just in the corner, again, send your greetings to friends and loved one with beautiful Navratri cards and ecards. Some websites that I will suggest are:

• http://www.365greetings.com/events/navratri/
• www.dgreetings.com/navratri/
• http://www.123greetings.com/events/navratri/