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India is a land of festivals and officially the festive seasons have begun. After Eid and Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations, it’s time for Navratri, Durga Puja, and Dussehra. The three biggest festivals that are widely celebrated is a perfect amalgamation of fun and devotion. While we celebrate the nine days praying to Goddess Durga and her nine avatars, there are plenty of things happening around the country. From unusual and unique celebrations to magnum opus pandals and mandaps. (Click here to know why Navratri is celebrated)
As people across the country celebrate the 10 days of festivity with full fanfare, here is your one-stop guide for everything. From Navratri Dance themes to Durga Puja pandal hopping, we have everything covered. From places to eat during this festival and lip-smacking recipes to celeb-inspired fashion tips, follow this festive feed closely.
And in case you find something awesome that others should know too, do let us know in the comments section below.
Dussehra also known as Vijayadashami is celebrated on the 10th day of Navratri. It marks the historic victory of Lord Ram over the evil King Ravana. Effigies of the latter are burnt as a symbol of the victory of good over evil across the country. In the eastern part of India, Vijayadashami is the celebration of Goddes Durga’s triumph over the invincible Buffalo king Mahishasura. Both the legends signify the victory of good over evil.
To know how Dussehra is celebrated across the country, click here. You can also click here to see photos of how people are celebrating Lord Ram’s victory over Ravana.
To know the puja vidhi and muhurat timings of Vijayadashami, click here. And if you are yet to wish your loved ones, family members and friends on this auspicious day, click here for handpicked Vijayadashami and Dussehra greetings.
Here’s how craftsmen prepared Ravana effigies ahead of Dussehra to celebrate the victory of good over evil.
The ninth and the last day of Navratri is known as the Mahanavami. It is also the third day of Durga Puja and the final day of Durga’s fight with the demon Mahishasura, whom she defeated on the tenth day or Vijayadashmi. On this day Durga is worshipped as Mahishasuramardini, which means the Goddess who killed Mahishasura, the buffalo demon.
To know the puja vidhi and muhurat timings of Mahanavami, click here. And if you are yet to wish your loved ones, family members and friends on this auspicious day, click here for handpicked Mahanavami greetings.
And if all you are looking for is some style inspiration for donning the colour purple, then here is how you can take a leaf from the book of Bollywood beauties who have worn purple with elegance before.
Kumari Puja is one of the special attractions of the Durga Puja festival. It is held to celebrate faith on mother nature through a ceremonious worship of young girls as an incarnation of the Divine Mother. Kumari Puja is also known as Kanya Pujan in North India. Bengal celebrates it on Maha Ashtami, the eighth day of Durga Puja, while it is held on the ninth day or the last day of Navaratri in other states of India.
Here is a glimpse of the Kumari Puja ritual in Bengal on Ashtami.
The eighth day of Navaratri, known as Ashtami is regarded as one of the most important days. It is generally believed that the goddess killed Mahishasur on this day and good finally triumphed over evil. Several rituals are performed on this day. The day begins with Maha Ashtami Anjali, where devotees offer their prayers.
If you need some fashion inspiration to go about on this day, you can take a cue from Yami Gautam, Kangana Ranut and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, by clicking here.
The seventh day of the Navratri is known as Maha Saptami and marks the beginning of Maha Pujo. Goddess Durga is evoked on the wee hours of saptami through a religious ceremony known as the bathing of the Navapatrika or the nine plants. These nine plants — pomegranate, banana, ashoke, bel, paddy, colacassia, turmeric, jayanti and arum plant — are believed to represent the nine forms of the goddess and are given a ‘bath’ in the holy river-water of Ganga. Dedicated to Maa Kalaratri, people observe the festivities by dressing up in blue on this day.
And if festive fashion inspiration is what you are looking for this day, take inspiration from Taapsee Pannu and Aditi Rao Hydari on how to don the colour, by clicking here.
To see how people are celebrating Saptami, click here.
Maha Shashti is the formal beginning of Durga Puja in West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, Tripura and other eastern states. It is believed that goddess Durga came to the mortal world after she completed her journey from Kailash to visit her father and brought her children along. It is therefore a part of the traditional celebrations for women to participate in the setting up the Durga ghat before goddess Durga’s idol arrives so as to welcome the daughter to her father’s home.
Get the celebrations started by wishing your loved ones, friends and family members from the collection of Shubho Shashti messages here.
The secular aspect inherent in the worship of Durga is not hard to understand when one looks at the political evolution of the festival. Since the late 18th century, Durga Puja was a mark of status for the Bengali mercantile class before gradually becoming integral to the nationalism project to evoke the spirit of patriotic awakening among the sons of Bengal. In these historical moments, the aura of Goddess Durga had successfully been transferred from the religious to the public domain. Read more here.
The 125 Years old Durga Puja of Beliaghata Sircar family is celebrated in a very traditional form, keeping in mind all the rituals and customs. The lady in the family adorns the Nose ring to Devi Durga on the day of Maha Sasthi on Tuesday.
Red, the colour of love passion and desire, is the colour of celebrations and festive wear on Shashti. Take style tips from beauties like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sonakshi Sinha and Jacqueline Fernandez on how to carry red elegantly, here.
The fifth day of the Navratri festivities is known as Panchami and goddess Skandamata is worshipped. She is the mother of Lord Kartikeya, known as Skanda, and rides a fierce lion holding a baby in her arms. She is popularly depicted in the religious context as a goddess with four arms.
Devotees celebrate the day by donning white — the colour of purity, peace and tranquility on this day. In case you are looking for some fashion inspiration, check out how celebrities like Aditi Rao Hydari, Bipasha Basu and Alia Bhatt, among others made wearing white look beautiful, here.
Meanwhile, click here to see how Dhakis from the suburbs have arrived to join the Pujo celebrations in Kolkata.
While Garba and Dandiya are two of the traditional dances performed during the Navratris, this video with a bunch of women coming together to dance in a crowded train compartment will blow your mind!
On Chaturthi, Devi Kushmanda is worshipped. Also known as the creator of the universe, Kushmanda is also known as the goddess who has the power and capability to reside inside the Sun.
As the festival enters the fourth day, the colour of the day is orange. And if you want to ditch ethnicwear for the weekend and opt for something chic and trendy, here’s how you can do it.
It is believed that Goddess Durga comes to the Earth by four different means. This year the Goddess is said be arriving on a boat. However, for this club in Bengal, every year for last 82 years, she arrives on a boat crossing the river Ganga. To know more about their unique tradition, read here.
Goddess Chandraghanta is worshipped on Tritiya, the third day of the festival. The name of Chandraghanta derives from the fact that after marrying Lord Shiva she started adorning half Chandra (moon) on her forehead. If you want to know more about the goddesses worshipped during the festival read here.
Navratri is celebrated with full fervour in Gujarat. Many events and competitions are planned out during these nine days. Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani recently inaugurated a Garba Festival in Ahmedabad.
As Maa Chandraghanta is worshipped on this day, the Navratri colour of the day is grey. Though an unusual colour during the festive season, here’s how you can slay in style.
After an entire day of fasting, it’s understandable if you don’t want to cook. Here’s a list of places where you can enjoy a good delicious Navratri vrat food, snacks, dinner.
The festivities continue into the second day of Navratri. This is when Goddess Brahmacharini is worshipped. She is the goddess who observes a state of celibacy while doing penance.
With Navratri festivities on in full swing, some women in Gujarat seem to be amping up the celebrations in very unique ways. A video of these women performing Dandiya, wearing the traditional Indian festive wear, is going viral now.
If that wasn’t all, the Internet is unleashing it’s creativity and has even come up with a La La Land-Garba mash-up. Watch the video here.
This, amidst a bevvy of funny tweets on and about Navratri celebrations, because why not!
In case you are away from home, and are yet to join the Pujo celebrations, then click here to see the stunning photos of beautiful Pujo pandals that are being prepared in Kolkata.
With green as the colour of second day of celebrations, take a leaf or two from the fashion book of some of your favourite celebs and how they have rocked the colour in the past.
Watch the video here to check out five unique Pujo pandals in Kolkata you should definitely headed to if you are visiting the city around this time.
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The first day or Navratri is known as Pratipada and Goddess Shailaputri is worshipped on this day. Navratri colour of the day is yellow. It is believed that the colour yellow is believed to be a colour of the planet sun and is dedicated to Maa Shailputri. Here’s how people are celebrating the big day.
Take a look at how your favourite celebrities have worn yellow to perfection in the past and probably imbibe elements of their style into your festive look today?
Like these photos? Click here to see more pictures of people gearing up for the festive season.
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The real fun about festival is celebrating it with your friends and family. So, here are a few greetings to wish your friends this Navratri.
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Each day of the festival is associated with a special colour, so here’s how you can get your fashion game on point this Navratri.
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Any festival is incomplete with food. However, with Navratri, people keep fast while worshipping the Maa Durga. Are you fasting this Navratri? Then check out these easy and healthy vrat recipes here.
Did you know that Navratri fast can also help your dieting? Clik here to know more.
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We have seen Anushka Sharma and Ranbir Kapoor dancing at a silent disco, taking a leaf out of ADHM, Mumbaikars can do SILENT GARBA, this Navratri. Check out all the info here.
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Have you every imagined how it would look if Charlie Chaplin danced to Gujurati folk songs? If you haven’t, then click here to see the legendary actor doing his iconic moves but to desi songs. And if Chaplin is not your style then you can take inspiration from Mr. Bean too!
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One of the main features of Navratri, the nine-day festival honouring the victory of Lord Rama over King Ravana, is the dramatic performance of Ramlila that take place across India. If in Delhi, here are the top five places to see the play this year.
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To evoke and please the goddess prayers, blended with harmonious bhajans, aartis and songs, are offered to the deity. Here is a list of songs, bhajans and aartis that can be played to honour the deity during the nine nights of Navaratri.
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Durga Puja is the biggest festival for Bengalis, not just in Kolkata but around the world. With full fanfare the City of Joy celebrates the five-day gala. Take a look here how the idols are shipped out from the artist’s workshops.
And in case you want to know more about Kumortuli, the famous potters’ hub in Kolkata where these idols are made, watch this video below:
