About Sharad Navratri
Sharad Navratri begins on Pratipada, the first day of the bright half of Ashwin, the day after Mahalaya Amavasya, and runs for nine nights. It celebrates the Goddess Durga and her victory over the buffalo demon Mahishasura, and the tenth day, Vijayadashami or Dussehra, marks that victory. Sharad means autumn, and this is the Navratri most households keep, the other widely kept one being Chaitra Navratri in spring.
On the first day, many homes do Ghatasthapana. A pot of water is set on a bed of soil sown with barley, topped with mango leaves and a coconut, and the Goddess is invited into it. Many homes also light an akhand jyoti, a lamp kept burning for all nine days. Each day is given to one of the nine forms of Durga: Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri. Many people fast for all nine days with fruit and simple food, while others fast on the first and last days.
Every region has its own Navratri. In Gujarat the nights belong to garba and dandiya raas, danced in circles around a lamp in a clay pot. In Bengal, Odisha, Assam and Tripura, Durga Puja takes centre stage from Shashthi, the sixth day, through Saptami, Ashtami and Navami, with pandals, bhog and the dhunuchi dance. In Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, homes set up golu or bombe habba, steps of dolls, and invite friends and neighbours to see them. In the North, Ramlila is staged night after night, building to Ravan dahan on Dussehra.
Ashtami and Navami carry special weight, with kanya puja in many homes. This page follows all nine days, each with its form of the Goddess.
Ghatasthapana is done in the morning of Pratipada, and Navratri can be a day shorter or longer when a tithi is skipped or repeats. Families follow their own tradition for the fast and the puja.