Navratri, inHinduism, majorfestival held in honour of the divine feminine. Navratri occurs over 9 days during the month of Ashvin, or Ashvina (in theGregorian calendar, usually September–October). It often ends with theDussehra (also called Vijayadashami) celebration on the 10th day. In some parts of India, Dussehra is considered a focal point of the festival, making it effectively span 10 days instead of 9. Additionally, as Navratri depends on thelunar calendar, in some years it may be celebrated for 8 days, with Dussehra on the 9th. There are four similar festivals, also called Navratri, which are held at various stages of the year. However, the early autumn festival, also called Sharad Navratri, is the most significant. It begins on the same day asDurga Puja, a 10-day festival devoted to the victory of the goddessDurga, which is particularly celebrated in certain eastern states.

Navratri is celebrated differently in India’s various regions. For many people it is a time of religious reflection and fasting, while for others it is a time for dancing and feasting. Among fasting customs are observing a strictvegetarian diet and abstaining from alcohol and certain spices. Dances performed includegarba, especially inGujarat. Typically, the festival’s nine nights are dedicated to different aspects of the divine feminine principle, orshakti. While the pattern varies somewhat by region, generally the first third of the festival focuses on aspects of the goddessDurga, the second third on the goddessLakshmi, and the final third on the goddessSarasvati. Offerings are often made to the goddesses and their various aspects, and rituals are performed in their honour. One popular ritual isKanya Puja, which takes place on the eighth or ninth day. In this ritual nine young girls are dressed as the nine goddess aspects celebrated during Navratri and are worshipped with ritualfoot washing and given offerings such as food and clothing.

Among some followers of the goddess Durga, who are particularly predominant inBengal andAssam, the festival is known as or coincides with theDurga Puja (“Rite of Durga”). Special images of Durgacommemorating her victory over the buffalo-headed demon Mahishasura are worshipped daily, and on the 10th day (Dussehra) they are taken in jubilant processions to nearby rivers or reservoirs forimmersion in water. In addition to family observances, thepuja, or ritual, days are also celebrated with public concerts, recitations, plays, and fairs.

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In some regions, Dussehra is collected into Navratri, and the entire 10-day celebration is known by that name. Whether throughout the festival or as the 10th day, Dussehra is a time to celebrate the triumphs of good over evil, such as Durga’s victory over Mahishasura. In some parts of India, Dussehra is associated with the victory of the godRama over the demon-kingRavana. In northern India the Ram Lila (“Play of Rama”) is the highlight of the festival. On successive nights different episodes of the epic poem theRamayana are dramatized by young actors elaborately costumed and masked; the pageant is always climaxed by the burning of huge effigies of the demons. Athletic tournaments and hunting expeditions are often organized. Some celebrate by erecting bonfires and burning effigies of Ravana, which are sometimes stuffed with fireworks. In many regions Dussehra is considered anauspicious time to begin educational or artistic pursuits, especially for children.