These initial days are dedicated to Durga Maa, the Goddess of power and energy. Her various manifestations, Kumari, Parvati and Kali are all worshipped during these days. They represent the three different classes of womanhood. These include the child, the young girl and the mature woman.

4rth - 6th days of Navarati

During these days, Lakshmi Maa, the Goddess of peace and prosperity is worshipped. On the fifth day which is known as Lalita Panchami, it is traditional to gather and display all literature available in the house, light a lamp or 'diya' to invoke Saraswati Maa, the Goddess of knowledge and art.

7th - 9th days of Navaratri

These final days belong to Saraswati Maa who is worshipped to acquire the spiritual knowledge. This in turn will free us from all earthly bondage. But on the 8th and 9th day of this colourful festival, yagna (holy fire) is performed as a farewell gesture to all the Goddesses.Ghee (clarified butter), kheer (rice pudding) and sesame seeds form the holy offering to Goddess Durga Maa.

Rituals during the day time

During the day of the Navratri period, devotees of Durga Maa celebrate with pooja (prayers) and fasting for health and prosperity.Prasad (holy gifts) in the form of coconuts, clothes and Indian sweets are offered.Flowers and garlands adorn the Godly images which are placed in a mandir (special shrine) in each household. During these nine days, an attractively created colourful clay pot with a ‘diya’ (light) is ceremoniously placed near the shrine of the Goddess. This is call a ‘garbo’. The ‘garbo’ symbolises the human body, while the ‘diya’ represents the soul or ‘atma’.According to the Hindu religion, these various attributes contribute to the spiritual development of the individual.

Rituals during evenings

The evenings are usually reserved for the fascinating and colourful dance ritual call 'garba' or 'dandya raas' which is a more vibrant and colourful form of Durga Maa worship. Garba is normally performed in a graceful circular fashion around the ‘mandvi’ by women wearing colourful embroidered choli, ghagra and bandhani dupattas together with dazzling jewellery.Religious, devotional and folk songs are performed throughout the evening.Towards the end of the garbas, it is usual to perform a special prayer call ‘aarti’ to invoke Goddess Durga Maa’s blessings. Dandya Raas or the so called ‘stick dance’ normally follows after the ‘aarti’. Both men and women can join in with this dance which involves holding a pair of colourfully decorated sticks or dandiyas.

Vijayadashmi or Dusshera

The 10th day which immediately follows the Navratri festival is known as Vijaya Dasmi or Dassera. This day is of immense mythological significance.The highlight of the tenth day is the burning of the effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhakarna and his son Indrajit. The bigger the effigy, the grander the performance. It is customary to fill the effigies with firecrackers so that the message that good triumphs over evil is heard loud and clear.It is believed that any new ventures started on this auspicious day will be successful in the long run. And so ends the glorious festivities surrounding this most significant of Hindu religious festivals.