Time of Navratri

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Navratri literally meaning ‘ nine nights’ is celebrated every year during the beginning of October. However the days vary according to the Hindu Lunar Calendar. The first Navratas are celebrated in the bright two-week period of Shukla Paksha of the lunar month of Ashwani, corresponding to September/October from the 1st to the 9th date of the two-week period. Second Navratras are celebrated during the first nine days of the bright two-week period of Shukla Paksha of the lunar month of Chaitra, corresponding to mid-March to mid-April. The timing of these Navratras coincides with the harvesting season and this adds to the merriment of the festival of Navratri. Places to visit during NavratriAhmedabad is one of the best places to enjoy Navratri.The celebrations include rituals at the temples, nightlong revelry in the form of rasa garbas and dandia ras (traditional singing and dancing), fasting and feasting. Besides Ahmedabad, one can enjoy Navratri celebrations at Baroda, 110 kms from Ahmedabad. The Laxmi Vilas palace of Baroda, rated among the 5 grandest palaces of India, is the site for folk dances organized by the royal family of this princely city. Poshina, 180 kms from Baroda is where you can see the harvest celebrations of the Garasia and Bhil tribals, besides villagers of the Hindu and Jain faith. Balaram, 167 kms from Ahmedabad, is a place of pilgrimage in the Arravalli hills, which is famous for its Navratri celebrations. At Ambaji, 180 kms from Ahmedabad, there is the famous Ambaji Temple where Navratri is celebrated with dances and prayers during the 9 days of Navratri. The fortified hilltop temple town of Pawagadh, around 70 kms from Ahmedabad, has Kali temples worshipped by thousands of pilgrims during Navratri. It will be a colorful experience to witness the celebrations at Kutch, an overnight journey from Ahmedabad with the traditional tribal and rural fairs during Navratri. The most fascinating and colorful celebration of Navratri is perhaps the dandiya-raas and the garba performed throughout Gujarat and in some parts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan. These are dance forms characterized by vigorous yet graceful movements executed to vibrant music In the south, during Navratri, the occasion is also used to invite friends, relatives and neighbours over to look at the Kolu that is arranged. There is a lot of enthusiasm and competition among the young girls in Tamil Nadu who along with their mothers try to create Kolus (decorated dolls) with a different look. Songs are sung and a special sweet known locally as ‘sundal’ made from lentil and brown sugar, is served. In Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, during the festival of Navratri, dolls called Bommai Kolu are placed and decorated. Goddesses Lakshmi, Durga and Saraswati are worshipped for three days each. Gifts of coconuts, clothes and sweets are exchanged. Scenes from various stories in the epics and puranas are enacted.