We recently celebrated the Indian autumn festival of Navratri – a ten-day, nine-night festival celebrated every year between September – October.  Navratri is observed in various ways depending on what region of India one is from and is the most important Indian festival only second to Diwali. Navratri symbolizes the victory of positive energy over negativity.

What is Navratri?

Navratri means ‘nine nights’ in Sanskrit; Nav meaning Nine and Ratri meaning nights. During these nine nights and ten days, the three forms of the goddess are invoked — Durga (the goddess of strength/ Mother earth/positive energy), Lakshmi (goddess of wealth and purity) and Saraswathi (goddess of wisdom, music, arts and knowledge). Navratri is at its core an art festival that celebrates the victory of good over evil. Women and girls take a central stage at this festival, as this is a celebration of famine qualities such as dance, music, arts, nature and nurture.

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