Nine nights of Goddess Durga worship; fasting, dance, and devotion

Sharad Navratri, the nine nights of the Goddess in the month of Ashwin, is the most widely celebrated of the four Navratris of the year and the great festival of Shakti. It begins on Ashwin Shukla Pratipada with Ghatasthapana and runs through Navami, crowned by Vijayadashami. The Devi Mahatmya of the Markandeya Purana tells how the gods, unable to defeat the buffalo-demon Mahishasura, pooled their radiance into one blazing form — Durga — who fought him for nine days and slew him on the tenth. Each night honours one of the Navadurga: Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri. Many devotees divide the nights into three for Durga (destroying impurity), Lakshmi (granting abundance) and Saraswati (bestowing wisdom). Across India the festival takes many forms: Garba and Dandiya Raas in Gujarat, Durga Puja in Bengal, Ram Lila in the North, Bommai Kolu in Tamil Nadu, Bathukamma in Telangana and the royal Dasara of Mysuru. Devotees fast, keep an akhand jyoti burning, recite the Durga Saptashati, and close with Kanya Puja on Ashtami or Navami.

Most devotees fast all nine days with one phalahari meal; others fast on Day 1 and Day 8 or 9 only.