Navaratri – the Durga Puja Festival

Lord Kṛṣṇa blessed Māyādevī by saying: In different places on the surface of the earth, people will give you different names, such as Durgā, Bhadrakālī, Vijayā, Vaiṣṇavī, Kumudā, Caṇḍikā, Kṛṣṇā, Mādhavī, Kanyakā, Māyā, Nārāyaṇī, Īśānī, Śāradā and Ambikā. (SB/10/2/11-12)

Navaratri – the Durga Puja Festival

On the auspicious days of Navaratri we like to present the original Durga-Saptaśatī [सप्तशती] (with Sanskrit and direct English translation). It is just ecstatic to read, how Duga-Devi kills the demons. Every Devotee is happy, when Demons are killed, whoever they are. Please download the original PDF from here:

http://www.harekrsna.de/artikel/Durgasaptashati.pdf
http://www.harekrsna.de/artikel/Durga-saptashati.html

Navaratri – a combination of two Sanskrit words: “Nava” + “Ratri”, basically means “nine nights” in english. Navratri is a nine-day/night long, auspicious festival celebrated all over India every year.

This colourful festival, dedicated to Goddess Durga, is celebrated throughout India with lots of excitement and joy. Among the different Navaratras, celebrated in India, Sharad Navratri is the most essential one, which reveres and pays homage to the goddess Duga-Devi.

The Durga Puja Festival, which celebrates the triumph of good over evil, is marked in West Bengal and neighbouring states as a time for dancing, drumming, eating and worship.

The festival is observed in the Indian calendar month of Ashwin, which corresponds to the months of September–October in the Gregorian calendar, and is a nine/ten-day festival, of which the last three days are of significance. The puja is performed in homes and in the public, the latter featuring temporary stage and structural decorations of goddess Durga. The festival is also marked by scripture recitations, performance arts, revelry, gift giving, family visits, feasting, and public processions.

Durga-puja is an important festival in the Indian culture. The festival marks the victory of goddess Durga in her battle against the shape-shifting asura, Mahishasura. Thus, the festival epitomises the victory of good over evil, though it is also in part a harvest festival celebrating the goddess as the motherly power behind all of life and creation.

Durga-puja coincides with Navaratri and Dussehra celebrations observed by other Indian traditions, in which the Ram-lila dance-drama is enacted, celebrating the victory of Rama against Ravana, and effigies of Ravana are burnt.

Durga-puja has become an inseparable part of Indian culture with innumerable people celebrating this festival in their own unique way while pertaining to tradition.

Saptaśatī (सप्तशती) – The seven hundred ślōkas in praise of Durga-Devi are also known as Devī-māhātmya.

Please also see:
http://www.harekrsna.de/artikel/maya-shakti/maya-shakti.htm