Navratri: Nine different ways of celebrating the festival

Gayatri Sankar

It’s that time of the year when the sounds of dhol and the clapping of dandiya sticks are heard and feet tapping music gets you grooving to some of the most delectable numbers from Bollywood. Decked up in colourful desi attires one gets to feel India within - a nation which celebrates Navratri (meaning nine nights) amidst much pomp and show. Though these festive nine days are dedicated to Shakti or the nine forms of Goddess Durga, people across the country have their unique way of celebrating the festival. While the celebrations in the metropolitan cities have a very commercial feel to it, the traditional way of celebrating Navratri is a very different and far more spiritual.It wouldn’t be possible for an individual to visit the length and breadth of the country during the festive season to experience the fervour of Navratri in ways that are region specific, but this piece can make one go places virtually! Here’s taking a look at how the different states of India celebrate the auspicious nine nights of Navratri:



Tamil Nadu

This Dravidian state adds a religious touch to the celebrations by dedicating the nine special nights to Goddess Durga, Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati. 

Women belonging to the Iyer community invite married women to their homes in the evenings and gift them with accessories like bangles, earrings and other items that are symbolic of their marital status. These are suggestive of prayers for their husbands and their long lives. A coconut, beetle leaves and beetle nuts, and money are also given as gifts to these women. A special recipe called ‘Sundal’ made of lentil seeds and pulses is made on each day and served to the guests. Some people also display a `Golu` at their homes. `Golu` is an arrangement made on a make-shift staircase with nine stairs. Each stair symbolizes each day of Navratri. Decorative items, idols of Gods and Goddesses are placed on the stairs. In most cases, the dolls that are used for the ‘Golu’ are handed over from generation to generation. 


Andhra Pradesh

`Batukamma Panduga` is celebrated during Navratri in Andhra Pradesh, especially in the Telangana region. `Batukamma Panduga` means `Come Alive Mother Goddess`. These nine days are dedicated to Shakti and are celebrated in a very unique way.Women prepare `Batukamma` which is actually a beautiful flower stack, arranged with seasonal flowers, in seven layers. It is made to look like a pot made of flowers. Batuku in Telugu means life and Amma, as we all know, means mother. So, this festival is devoted to celebrating universal motherhood. Women wear silk sarees and gold ornaments and make the most of these nine days to dig a hole in their husband’s pockets!After preparing their respective Batukamma’s, women gather in the evening for the ritual. They place them in the centre and dance around them by singing folk songs dedicated to Goddess Shakti. Then they march towards a lake or any other water body and set afloat their Batukammas.