Navratri

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Women in festive clothing, Maharashtra

Navratri or Navaratri ( Sanskrit : नवरात्रि = "nine nights") is one of the most important festivals in the Hindu annual cycle. It is mainly celebrated in India and Nepal. There are actually four Navratri festivals, but only Sharada-Navratri, which is often associated with the goddess Durga , has prevailed in the post- monsoon season .

time

The Navratri festival is traditionally celebrated in the month of Ashvin , which falls in the months of September and / or October according to the Gregorian calendar . In some parts of India it is associated with the Dussehra or Ramlila festival and extended by one or more days; The Diwali festival usually begins immediately afterwards .

Regional particularities

Usually the goddess Durga is the focus of the celebrations; Depending on the region, the festival is also associated with the god Rama . The daily work is mostly continued - in rural areas evening dance events are in the foreground, in the cities theater performances are in the foreground of the action; at other events religious texts are read out.

literature

  • Christopher John Fuller: The Camphor Flame: Popular Hinduism and Society in India. Princeton 2004, ISBN 978-0-691-12048-5 , p. 108 ff.

Web links

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