One of the most-awaited and widely celebrated festivals in India, Chaitra Navratri is here. Chaitra Navratri is observed in the month of Chaitra as per the Hindu calendar, and it generally falls in the month of March or April each year. This year, Chaitra Navratri will start from April 2 and it will go on till April 11. The nine days festival honours and celebrates the nine forms of Goddess Durga. Devotees observe fast either on the first and last day of Chaitra Navratri or on all the nine days of the festival. While fasting, the devotees have only sattvik meals and they refrain from having Tamsic foods like onion, garlic, meats, eggs, and alchohol. Many devotees also follow a strict diet while fasting wherein they avoid having cereals, certain vegetables and legumes too. Devotees are also forbidden from smoking during this auspicious period.
They also worship the nine avatars of Goddess Durga, one for each day, and seek blessings, good fortune, happiness and health from her. The nine avatars of Goddess Durga are: Shailaputri ("Daughter of Mountain"), Brahmacharini ("Mother of devotion and penance"), Chandraghanta ("Destroyer of demons"), Kushmanda ("Goddess of The Cosmic Egg"), Skandamata ("Goddess of motherhood and children"), Katyayani ("Goddess of Power"), Kalaratri ("Goddess of Auspiciousness and Courage"), Mahagauri ("Goddess of Beauty and Women"), and Siddhidhatri ("Goddess of Supernatural Powers or Siddhis").
