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to topNAVARATHRI
Occurrence: in the month of Purattasi
Navarathri means nine nights. Number 9 is a mystic number. Any multiplication of it adds up to 9. All the other numbers are held to be contained in it. So is Sakti, who contains all the universe in her and is undisturbed by anything eternal.
The festival is celebrated for nine days following the new moon day of the month of Purattasi (September – October). The tenth day is called,Vijayadasami, it is also called Dasarah or Dussera, the tenth night festival in North India.
Significance
Brahma, Vishnu and Lord Siva are considered to be the Trimurti governing the three eternal functions of Creation, Preservation and Dissolution. Their functional energies are separately considered to be the three saktis namely Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi and they are considered to represent bravery, properity and knowledge respectively.
Durga presides over the first three days, Lakshmi over the second three and Saraswati over the last three days. Let us be reminded that there are really no three deities. Sakti is one. For the sake of the festival they are conceived as three.