The festival of Navratri is right around the corner, a beginning to a month-long festivities that end at Diwali. Dedicated to Goddess Durga, Navratri means 'nine nights' in Sanskrit. During the duration, nine different forms of "Devi" are worshipped. It begins on the first day of the fortnight of the lunar month of Ashwin. Navratri holds not only religious, but also a lot of cultural significance in India. It is physically defined by nights filled with singing, dancing and community celebration.
Dates of the festival depend on the lunar calendar, meaning it changes every year. Navratri is considered a celebration of Goddess Amba. The period is considered to be the most auspicious time to worship Shakti. As per Hindu mythology, there is an entire chapter in the Rigveda, that talks about the devotional sadhanas of Shakti. There is even a foundational Sanskrit epic, where Lord Krishna worshipped Durga, for the victory of the Pandavas. The nine manifestations of Shakti are, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri, and are worshipped as "Nava Durga".
There are different stories and legend to the celebration of Navratri. One of the most well-known story is of the mighty demon Mahishasura, who worshipped Lord Shiva and attained immortality. He soon began killing and harassing innocent people, and set out to win all the three "lokas". To stop him, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva combined their powers together and created Goddess Durga. Fascinated by her beauty, Mahishasura expressed his intention to marry her. She agreed, setting a condition that he would have to win her over in a battle. This battle continued for 9 nights and ended with Durga beheading him. These nine nights came to be known as Navratri, and the tenth day is celebrated as Vijayadashmi, the triumph of good over evil.
The festival is celebrated in different ways in different states, however, the most popular of them all is Garba. A time for the young and the old to shine together, as they dress in "chaniya cholis" or "lehengas" and "kediyus". The occasion is the best time for the youngsters in the Indian community in the UK, to meet each other, and accustom themselves with their culture. Every year, Navratri functions are held in different areas in the UK, especially, South and North London. People of the Indian community find Navratri as yet another reason to meet up and revel in the celebrations.
Navratri Celebrations across UK
Similar to every year, organisations and individuals across the country have arranged for garba parties from October 1st to 11th. Following is a list of events scheduled to host people this Navratri.
Karamsad Samaj UK Navratri Festival 2016
Venue: Nakshatra Snakey Lane, Feltham, TW13 7NA
Timings: Weekdays- 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM
Weekends- 7:30 PM onwards
Contact: Mahendrabhai Patel – 079 5645 8872
Navnat UK's Navratri 2016
Venue: Navnat Centre Printing House Lane, Hayes, UB3 1AR
Timings: 7:30 PM onwards
Contact: Kirit Batavia – 079 0468 7758, 020 8445 6890
Hemant Chauhan Performing Live
Venue: Lakeview Marquee, Forest Road, Fairlop Waters, Barkingside 1G6 3HN
Timings: Weekdays- 7 PM to 11 PM
Weekends- 7 PM onwards
Contact: Vishaldeep – 020 8471 4500
Shree Sorathia Prajapati Community UK
Venue: Alec Reed Academy, Bengarth Road, Northolt, Middlesex, UB5 5LQ
Timings: Weekdays- 8 PM to 11 PM
Weekends- 8 PM to 12 AM
Contact: Ileshbhai Yadav – 079 5898 0366
