Navratri festival is a nine day long festival which is dedicated to the Goddess Durga and celebrated with great reverence and devotion in the Hindu culture. Celebrations on these nine days are immense and each region has its way of celebrating it. In Northern India, we have Jagruns in these nine days to venerate the goddess Durga. In Gujarat, Gharbha, a type of dance is performed in evening and night. In West Bengal we have huge pandals where the idols of Maa Durga is kept and worshipped for nine days.
These nine days are quite auspicious as per the legends and hence as part of the devotion towards goddess Durga, people keep fast on these days. Some people have this on first day and last day of this festival while other keep these for consecutive eight days. And there are various types of rituals that people carry out like Kirtan, morning and evening prayers. People can only eat fruits and no salt. Only special salt called as Sendha Namak is taken. No rice, wheat, etc can be taken during the fast. On the last of this festival called as Nabmi, fast is taken off.
On the last day, nine girls (Mostly children) are fed food as they depict the nine forms of Goddess Durga. Various types of dishes made for this occasion like Kheer, Puri, Halwa, Chana etc. Nariyal which is kept on the Kalash for past eight days is broken and then cut in small pieces. This is served in Prasad and given to all people. After food is fed to the nine girls, then only people who are doing fast breaks it. They first eat the Prasad and then eat anything else. Excessive food need not to be taken in one go as it can affect your body, so liquid diet is taken first.
Keeping fast increases the concentration and control over the body. Fast can be in any form. Some people do not drink water whole day, while some do not have any type of salt in the diet. So, type of fast depends people to people. It is type of pledge, which keeps the mind and soul of the person in control, said by legends. But it is not easy as said than done. This practice have been in to practice for quite long and followed till now. Some also say that, keeping fast in these days and with true devotion in your heart, makes goddess Durga happy and she blesses the worshipper with wealth and prosperity. Keeping fast is an old tradition in Hindu culture.
But over the years, various things have changed now. As intake of garlic, onion and other non-veg stuff is strictly avoided, various restaurants come up with special meals for this occasion. Some of them have special plates that are meant for the people who are keeping fast. Participating in spiritual programs like Kirtans is considered auspicious on this occasion. And a nice way to celebrate this festival. In West Bengal a very famous dance called as ‘Dhunuchi Nritya’ is quite popular. In this dance woman in white sari with red borders, dance in front of idol of maa Durga, with a pot in the hand, which has dhoop in it.