Navratri is a festival that millions of people wait for every year with great excitement. It is a celebration of nine days where we worship Goddess Durga in her different forms, follow rituals, and enjoy music, dance, food, and colours. Navratri 2025 is again set to bring joy and togetherness. If you are wondering how to celebrate the festival or about the best things to do during Navratri this year, here’s your brief guide.
Understanding Navratri 2025
Navratri 2025 will start on 22nd September 2025 and end with Vijaydashmi on 2nd October 2025. During this period, each day is dedicated to one form of Goddess Durga.
- Day 1 (Shailputri): Goddess of calm and strength.
- Day 2 (Brahmacharini): Known for devotion.
- Day 3 (Chandraghanta): Brings courage.
- Day 4 (Kushmanda): Spreads positivity.
- Day 5 (Skandamata): A caring motherly form.
- Day 6 (Katyayani): Fierce and brave.
- Day 7 (Kalaratri): Removes negativity.
- Day 8 (Mahagauri): Pure and kind.
- Day 9 (Siddhidatri): Gives wisdom and blessings.
The last day (10th day) ends the celebration with Dussehra or Vijaydashmi.
Cultural and Spiritual Activities
One of the most important things to do in Navratri is to follow cultural and spiritual practices. Here are the three major things you must consider:
Temple Visits: You can visit famous temples like Vaishno Devi in Jammu, Chamunda Devi in Himachal, or Ambaji Temple in Gujarat. If not, you can also visit your nearby Dugra temple.
Puja at Home: This goes without saying. You can have a ghatasthapana or kalash setup, light diyas, chant Durga prayers, and offer flowers and fruits. These are some simple things needed for Navratri puja.
Fasting: You can also fast during these nine days. Some eat only fruits and milk, while others follow a diet with vrat-friendly foods.
Dance & Celebration
How can Navratri be complete without Garba and Dandiya? It is an integral part of the celebration, especially in cities like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Mumbai and Delhi. For these garba nights, partake in events and dance in groups wearing colourful clothes. Undoubtedly, this is one of the most exciting things to do during Navratri.
Dress & Decor Inspirations
Indian festivals are synonymous with dress and decor. It is because clothes and home decor add charm to the festival. During Navaratri 2025, each day has a special colour. You can follow this colour code and have a great time celebrating the festival.
- Day 1 is Yellow
- Day 2 is Green
- Day 3 is Grey
- Day 4 is Orange
- Day 5 is White
- Day 6 is Red
- Day 7 is Royal Blue
- Day 8 is Pink
- Day 9 is Purple
For home decor, use flowers, rangoli, and diyas to brighten the puja room.
Food & Fasting Delights
Food is very special during Navratri, especially for those who fast. Some of the tasty delicacies to eat during the Navratri fast are
- Popular Foods: Sabudana khichdi, kuttu puri, aloo tikki, and singhara pakoras.
- Snacks: Roasted makhana, dry fruits, coconut ladoos, etc.
- Sweets: Rajgira laddus, lauki halwa.
So, while fasting, you can still enjoy delicious food that is light and healthy.
Travel & Pilgrimage Suggestions
If you want to experience Navratri in different ways, travelling is certainly a good idea.
- For spiritual trips, you can visit Vaishno Devi (Jammu), Chamunda Devi (Himachal), and Ambaji (Gujarat).
- For cultural hotspots, consider Ahmedabad and Vadodara for Garba, Kolkata for Durga Puja, and Varanasi for evening Ganga Aarti.
- If you want to experience unique rituals, then in Mysuru, Karnataka, you can witness “Pili Yesa” or Tiger Dance, a vibrant folk dance where performers paint their bodies with tiger stripes and patterns to imitate the animal’s movement and ferocity. This traditional dance is performed during Navratri to honour Goddess Durga, whose sacred animal is the tiger.
Conclusion
Navratri is definitely more than just a festival. It is pure nine days of devotion, dance, food, and joy. From puja rituals at home to joining Garba nights, there are endless things to do during Navratri.
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