Nine nights of Navaratri: The festival that carries multiple mythological threads

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The festive season is in full swing. A little girl in Chennai arranges her grandma’s 70-year-old Dashavataram set on the third tier of the traditional kolu padi , decorated with dolls and serial lights. In Ahmedabad, a couple dressed in traditional garba attire is excited about dancing with friends till late into the night. In Mysuru, a man carries his son on his shoulders near Amba Vilas to ensure he gets a clear view of the grand Jamboo savari. In Kolkata, a group of girls is all decked up and ready to go pandal-hopping while in Delhi, children eagerly await the staging of the dramatic Ramlila, particularly the burning of the Ravana effigies .

This description offers vivid imagery of Navaratri celebrations across the country. The nine-day festival, that culminates on the tenth day as Dussehra, stands out for its remarkable diversity. Yet these varied traditions stem from the same concept: the victory of good over evil and the honouring of Shakti, the divine feminine power.

The event begins the day after Mahalaya Amavasya , when Sharad Navaratri begins , marking the onset of Sharad Ritu (autumn season). It is nine nights of rituals, dancing, singing, fasting and feasting and temple visits.

In Telangana, Navaratri is uniquely celebrated through bathukamma , the state’s vibrant floral festival. The festival is also marked with traditional dolls — bommala koluvu in Andhra Pradesh , bombe habba in Karnataka. Karnataka is known for its grand Dussehra celebrations in Mysuru . The city of Mysuru is named after demon Mahishasura himself. The famous Chamundi Hills is where the goddess is said to have slain Mahishasura.

The Dusserah festival in Kulasai (Kulasekarapattinam). Some devotees transform themselves Goddess Kali, while others don the guises of local deities. | Photo Credit: S.R. Raghunathan

Tamil Nadu has its own in the form of Kulasai Dussehra. Every year, the coastal town of Kulasekarapattinam transforms into a stage of devotion during Dussehra. Thousands of devotees arrive in vibrant costumes, embodying gods, demons, and epic characters, as the beats of naiyandi melam echo through the night. If Mysuru is Dussehra at its most regal, Kulasai is Dussehra at its most raw and visceral.

Another staple is kolu, a display of dolls arranged in a traditioal manner or based on a theme, ranging from mythology to contemporary subjects. Often a new doll is added each year to the collection. The ninth day is celebrated as Ayudha Pooja, which involves the worship of weapons and tools used in daily life and also Saraswati Pooja, while the tenth day is Vijayadasami.

A new range of idols representing scenes from the Ramayana are among the items on display at the sales-cum-exhibition organised by Poompuhar showroom in Tiruchi. | Photo Credit: R. Vengadesh

For Tamil Nadu’s Kolu, here is a visual story from The Hindu.