Durga Puja 2023: How Different Is Navratri From Durga Puja?

Durga Puja 2023: Navratri or Shardiya Navratri is a nine-day Hindu festival dedicated to worshipping Goddess Durga and her various forms, believed to have descended on Earth to protect her devotees from evil forces. It is a significant festival celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion throughout India.

Each day of Navratri is associated with a different form of Goddess Durga, and her nine forms are worshipped during the festival. The first three days of Navratri are dedicated to Goddess Durga, the next three days to Goddess Lakshmi, and the last three days to Goddess Saraswati.

This year, Shardiya Navratri 2023 will be observed from Sunday, October 15, 2023, to Tuesday, October 24, 2023.

What Are The Differences Between Navratri & Durga Puja? | Istock

While the western and northern parts of India gears up for Navratri, the east celebrated Durga Puja. Although both festivals are celebrated for a period of nine days, rituals differ from each other.

Why Durga Puja is different from Navratri?

Navratri and Durga Puja are two of the most important Hindu festivals, celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm across India. Both festivals are dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga, but there are some key differences between the two.

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What Are The Differences Between Navratri And Durga Puja

Navratri is a nine-day festival that celebrates the nine different forms of Goddess Durga. It is celebrated all over India, but it is especially popular in North and West India. During Navratri, devotees fast, pray, and perform special rituals to worship Goddess Durga. They also wear different colors on each day of the festival, each of which has a special significance.

What Are The Differences Between Navratri & Durga Puja? | Istock

Durga Puja is a five-day festival that is celebrated mainly in Bengal and other eastern Indian states. It commemorates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. During Durga Puja, devotees build Durga Puja pandals and install idols of Goddess Durga. They also offer prayers and participate in cultural events such as music, dance, and drama.

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Key differences between Durga Puja and Navratri:

How is Navratri related to Durga Puja?

Navratri: Navratri, meaning "nine nights," is a festival dedicated to the worship of the Hindu goddess Durga in her various forms, including Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri, and Siddhidatri. It is a festival that celebrates the divine feminine energy and the triumph of good over evil.

Durga Puja: Durga Puja is specifically dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga. It is a major festival in the eastern part of India, particularly in West Bengal. Durga Puja commemorates the victory of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura and is celebrated with grand processions, cultural events, and elaborate decorations of temporary temples known as "pandals."

Duration of the Festival

Navratri: Navratri spans nine nights and ten days. It is usually celebrated twice a year, once in the spring (Chaitra Navratri) and once in the autumn (Sharad Navratri). The latter is more widely observed and popular.

Durga Puja: Durga Puja is typically celebrated over a period of four days during the Hindu month of Ashwin (September-October). The main days of worship are known as Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, and Dashami.

What Are The Differences Between Navratri & Durga Puja? | Shutterstock

Where is the best Durga Puja in India?

Navratri: Navratri is celebrated throughout India, but it is more prevalent in the western and northern regions. The festival is celebrated with fasting, devotional songs, and traditional dance forms like Garba and Dandiya in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Durga Puja: Durga Puja is most prominent in the eastern Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, and parts of Bihar. The festival in West Bengal is renowned for its grandeur, with elaborate pandal decorations and cultural performances.

When is Durga Puja 2023 starting?

Durga Puja is a famous Hindu festival when Goddess Durga is worshipped. Durga Puja is also known as Sharodotsav or Durgotsava. Durga Puja refers to Shardiya Navratri's five days of festivity and these five days are observed as Shashthi, Maha Saptami, Maha Ashtami, Maha Navami and Vijayadashami. The five-day festival celebrates Goddess Durga's victory over the demon king Mahishasura.

At the heart of it, the festival celebrates the win of good over evil as the festival signifies Goddess Durga's killing of the demon Mahishasura. This year, the festival of Navratri began on Sunday, October 15 and it ends on Tuesday, October 24, 2023.

What Are The Differences Between Navratri & Durga Puja? | Pixabay

Durga Puja, a part of the festival of Navratri, is celebrated from the sixth to the tenth day. Thus these days of Durga Puja are respectively called: Shashsti, Saptami, Ashtami, Navami, and Dashami. This year, it will be celebrated from October 20, 2023, till Tuesday, October 24, 2023.

Both Navratri and Durga Puja are auspicious festivals that celebrate the triumph of good over evil. They are a time for people to come together and worship Goddess Durga, who is revered as a symbol of strength, courage, and compassion.

(Note: Dates/timings may be subject to change; details mentioned here are as per the information available.)

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