Navratri: Everything a Beginner Needs to Know
The lamps are lit, the kolam is drawn, the Golu is arranged and the sweet smell of fresh sundal and payasam fills the house. This is how Navratri begins in many homes. If you are new to the festival, or have celebrated it for years without knowing the reason behind each ritual, this guide is for you.
In this post, I explain why Navratri is celebrated, what each of the nine days means, how it is observed across India, which prasadam to offer, how to keep the vrat and set up Golu, and how to celebrate it correctly without stress.
Let's begin.😀
What Is Navratri?
"Navratri" simply means nine nights. Nav means nine and ratri means night.
For these nine nights and days, we worship Goddess Durga (Shakti, the divine mother) in her nine forms. The tenth day is Vijayadashami, also called Dussehra.
There are actually four Navratris in a year, but two are the most popular:
• Chaitra Navratri in March–April (spring)
• Sharad Navratri in September–October (autumn)
Sharad Navratri, which falls in the month of Ashwin, is the biggest and most widely celebrated one. When people just say "Navratri", they usually mean this one.
When Is Navratri Celebrated? (General Dates)
Navratri does not fall on the same English date every year, because it follows the Hindu lunar calendar (panchang), not the regular calendar. The tithi (lunar day) is fixed, but the date moves.
• Sharad Navratri: starts on Ashwin Shukla Pratipada, the first day after the new moon (Amavasya) in the month of Ashwin. It usually falls between late September and mid-October.
• Chaitra Navratri: starts on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada, usually between mid-March and mid-April. It ends with Ram Navami.
• Number of days: nine nights, followed by the tenth day, Vijayadashami / Dussehra.
• Day 1: Ghatasthapana (Kalash Sthapana), done in the morning during the auspicious muhurat.
• Durga Ashtami and Maha Navami: the 8th and 9th days. Sometimes a tithi is skipped or doubled, so Ashtami and Navami can fall on the same day, or the festival can seem to run 8 or 10 days.
• The day before Navratri: Mahalaya Amavasya, which is when many families set up their Golu.
How to find the exact date each year:
Check your family panchang, a local temple calendar, or a trusted Hindu calendar app and search for "Sharad Navratri" with the current year. Ghatasthapana muhurat and Ashtami timing can differ a little by city, so please go by your local panchang.
(There are two other Navratris, Ashadha/Gupt Navratri and Magha/Paush Navratri, which are mostly observed by devotees who follow specific traditions.)
Why Is Navratri Celebrated? The Story Behind It
There are two beautiful stories, and both say the same thing: good always wins over evil.
1. Goddess Durga and Mahishasura
A powerful demon named Mahishasura got a boon that no man could defeat him. He became proud and started troubling the devas and the whole world. All the gods then combined their energies, and Goddess Durga was born. She fought Mahishasura for nine nights and defeated him on the tenth day. That is why we worship her for nine nights, and the tenth day is celebrated as Vijayadashami, the day of victory.
2. Lord Rama and Ravana
In many parts of North India, Dussehra is the day Lord Rama defeated Ravana. That is why you see big Ramlila performances and the burning of Ravana's effigy.
The season also matters. Sharad Navratri comes when the weather is changing. Our elders felt this was a good time to eat light, clean the body and mind, and turn inward. That is the idea behind the fasting too.
The Significance of Navratri in Simple Words
• It reminds us that Shakti (strength) is always within us.
• The nine days are like a journey: first we remove negativity (Durga), then we welcome prosperity (Lakshmi), and finally we gain wisdom (Saraswati). In many traditions, three days are given to each of these three goddesses( ie )first three days for Goddess Durga the next 3 days for Goddess Lakdhmi and last three days for Goddess Saraswati.
• It is a time to clean our home, our habits and our mind.
• It is a family and community festival, full of music, colour, food and togetherness.
The Nine Forms of Durga (Navadurga) and the Nine Days
Each day is for one form of the Goddess. Here is the day-wise list. The colours people wear change every year according to the weekday Navratri starts on, so don't worry if you see a different colour list elsewhere. Wearing the colour is a lovely tradition, not a rule. And common prasadam or bhog varies from home to home.The list below is one common sequence.
How Is Navratri Celebrated Across India?
One of my favourite things about Navratri is how every region celebrates it in its own way.
Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka: Golu / Bommai Kolu
Homes set up steps (usually 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11, always odd numbers) and decorate them with dolls. Neighbours are invited, women get thamboolam (betel leaves, nuts, kumkum, turmeric and small gifts), and every evening a different sundal is made as prasadam. The last days include Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja, when we worship books, tools and instruments. In Karnataka, Mysuru Dasara is a royal celebration famous across the country.
Gujarat: Garba and Dandiya
Every night people dress in bright chaniya cholis and kediyas and dance in circles around a lamp or an image of the Goddess. Music, dance and devotion go together.
West Bengal and the East: Durga Puja
Huge pandals are built and beautiful Durga idols are worshipped. The last days have Sandhi Puja, dhunuchi dance and sindoor khela, and then the idol is immersed in water on Dashami.
North India: Kanya Puja and Ramlila
Many families fast for nine days. On Ashtami or Navami, nine little girls are invited, their feet are washed, and they are fed puri, halwa and chana as a form of the Goddess. On Dussehra, big effigies of Ravana are burnt.
Maharashtra:
Families start with Ghatasthapana and sow grains in a pot. On Dussehra, people exchange apta leaves as a symbol of gold and goodwill.
Kerala:
The last days are famous for Saraswati Puja and Vidyarambham, when small children are introduced to their first letters.
Himachal Pradesh:
The famous Kullu Dussehra begins on Vijayadashami and goes on for a week with temple deities carried in procession.
Golu (Bommai Kolu): How to Keep Golu Step by Step
Golu is the heart of Navratri in many South Indian homes. The word Golu (or Kolu) means "divine presence", and Bommai Kolu means a display of dolls. We set up the dolls to welcome the Goddess into our home. Don't worry if you have never done it before. Here is the whole process in simple steps.
1. Decide how many steps (padi)
Golu is arranged on steps in odd numbers: 3, 5, 7, 9 or 11. If you are starting for the first time, 3 or 5 steps is perfectly fine. You can use a wooden golu stand, a ladder-style stand, or even stack sturdy boxes, tables or a bookshelf and cover them with a cloth.
2. Choose the day to set up
Most families set up Golu on the day before Navratri starts (the Amavasya / Mahalaya day) or on the first morning, so that everything is ready for the evening puja on Day 1. Many people start a few days early to arrange things slowly. Follow your family's custom.
3. Clean and cover the steps
Wash or wipe the stand and place it in a clean corner of your hall or puja room, facing a wall. Cover each step with a clean cloth. White, red, yellow or colourful sarees and sheets all look lovely. Put some kolam (rangoli) in front.
4. Place the Kalasam first
Before anything else, set up the kalasam on the top step or in front of the Golu. Fill a pot or silver/brass kalash with water and rice or raw rice, add a few betel leaves, a coin and a pinch of turmeric, put mango leaves around the mouth and place a coconut smeared with turmeric on top. Light a lamp and offer flowers. Now the Goddess is invited, and everything else follows.
5. Place the Marapachi bommai
The Marapachi couple (a pair of wooden dolls, usually dressed as a bride and groom) are the first dolls to be placed. They are passed down in many families and are kept on the top steps. If you don't have them, you can buy a pair; they are traditionally made of wood and are considered auspicious.
6. Arrange the dolls (a simple order to follow)
There is no strict rule, but this is the common way:
• Top steps: Gods and goddesses such as Ganesha, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Durga, Perumal, Murugan, the Dasavatharam set and Ashtalakshmi set.
• Middle steps: Saints, gurus, great teachers and leaders, and also wedding sets or scenes from stories like Ramayana.
• Lower steps: Human figures, daily life scenes such as the market, farmers, the Chettiar set, kitchen sets, and the school or temple scenes.
• Bottom steps / floor: Animals, birds, trees, toys and parks or villages (made with mud, small figurines, sand, real plants and water). Many children love building the park scene, and it can be a fun family activity.
7. Choose a theme (optional but fun)
Many families now keep a theme every year: a Ramayana scene, a village, a temple, a school, a wedding, a "save nature" scene, or a story from your own family. Children enjoy making this part and it's a lovely way to tell them stories.
8. Light and decorate
Add small lights, flowers, garlands and lamps around the Golu. A few diyas look beautiful, but please keep them safe and away from cloth and dolls.
9. Evening puja every day
Each evening during Navratri:
• Light the lamp near the Golu and the kalasam.
• Offer flowers and kumkum.
• Sing or play a simple devotional song: Lalitha Sahasranamam, Abirami Anthathi, Mahishasura Mardini Stotram or any bhajan the family loves.
• Offer naivedyam, usually a different sundal each day, and do aarti.
• Share the prasadam with the family.
10. Invite guests and give thamboolam
Golu is also a celebration of friendship. In the evenings, invite relatives, neighbours and friends. Guests visit, see the Golu, sing a song or enjoy music, and the host gives thamboolam (a bag with betel leaves, betel nuts, turmeric, kumkum, a fruit or coconut, a small gift like a bangle, blouse piece, or a steel container) along with sundal. You can keep the gifts simple and meaningful.
11. Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja
On the Saptami/Ashtami/Navami days, many families keep their books, pens, notebooks, musical instruments, tools and even their laptop or vehicle in front of the Goddess and do a puja. Children are asked not to study on that day, as the books are resting with the Goddess. On Vijayadashami morning, we take them back and begin with a little reading or practice, which is considered very auspicious for beginning new learning.
12. Closing the Golu on Vijayadashami
On the last day (Vijayadashami), do a final puja and offer a sweet, such as ney payasam or milk. Many families then gently tilt or lay down one of the Marapachi dolls as a symbol that the celebration is complete (this is called Golu uthvasanam in some homes). The next day, the dolls are carefully wiped, wrapped and stored for next year. Keep the kalasam rice and coconut for cooking and sharing as prasadam.
Beginner tips for Golu
• Start small. Even a few dolls on 3 steps with a kalasam is a proper Golu.
• Keep it clean and safe. Place the steps on a stable surface so children and guests are safe.
• Take photos of your set-up each year. They become precious memories.
• If you cannot keep Golu for some reason, you can simply light a lamp and offer a sundal every day, and visit someone else's Golu. That is also complete devotion.
• Customs differ between families and regions, so follow what your elders do.
Navratri Prasadam Recipes
Click a recipe to see the full step-by-step method
Payasam
Sundal Varieties
Rice Varieties
Tip: Keep it simple. A small bowl of freshly made, clean food offered with love is better than ten dishes made in a hurry.
Navratri Vrat Vidhi: How to Keep the Fast
Fasting is optional and depends on your family tradition and your health. Some people fast for all nine days, some only on the first and last days, and some on Ashtami and Navami only. Some simply eat sattvic vegetarian food without onion and garlic. All are accepted.
Foods commonly eaten during Navratri vrat:
• Fruits, milk, curd, paneer, ghee
• Sabudana (sago), makhana (fox nuts)
• Kuttu atta (buckwheat), singhara atta (water chestnut), rajgira (amaranth)
• Sama rice (barnyard millet)
• Potato, sweet potato, pumpkin and other allowed vegetables
• Peanuts, nuts and seeds
• Sendha namak (rock salt) in place of normal table salt
Foods usually avoided:
• Wheat, rice, most dals and pulses
• Onion and garlic
• Regular salt
• Non-vegetarian food and alcohol
(In South Indian homes, many families do not follow the North Indian flour list. They just eat simple, sattvic, home-cooked vegetarian food, and fast fully only on special days. Follow what your family has been doing.)
Easy vrat dishes: sabudana khichdi, kuttu puri, singhara atta paratha, sama rice pongal, makhana kheer, fruit and curd bowls.
A small health note: Please do not fast strictly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, diabetic, elderly, unwell or taking regular medicines. Drink enough water or coconut water, and break your fast gently with something light. If in doubt, ask your doctor. Devotion does not need you to hurt your body.
Simple Puja Vidhi: How to Celebrate Navratri Correctly
You don't need to be perfect. Here is an easy step-by-step way for beginners.
Before Navratri starts
1. Clean your home, especially the puja room.
2. Buy flowers, fruits, a coconut, kumkum, turmeric, incense, camphor, ghee/oil for the lamp and a clean red or yellow cloth.
Day 1: Ghatasthapana (Kalash Sthapana)
1. Wake up early, bathe and wear clean clothes.
2. Place a clean plate or tray in your puja area and spread a layer of soil or sand. Sow barley or any grain seeds on it.
3. Fill a kalash (pot) with water, put mango leaves around the mouth and keep a coconut on top. This kalash represents the Goddess.
4. Do this during the auspicious muhurat on the first day. The timing is different each year and for each city, so check your local panchang. The morning hours are usually preferred.
5. Light a lamp (akhand jyoti is optional) and offer flowers.
Every day
1. Light the lamp morning and evening.
2. Offer flowers, kumkum and the day's bhog.
3. Chant or play a simple mantra or stotram like Durga Chalisa, Lalitha Sahasranamam, Mahishasura Mardini Stotram or Durga Saptashati (even one chapter a day is fine).
4. Do aarti with camphor and share the prasadam with the family.
5. Wear the day's colour if you like.
6. Water the barley seeds daily. By Dashami, they will have grown green, a sign of prosperity.
Ashtami / Navami
• Do Kanya Puja: invite young girls, wash their feet with respect, apply tilak, feed them and give small gifts.
• In South India, this is also when Saraswati Puja and Ayudha Puja are done. Keep your books, pens, tools, laptop and instruments in front of the Goddess, apply kumkum and do a small puja.
Dashami (Vijayadashami)
• Do a final puja, offer thanks, and then complete the ritual (visarjan/uthvasana) as per your family tradition.
• Many people start new learning or new work on this day because it is considered very auspicious.
Do's and Don'ts for Beginners
Do:
• Keep your home and mind clean and peaceful
• Eat simple sattvic food
• Speak kindly, help someone and donate food or clothes if you can
• Involve children and tell them the stories
Don't:
• Don't stress about doing everything perfectly
• Don't cut your hair or nails, or eat non-veg and onion-garlic, if your family tradition says no (this is a custom, not a rule for everyone)
• Don't force anyone else to fast
• Don't waste food
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. When is Navratri celebrated?
Sharad Navratri starts on the first day of the bright half of the month of Ashwin, usually between late September and mid-October, and lasts nine nights. Dussehra (Vijayadashami) is the day after Maha Navami. Chaitra Navratri is in March–April. The English date changes every year, so check your local panchang for the exact days.
2. Why is Navratri celebrated for nine days?
It marks the nine nights Goddess Durga fought Mahishasura. She won on the tenth day, which is why Dussehra is celebrated as the day of victory.
3. Which Goddess is worshipped on which day?
The nine days are for Shailaputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalaratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri.
4. Is fasting compulsory during Navratri?
No. Fasting is a personal choice and depends on family tradition and health. You can simply eat sattvic food and pray with devotion.
5. Can I drink water and tea during the vrat?
Most people drink water, coconut water, milk and fruit juices. Many also drink tea or milk coffee in moderation. Follow your family custom.
6. Why is rock salt (sendha namak) used in the vrat?
Rock salt is considered pure and natural, and it is traditionally used in fasting food in place of refined table salt.
7. What is Ghatasthapana?
It is the first-day ritual in which a kalash and a pot of sown grains are installed to invite the Goddess into the home.
8. What is Golu / Bommai Kolu?
It is the South Indian tradition of displaying dolls on odd-numbered steps during Navratri and inviting friends and relatives to see them.
9. What is Kanya Puja?
It is the worship of young girls as forms of the Goddess on Ashtami or Navami, by feeding them and giving small gifts.
10. Can beginners and working people celebrate Navratri easily?
Yes. Even lighting a lamp, offering flowers, sharing a simple prasadam and chanting a stotram every day is enough.
Navratri is not about doing everything perfectly. It is about bringing a little light, discipline and gratitude into our days. Whether you set up a grand Golu, keep a strict nine-day vrat, dance Garba, or just light a lamp every evening and offer a bowl of sundal, the Goddess accepts it all with love.
This Navratri 2026, I hope you celebrate with a calm mind and a happy heart. May Goddess Durga bless you and your family with strength, health, wisdom and prosperity.
Hope you found this guide useful tell me in the comments.
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