Navratri (literally translated as 9 nights) is nine days of music, art, colors and dancing – depending on where you are in India. Navratri 2019 marks the start of autumn and winter season and is uniquely celebrated in the different parts of India. Each year there is also a set of Navratri Colors that people follow and wear everyday.
The eastern and northeastern states celebrate the victory of Goddess Durga over a Buffalo Demon to help restore Dharma. The northern and western states celebrate the victory of god Rama over demon king Ravana. The southern states celebrate the victory of different gods and goddesses over evil demons.
Navratri starts on September 29, 2019 and ends on October 7, 2019. The 10th day is Dussera, which includes burning a large effigy of Ravana, the 10 headed demon from Ramayana.
While the stories are long and different, the point of the celebration is the same.
Start of the colder months and the victory of good over evil!
The celebration of Navratri include dancing (garba and dandiya being the most popular ones), designing mandaps or pandaals (stages with elaborate backgrounds for celebration or worship), music, plays (enacting victories of gods and goddesses), art and colors!
Well, the 9 nights each have their own significance and the explanation is a little too long. So, I’ll just put a very short version for you!
Navratri was created to celebrate the Goddess Durga and so, each day from the 9 days celebrates one of her avatar. You can read an in-depth of the avatars here.
The 9 Navratri Colors avatars are listed below:
Avatar 1 –Shailaputri–Color Red is associated with this Avatar.
Avatar 2 – Brahmacharini – Color Blue is associated with this Avatar.
Avatar 3 – Chandraghanta – Color Yellow is associated with this Avatar.
Avatar 4 – Kushmanda – Color Green is associated with this Avatar.
Avatar 5 – Skandmata – Color Grey is associated with this Avatar.
Avatar 6 – Katyayani – Color Orange is associated with this Avatar.
Avatar 7 – Kalaratri – Color White is associated with this Avatar.
Avatar 8 – Mahagauri – Color Pink is associated with this Avatar.
Avatar 9 – Sidhidatri – Color Light Blue is associated with this Avatar.
However, these days the colors follow the avatars less and are more for a fun twist and aren’t as rigidly followed. So you might find a variation on the matching colors each year and a different sequencing.
So, here are the Navratri Colors 2019!
Since, Navratri is a celebration of good over evil, it is a great time to try and defeat the evils in your life!
See Also:
Ecofriendly Ganapati – Best Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations of 2019
How to ensure that you have a Safe and Eco-friendly Holi this year
