Navaratri and Navaratri Festive Food Event

Many thanks to Purva and Priti for giving me an opportunity to celebrate Navaratri with you all. Visit our previous festive food round-up's of Rakhi, Krishna-Ganesh Chaturthi and Onam from Priti, Purva and Priyanka.

Navaratri is a hindu festival where goddess Durga in her nine avtars/forms are worshipped for 9 nights and 10 days. Navaratri in sanskrit means nine nights in its literal translation. Vijayadashami marks the end of Navaratri celebrations enaction the destruction of evil (Ravana destroyed by Rama) is displayed with the lighting of dolls representing Ravana and forces of evil. Navaratri is 'nada habba' (state-festival) for the people of Karnataka

2008 Navaratri calender for you all :

28 Sep 2008 - Mahalaya Amavasya
30 Sep 2008 - Navaratri Begins
5 Oct 2008 - Durga Pooja Begins
6 Oct 2008 - Saraswathi Pooja/Prayers
7 Oct 2008- Durgasthami
8 Oct 2008 - Navaratri Ends/Ayudha Pooja/Mahanavami
9 Oct 2008 - Vijayadashami

Navaratri is celebrated through out India in different ways.

Northern Part of India - it is celebrated with much fervor by fasting on all 9 days and worshiping the Godess Parvati in her different avtars.

Southern Part of India - States of Karnataka, AndhraPradesh, TamilNadu and Kerala celebrate Sharad Navaratri (Sharad = Hindu Month) is celebrated by keeping a doll house and chanting lalitha sahasranama on all 9 days. It is believed that when godess Durga was fighting against evil forces she was given extra powers by rest of the gods and they stood still like dolls. To mark this event with much respect a doll house with all gods with the idol of Chamundeshwari (Durga) is placed in every house.

Gujarat Celebrations - Traditionally either the lamp (the garbha deep), or an image of Amba is placed in the middle of the concentric rings as an object of venration, thereby delineating the dance. People dance aroudn the diety clapping rhythematically. At every step they gracefully bend sideways, the arms coming together in sweeping gestures, up and down, left and right, each movement ending in clap.

While every Hindu follows different ritual based on their culture but they all pray godess Durga on these 9 nights and 10 days.

Do you celebrate Navaratri? Or you have memories attached to it Or enjoy it with other hindu frieds who actually celebrate it. We would love to learn the offerings made by you to godess Durga to appease her and the celebration style.

What can you send?
1. Festive Food and its recipes - 2 entries per blog/non-blogger
2. Picture Essay or a Picture of Navaratri Celebration - 1 entry only
3. Rangoli - 1 rangoli per blog/non-blogger

What should you have in your entries :
1. Festive Food - detailed recipe of the food along with a photo of the dish cooked
2.Picture Essay - Essay of 150 words. Photo details : 1. Place taken 2. Day of Navratri it corresponds to ex-Durgasthami pictures, Vijayadashmi Pictures etc
3. Rangoli - Rangoli Picture with a instruction of 'how to draw it'

Any blogger/non-blogger can send their entries for all categories. Please include the following details to identify yourself and your entries :
1. Your Name :
2. Your Blog Name :
3. URL of the post :
4. Attach a photo of W*L - 250*250 px
Send it to navaratrifestivefood(at)tasteofmysore(dot)com from now until 11 Oct 2008

Please link back your entries to this post and stamp our logo of the event :