Hindus celebrate Navratri and Durga Puja festival

Published September 25, 2014
Folk dancers perform Dandiya, a traditional dance, during a rehearsal ahead of Navratri festival in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad September 24, 2014. Navratri, held in honour of Hindu Goddess Durga, is celebrated over a period of nine days where thousands of youths dance the night away in traditional costumes. Navratri starts on September 25. — Photo by Reuters
Folk dancers perform Dandiya, a traditional dance, during a rehearsal ahead of Navratri festival in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad September 24, 2014. Navratri, held in honour of Hindu Goddess Durga, is celebrated over a period of nine days where thousands of youths dance the night away in traditional costumes. Navratri starts on September 25. — Photo by Reuters
Indian Hindu devotees offer prayers as a part of a ritual to pay obedience to one's forefathers on the last day when prayers are offered to ancestors, known as "Pitrupaksh", in Mumbai on September 24, 2014. In Hindu mythology this day is also called 'Mahalaya' and describes the day when the gods created the ten armed goddess Durga to destroy the demon king Asura who plotted to drive out the gods from their kingdom. — Photo by AFP
Indian Hindu devotees offer prayers as a part of a ritual to pay obedience to one's forefathers on the last day when prayers are offered to ancestors, known as "Pitrupaksh", in Mumbai on September 24, 2014. In Hindu mythology this day is also called 'Mahalaya' and describes the day when the gods created the ten armed goddess Durga to destroy the demon king Asura who plotted to drive out the gods from their kingdom. — Photo by AFP
Devotee performs 'Tarpan', a ritual to pay obeisance to one's forefathers, on the last day of 'Pitrupaksh' - days for offering prayers to ancestors - on the banks of the river Mahananda in Siliguri on September 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Devotee performs 'Tarpan', a ritual to pay obeisance to one's forefathers, on the last day of 'Pitrupaksh' - days for offering prayers to ancestors - on the banks of the river Mahananda in Siliguri on September 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Devotee performs 'Tarpan', a ritual to pay obeisance to one's forefathers, on the last day of 'Pitrupaksh' - days for offering prayers to ancestors - on the banks of the river Mahananda in Siliguri on September 23, 2014.— Photo by AFP
Devotee performs 'Tarpan', a ritual to pay obeisance to one's forefathers, on the last day of 'Pitrupaksh' - days for offering prayers to ancestors - on the banks of the river Mahananda in Siliguri on September 23, 2014.— Photo by AFP
Devotees perform 'Tarpan', a ritual to pay obeisance to one's forefathers, on the last day of 'Pitrupaksh' - days for offering prayers to ancestors - on the banks of the river Mahananda in Siliguri on September 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Devotees perform 'Tarpan', a ritual to pay obeisance to one's forefathers, on the last day of 'Pitrupaksh' - days for offering prayers to ancestors - on the banks of the river Mahananda in Siliguri on September 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Boys arrive to fly a kite, a popular sport during the "Dashain", Hinduism's biggest religious festival, along the bank of Bagmati River in Kathmandu September 24, 2014. Hindus in Nepal celebrate victory over evil during the festival by flying kites, feasting, playing swings, sacrificing animals and worshipping the Goddess Durga as well as other god and goddess as part of celebrations held throughout the country. — Photo by Reuters
Boys arrive to fly a kite, a popular sport during the "Dashain", Hinduism's biggest religious festival, along the bank of Bagmati River in Kathmandu September 24, 2014. Hindus in Nepal celebrate victory over evil during the festival by flying kites, feasting, playing swings, sacrificing animals and worshipping the Goddess Durga as well as other god and goddess as part of celebrations held throughout the country. — Photo by Reuters
A man works on a pandal, a temporary platform, being built for the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata September 25, 2014. The Durga Puja festival will be celebrated from September 30 to October 3, and is the biggest religious event for Bengali Hindus. Hindus believe that the goddess Durga symbolises power and the triumph of good over evil.— Photo by Reuters
A man works on a pandal, a temporary platform, being built for the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata September 25, 2014. The Durga Puja festival will be celebrated from September 30 to October 3, and is the biggest religious event for Bengali Hindus. Hindus believe that the goddess Durga symbolises power and the triumph of good over evil.— Photo by Reuters
Devotees perform 'Tarpan' rituals to pay obeisance to their forefathers on the last day of "Pitrupaksh", or days for offering prayers to ancestors, on the banks of the River Ganges in Kolkata on September 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Devotees perform 'Tarpan' rituals to pay obeisance to their forefathers on the last day of "Pitrupaksh", or days for offering prayers to ancestors, on the banks of the River Ganges in Kolkata on September 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
A Sadhu (holy man) uses his mobile phone to photograph Hindu devotees performing 'Tarpan', a ritual to pay obeisance to one's forefathers, on the last day of 'Pitrupaksh' - days for offering prayers to ancestors - on the banks of the river Mahananda in Siliguri on September 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
A Sadhu (holy man) uses his mobile phone to photograph Hindu devotees performing 'Tarpan', a ritual to pay obeisance to one's forefathers, on the last day of 'Pitrupaksh' - days for offering prayers to ancestors - on the banks of the river Mahananda in Siliguri on September 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Hindu devotees perform 'Tarpan', a ritual to pay obeisance to one's forefathers, on the last day of 'Pitrupaksh' - days for offering prayers to ancestors - on the banks of the river Mahananda in Siliguri on September 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Hindu devotees perform 'Tarpan', a ritual to pay obeisance to one's forefathers, on the last day of 'Pitrupaksh' - days for offering prayers to ancestors - on the banks of the river Mahananda in Siliguri on September 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Indian devotees offer prayers as a part of a ritual to pay obedience to one's forefathers on the last day when prayers are offered to ancestors, known as "Pitrupaksh", in Mumbai on September 24, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Indian devotees offer prayers as a part of a ritual to pay obedience to one's forefathers on the last day when prayers are offered to ancestors, known as "Pitrupaksh", in Mumbai on September 24, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Devotees perform 'Tarpan' rituals to pay obeisance to their forefathers on the last day of "Pitrupaksh", or days for offering prayers to ancestors, on the banks of the River Ganges in Kolkata on September 23, 2014.— Photo by AFP
Devotees perform 'Tarpan' rituals to pay obeisance to their forefathers on the last day of "Pitrupaksh", or days for offering prayers to ancestors, on the banks of the River Ganges in Kolkata on September 23, 2014.— Photo by AFP
Indian Hindu devotees read the 'Durga Stuati' text during prayers for the Navratri Festival at the Mata Longa Wali Devi temple in Amritsar on September 25, 2014. Navratri is celebrated twice a year during the spring and autumn seasons and symbolises the triumph of good over evil.— Photo by AFP
Indian Hindu devotees read the 'Durga Stuati' text during prayers for the Navratri Festival at the Mata Longa Wali Devi temple in Amritsar on September 25, 2014. Navratri is celebrated twice a year during the spring and autumn seasons and symbolises the triumph of good over evil.— Photo by AFP
Indian Hindu devotees perform 'Tarpan' rituals to pay obeisance to their forefathers on the last day of "Pitrupaksh", or days for offering prayers to ancestors, on the banks of the River Ganges in Kolkata on September 23, 2014.— Photo by AFP
Indian Hindu devotees perform 'Tarpan' rituals to pay obeisance to their forefathers on the last day of "Pitrupaksh", or days for offering prayers to ancestors, on the banks of the River Ganges in Kolkata on September 23, 2014.— Photo by AFP
Indian Hindu devotees perform 'Tarpan' rituals to pay obeisance to their forefathers on the last day of "Pitrupaksh", or days for offering prayers to ancestors, on the banks of the River Ganges in Kolkata on September 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
Indian Hindu devotees perform 'Tarpan' rituals to pay obeisance to their forefathers on the last day of "Pitrupaksh", or days for offering prayers to ancestors, on the banks of the River Ganges in Kolkata on September 23, 2014. — Photo by AFP
An Indian artist works on an idol of Hindu goddess Durga, at a workshop in Allahabad, India,  Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014. The festival of Durga will be celebrated from Sept. 30 until Oct. 3. — Photo by AP
An Indian artist works on an idol of Hindu goddess Durga, at a workshop in Allahabad, India, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014. The festival of Durga will be celebrated from Sept. 30 until Oct. 3. — Photo by AP

Navratri, held annually in honour of Hindu Goddess Durga, is celebrated over a period of nine days where thousands of youth dance the night away in traditional costumes. Navratri starts on September 25 and will be celebrated until October 3.

In many parts of the country it is marked by celebrations involving prayer, fasting, music and dance among men and women.

It is famous for being high-spirited and Christians and Muslims are known to take part. They also take part in the Holi Hindu spring festival.

Meanwhile, the five-day Durga Puja festival will be celebrated from September 30 to October 3, and is the biggest religious event for Bengali Hindus.

Durga is attributed as the destroyer of evil and Hindus believe that the goddess symbolises power and the triumph of good over evil.

A man decorates an idol of the Hindu goddess Durga at a pandal, a temporary platform, ahead of the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata September 25, 2014.  — Photo by Reuters
A man decorates an idol of the Hindu goddess Durga at a pandal, a temporary platform, ahead of the Durga Puja festival in Kolkata September 25, 2014. — Photo by Reuters
A man works on a pandal, a temporary platform, as it is built for the Durga Puja festival, in Kolkata September 25, 2014. — Photo by Reuters
A man works on a pandal, a temporary platform, as it is built for the Durga Puja festival, in Kolkata September 25, 2014. — Photo by Reuters
Women dressed in traditional attires balance pitchers on their heads as they take part in rehearsals for the "garba" dance ahead of Navratri festival in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad September 24, 2014. — Photo by Reuters
Women dressed in traditional attires balance pitchers on their heads as they take part in rehearsals for the "garba" dance ahead of Navratri festival in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad September 24, 2014. — Photo by Reuters

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