Festival companion · 30 September – 9 October 2027

Navaratri and Dasara

Nine nights of the Goddess. Everything for one festival in one place: the story to tell, the puja, a recipe, a craft for children and a shopping list.

Tell the story

The Story of Navaratri

The buffalo demon Mahishasura could not be defeated by any god. The gods combined their powers into one goddess, Durga, who fought him for nine nights and killed him on the tenth day, Vijayadashami.

Each region tells it in its own way. Bengal welcomes Durga home for Durga Puja, Gujarat dances garba around her lamp, and Mysuru celebrates Dasara as the victory of Goddess Chamundeshwari over Mahishasura, with the palace lit by nearly a hundred thousand bulbs.

On Vijayadashami Rama also defeated Ravana, and across North and Central India the Ramlila ends with effigies of Ravana being burned.

How families celebrate

Nine nights honour the Goddess in her many forms. South Indian homes set up a doll display on steps (golu in Tamil Nadu, bommala koluvu in Andhra, bombe habba in Karnataka), Gujarat dances garba and dandiya, Bengal celebrates Durga Puja, and the north stages the Ramlila. Saraswati is worshipped with books and instruments, Ayudha Puja honours tools and vehicles, and Vijayadashami is a lucky day to begin learning.

Golu doll display, garba nights, evening arati and sundal for visitors, Saraswati Puja (books rest for a day), Ayudha Puja (8 Oct) and Vijayadashami (9 Oct).

At home

The Puja

A home puja anyone can follow, step by step, with the words to say.

Short puja 20 minutes a day · freeFull puja 75 minutes a day · members

Before you begin

  1. Prepare

    Bathe, wear clean clothes and clean the puja place. Set out a lamp, incense, flowers, kumkum, turmeric, rice, water in a small vessel with a spoon, a bell and the naivedya (food offering).

  2. Light the lamp

    Light the lamp with ghee or oil and fold your hands.

    SayShubham karoti kalyanam arogyam dhana sampadah, shatru buddhi vinashaya deepa jyotir namostute

  3. Pray to Ganesha first

    Every puja begins with Ganesha, so the rest goes without obstacles. Offer a flower or a little rice.

    SayVakratunda mahakaya suryakoti samaprabha, nirvighnam kuru me deva sarva karyeshu sarvada

  4. Achamana and sankalpa

    Sip a spoon of water three times. Then hold a little water, rice and a flower and say, in your own language, who you are, where you are, and why you are doing this puja today. Let it fall in a plate.

    SayOm Keshavaya namah · Om Narayanaya namah · Om Madhavaya namah

Short puja

  1. Ghatasthapana

    On the first day, set up a kalasha with water, mango leaves and coconut on a bed of soil sown with grain.

    SaySarva mangala mangalye shive sarvartha sadhike, sharanye tryambake Gauri Narayani namostute

  2. Golu or bombe display

    Arrange dolls on an odd number of steps. Invite friends each evening for songs and sundal.

  3. Daily puja

    Light a lamp every evening and worship the goddess in a different form each day.

    SayYa devi sarva bhuteshu shakti rupena samsthita, namastasyai namastasyai namastasyai namo namah

  4. Saraswati Puja

    On Saptami or Ashtami, place books and instruments before Saraswati and leave them to rest until Vijayadashami.

    SaySaraswati namastubhyam varade kamarupini, vidyarambham karishyami siddhir bhavatu me sada

  5. Ayudha Puja

    On Navami, clean and worship tools, laptops, vehicles and kitchen knives with turmeric, kumkum and flowers.

  6. Vijayadashami

    Take the books back and read a little, write the first letters for small children, and visit elders.

Closing

  1. Naivedya

    Place the food before the deity, sprinkle a little water around it and offer it with your hands open.

    SayOm pranaya svaha · Om apanaya svaha · Om vyanaya svaha · Om udanaya svaha · Om samanaya svaha

  2. Aarti

    Wave the camphor or ghee lamp clockwise in front of the deity, ringing the bell, while the family sings an aarti or bhajan.

  3. Pradakshina and namaskara

    Turn around once clockwise where you stand, then bow or prostrate. Ask forgiveness for anything done wrongly.

    SayYani kani cha papani janmantara kritani cha, tani tani vinashyanti pradakshina pade pade

  4. Share the prasada

    Share the naivedya with everyone at home and with neighbours.

Full puja

The full puja follows the sixteen offerings, the shodashopachara, with every mantra in Devanagari, Kannada or Telugu script. It takes about 75 minutes a day.

  1. DhyanaThink of the deity
  2. AvahanaInvite the deity
  3. AsanaOffer a seat (a flower or rice)
  4. PadyaWater to wash the feet
  5. ArghyaWater to wash the hands
  6. AchamaniyaWater to sip
  7. SnanaA bath (sprinkle water, or abhisheka)
  8. VastraClothes (a cloth or cotton thread)
  9. Yajnopavita / AbharanaSacred thread or ornaments
  10. GandhaSandal paste, turmeric and kumkum
  11. PushpaFlowers and leaves
  12. DhupaIncense
  13. DeepaA lamp
  14. NaivedyaFood
  15. TambulaBetel leaf and nut, or fruit
  16. Nirajana and namaskaraAarti, flowers and bowing

Full puja for members: Devanagari · Kannada script · Telugu script

Members: open the full pujaShort of time? The short puja is complete on its own: flowers, a lamp and food offered with love are enough.

Print

Short puja guide to print

Full puja for members: Devanagari · Kannada script · Telugu script

Every family and region has its own customs, so follow your elders or priest where they differ.

Across India

How Each Region Celebrates

The same festival has many faces. Find your region, and what to do at home.

South India

Bombe habba and Golu

All nine nights

  1. Arrange dolls on 3, 5, 7 or 9 steps with a kalasha at the top.
  2. Invite friends in the evening, sing, and give haldi-kumkum and a small gift.
  3. Make a different sundal each day.
South India

Saraswati and Ayudha Puja

The ninth day

  1. Place books, instruments and tools before Saraswati and do not study that day.
  2. Clean and worship vehicles and tools.
  3. On Vijayadashami, children start something new and write their first letters.
West India (Gujarat)

Garba and dandiya

Every night

  1. Light the garbo, a clay pot with a lamp inside.
  2. Dance in circles around it with clapping or dandiya sticks.
East India (Bengal)

Durga Puja

Days six to ten

  1. Visit the pandals to see Durga and her children.
  2. On Ashtami, offer anjali (flowers) in the morning.
  3. On Dashami, married women play sindoor khela before Durga is immersed.
North India

Ramlila and Dussehra

The tenth day

  1. Watch the Ramlila plays during the nine nights.
  2. Effigies of Ravana are burnt on Dussehra.

Cook together

Sundal

More recipes →
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka · Navaratri

Sundal

Chickpea stir-fry: sundal in Tamil, guggillu in Telugu, usli in Kannada

  • 20 min + soaking
  • Serves 4
Ingredients and method

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chickpeas or other beans, soaked overnight and boiled
  • 2 tbsp grated coconut
  • Oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, curry leaves, dried red chilli, hing
  • Salt

Method

  1. Heat oil and add mustard, urad dal, chilli, curry leaves and hing.
  2. Add the boiled chickpeas and salt.
  3. Toss in coconut and stir for a minute.

A different bean for each of the nine nights, given to visitors who come to see the dolls.

For children

Set up a golu (bombe habba, bommala koluvu)

You need

  • Steps (boxes or books under a cloth)
  • Your family's dolls and toys
  • A Pattada gombe (wedding pair) for the top
  • Small lamps and flowers

Steps

  1. Make an odd number of steps: 3, 5, 7 or 9.
  2. Put gods on the top step, then saints, then everyday life.
  3. Let children make a park or village scene at the bottom.
  4. Invite friends each evening and give sundal.

Get ready

Shopping List

Tick things off as you go, or print the list for the Indian store.

Shopping list

Looking for something, or want to help? Ask us for a festival, ceremony or recipe from your region, or tell us how you would like to help.

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