Navratri is a beautiful nine-day festival dedicated to the Divine Mother. In this booklet, we hope to delve into the kathas, mantras, and the nine forms of Devi Durga, bhajans, different traditions, and aartis. This is to help guide chapters to form their own celebrations as well as bring awareness to what occurs during this holy time.

It’s said that Mahishasura, a powerful demon with the head of a buffalo, managed to defeat all the gods (devas) and declared himself the ruler of all creation.

Defeated and desperate, the gods gathered under Indra Dev to come up with a plan. They decided to combine their strengths, each contributing a weapon or special power.

Together, they created a fierce female warrior who emerged from their energy, riding a tiger and holding a weapon in each of her eighteen arms.

For nine days and nine nights, she fought a brutal and intense battle against Mahishasura, eventually defeating him.

These nine days and nights are celebrated every year as the Navratri festival, which marks the triumph of good over evil.