Nine Nights of the Goddess

Nine Nights of the Goddess delves into the vibrant festival of Navaratri, also known as Navaratra, Mahanavami, Durga Puja, Dasara, and Dassain. This nine-night celebration culminates in Vijayadashami, or ‘the tenth day of victory.’ Celebrated in both grand public venues and intimate private spaces, Navaratri is a pivotal and widespread festival in South Asia and among South Asian communities worldwide. The festival encompasses various elements such as the goddess, royal power, demon slaying, and the veneration of young girls and married women, though its interpretation and execution differ significantly. This interdisciplinary collection of essays examines Navaratri across different historical periods and regions, including West Bengal, Odisha, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Nepal. The essays explore the festival’s contextual specificity and widespread presence as essential to understanding South Asian religious life, and how it influences and is influenced by political patronage, economic development, and social status. Beyond the narratives of the Goddess’s deeds, Navaratri is closely linked to the story of Rama in the popular imagination of its celebrants. According to the epic, Rama, the former prince of Ayodhya, engaged in a prolonged battle with Ravana, the demon-king of Lanka who had abducted his wife, Sita. Seeking divine assistance, Rama performed puja to the goddess Durga during Navaratri. Pleased with his devotion, the Goddess appeared and granted him victory over Ravana, which he achieved on Vijayadashami.