Navratri is one of the biggest festivals in the Hindu calendar and Leicester is one of the top spots in the country to celebrate. BBC Leicester gives you an insight into the Navratri celebration, which praises the Mother Goddess. Photos by Dipak Joshi.
This religious festival is celebrated for nine (nav) nights (ratri) once every year. Navratri usually takes place during October, but in 2009 the festival has occurred in September because the festival is determined according to the lunar calendar.
Navratri is fantastically energetic, fun and beautifully colourful with all the traditional Indian outfits donned. With Leicester's thriving Gujarati community, the city has made its mark as the biggest host of Navratri celebrations outside India.
Thousands of people from Leicester and nearby cities will attend many venues across the city, including Curve, De Montfort Hall and The Peepul Centre to dance and pray to the Mother Goddess and all her forms.
It is believed thousands of years ago the Mother Goddess took on a powerful warrior-like form called Durga to slay an evil demon Mahisasur. The battle lasted for nine days and nine nights, with Mahisasur being killed on the 10th day.
While all of the forms of the Mother Goddess are worshipped, the three main ones are those of Durga (Goddess of power and strength), Lakshmi (Goddess of wealth and prosperity) and Saraswati (Goddess of knowledge).
The first three days of Navratri are dedicated to Goddess Durga, dressed in red and mounted on a lion. The next three to Goddess Lakshmi, dressed in gold and mounted on an owl and the last three to Goddess Saraswati, dressed in white and mounted on a swan.
The 10th day, Dussera, is the culmination of the nine-day Navratri festival and is dedicated to Goddess Durga.
The Dussera festival also commemorates the Hindu story of the battle between Lord Rama and King Ravana and an effigy of King Ravana is burnt to celebrate the victory of good over evil.
The towering effigy of King Ravana will be burnt in Leicester at Cossington Street Recreation Ground, Belgrave, on Monday 28 September 2009, which takes place from 18:00-19.30.
Navratri attracts crowds from all ages, who all take part in the folk dances. The most two popular forms of traditional dance include Garba and Dandia Raas. Garba is played using the clap of hands, while Dandia Raas is played using wooden sticks.
During the evening there is a prayer called an 'Aarti' or hymn singing the praises of all of the Mother Goddess' forms. It is sung twice by the congregation, many of whom honour the shrine with a lit candle or Diva.
During Navratri, some devotees observe a fast and prayers are offered for the protection of health and prosperity. A period of introspection and purification, Navratri is traditionally an auspicious and religious time for starting new ventures.
During this vowed religious observance, a pot is installed at a sanctified place at home. A lamp is kept lit in the pot for nine days. The pot symbolizes the universe.
Send BBC Leicester your colourful Navratri celebration pictures to leicester@bbc.co.uk.
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