Navaratri is a nine days festival. Hindus celebrate it with joy and happiness. It is also known as Bommla Koluvu in Andhra Pradesh. People keep fast during these days. They reject consuming non-vegan food. They clean the house and puja ghar. Every entrance is decorated with the festoons made of mango leaves. South Indians draw kolam and place kolu along with betel leaves, areca nut, rice, turmeric powder and sandalwood paste. Young girls are fed with neividya and prasadam. Its observance invites positivity, prosperity, health and wealth in the house.
Navaratri
(Nine days dedicated to goddess Durga)
Do’s:
Pre-night preparations:
- Clean the house & puja room.
- Decorate doors with mango leaves’ festoons
- Repair or buy new Kolu (dolls)
Navaratri Pooja:
- Draw kolam
- Put Kalasha at the kolam
- Place Kolu beside Kalasha
- Light incense sticks & camphor
- Give hoomam
- Place betel leaves in front
- Put cloves, areca nut, turmeric powder, rice on the leaves
- Anoint coconut with turmeric powder and rice
- Offer it to the goddess and break it
- Light earthen lamp
- Chant the hymn for Durga
Don’ts:
Pre-night preparations:
- Leave the house unclean.
- Worshipping with the broken kolu
- Decorating festoons of other plants
Navaratri pooja:
- Not drawing kolam
- Keeping nothing on it
- Placing kolu on the left side
- Forget lighting earthen lamp, camphor
- Forget offering homam
- Offering broken coconut
- Offering broken areca nut
- Offering torn betel leaves
- Skipping things for pooja
- Bringing devilish thoughts in mind
- Attending pooja with no reverence