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*NAVARATRI* (October 4-13) :

The festival of Dasara, or Navaratri, is one of the fascinating festivals of India. The festivities begin after Mahalaya Amavasya, which is said to be the darkest night.This festival falls in the month of Ashwin (September / October). The first nine nights are spent in the worship of goddess Durga and hence these nights are known as "Navaratri". The tenth day is in honour of Durga. In North India, Dasara is interpreted as "Dasa-Hara", which means the cutting of the ten heads of Ravana. The 'Ramleela', a folk play, retelling the story of the life of Rama, is enacted for the nine days of Navratri ending on Dasara, the day Rama slays Ravana. Effigies of Ravana are set ablaze, signifying the victory of good over evil.

Oct 4: In Karnataka, Dasara is observed as State festival - Nadahabba, because the celebrations are steered by the Royal Family of Mysore. The scion of the Mysore royal family inuagurates the festivities, by performing pooja on the golden throne.The day begins with a puja atop Chamundi hill. Amidst chanting of Vedic hymns and prayers, Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysore, is carried around the temple on a silver chariot in a colourful procession to mark the 'utsava moorthi' or idol procession.

Oct 5: The Navratri Bommai Kollu Festival is celebrated in every South Indian household. It commences on the Amavasya day of the month of Bhadrapada. On this day, two wooden dolls are anointed with oil and bathed and decorated as bride and groom. The right muhurtam is chosen before placing the Kalash and the dolls for worship, with which the Kollu festival begins. Bommai means dolls and Kollu means displaying. This is done by constructing wide tiers or steps in any number, maximum being seven. The number of tiers or steps should be in numbers, like, one, three, five and so on. Variety of dolls are displayed artistically and arranged beautifully on the steps. During these nine days ladies are invited and offered haldi and kumkum with betel leaves, nut and fruits. Sweets and `chundals' i.e. different chanas are offered to the ladies. This festival is for rejoicing and the ladies dress up in their finery and ornaments.
Oct 6: In Gujarat, every night people gather in courtyards to dance the Garba and Dandiya Raas, a community dance in which men and women dressed in festive clothes dance in pairs with Dandiya or painted wooden sticks. Goddess Durga's three 'Sakthipithas' - Ambaji in Banaskantha, Bahucharaji in Chunaval and Kalika on Pavagadh hill in Panchmahals are thronged by devotees..

Oct 9 : Saraswathi Pooja
Saraswathi is the Goddess of learning, who is divine knowledge personified.The Goddess is worshipped as the Goddess of Learning, the deity of Gayathri, the fountain of fine arts and science, and the symbol of supreme vedantic knowledge. The books representing Saraswathi, all instruments (musical) are worshipped on this day.The Goddess Saraswathi is worshipped as the Goddess of Learning, the deity of Gayathri, the fountain of fine arts and science, and the symbol of supreme vedantic knowledge. Some members of the household write the alphabets on sand, particularly the children, and read a few sentences from sacred books.

Oct 10 -12 : Also known as Durgotsav, the many splendoured goddess Durga is worshipped in one of her many forms in different regions. In Bengal and the neighbouring states of Assam and Orissa, Durga devi is worshipped by name of Kali as a symbol of Shakti before whom animal sacrifices were made. Her dance of conquest is famous in our ancient texts. As per the orthodox Hindu conceptions, the personality of one deity cannot be entirely separated from that of another. As such in some regions all the three principal goddesses - Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati are worshipped during this festival, each for 3 days of the Navaratri. The Goddess is shown with ten hands astride a lion with one of her legs on the Mahishasura, the demon. The spear in her hand is firmly struck on the demon's chest. Each of her ten hands carry a separate weapon, resembling the ones contributed by the other Gods. Ganesh and Laxmi flank the Goddess on one side and Saraswati and Kartick on the other. The background is a pictorial arc ('Chalchitra' is the name) with different pictures of Gods and demons drawn on it. The process of drawing the eyes of the Goddess image starts on the day of Mahalaya, which is the last moon before puja. The Bengali depicts the image of Devi Durga as "Dashapraharana-dharini" means each of her hands carrying ten different weapons gifted by other gods to kill the demon,"Mahishasura". The Goddess astride a lion with one leg on Mahishasura. Devi is accompanied by Sri Ganesh and Laxmi on her right side and Saraswati and Kartick on her left side.

Oct 12 : Ayudha Pooja is unique to South India. On this day, weapons, machinery and vehicles are worshipped. All the industries perform pooja to their equipment, and the employees are given new clothes and bonuses. Farmers worship their implements, like the plough, sickle and pray for a good yield for the coming season.
Oct 13 : In Karnataka, legend has it that the Goddess Chamundeswari or Durga, slew the demon Mahishasura on Vijayadashami day. The day marks the successful conclusion of the preceding nine days. On the tenth day a grand procession is taken out from the Mysore Palace, with caprisoned elephants, and the 750 kg golden howdah with the Goddess, atop the royal pachyderm. The royal family performs special pooja on the occasion of Dasara. Cultural programs by artists are organised in the palace along with sports, wrestling, poets' meet, food festival and film festival. An exhibition is arranged in the Doddakere Maidana, by the Karnataka Exhibition Authority.