Chaitra Navratri 2026: Nine-Day Festival Honoring Goddess Durga Begins

Chaitra Navratri, also known as Vasanta or Rama Navratri, is a nine-day Hindu festival celebrating the nine forms of Goddess Durga. Observed in the first month of the Hindu lunar calendar, devotees fast and pray for happiness, prosperity, and peace. The festival culminates with Rama Navami, Lord Rama's birthday. Navratri occurs four times annually, symbolizing purity and feminine power, with each day honoring a different form of the Goddess believed to grant blessings and remove obstacles.