Overview

• The nine-day festival runs from June 26 to July 4, culminating in the Navratri Parana ritual on the final day
• Each day honors a distinct form of Durga, ranging from Shailputri on day one to Siddhidatri on day nine
• Observances include discreet sadhanas by Tantric practitioners alongside community readings of the Durga Saptashati and Devi Mahatmya
• Primarily celebrated in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand, households prepare altars, fast and chant Vedic mantras
• Devotees are assembling specific flower offerings for each goddess, such as hibiscus for Shailputri and lotus for Chandraghanta, following traditional guidance