Garba nights to consuming goodies; Celebrities speak approximately Navratri night

Celebrities share how they celebrate these nine auspicious days of Navratri, from fasting to wearing colorful clothes to maintaining discipline.

Vijayendra Kumeria

As a Punjabi, Navratri is a very important festival for me. I firmly believe in the power of Matarani and I also love Garba nights and celebrations. I spent my childhood in Gujarat and I love the energy this festival brings. I’m not fasting, but I’m strictly vegetarian these days.

Mitaali Nag

I’m fasting on the first and last day of Navratri.

Every year I do the Saptashati path religiously. I light the Akhand Diya for the 9 days and on the penultimate day, I invite the little girls and greet them with lunch and small gifts. Yes, every day has its color. I try my best to follow the color theme and dress appropriately.
Neelu KohliNavratri means vacation to me.

It means fasting and detoxifying my inner being along with my body and also invoking the goddess within me. I have been fasting for 30 years but stopped about two years ago for health reasons. This is such a festive time in my house because it means trying different recipes that are both festive and sattvic. Everyone in my house looks forward to Navratri food. All this lighting up the Akhand Diya and it’s all so beautiful.

Jay Zaveri

Navratri festival symbolizes the victory of the goddess Durga over Mahishasura or the demon, signifying the victory of good over evil. Each day of Navratri is dedicated to nine different externals of the Goddess and the first three days of Navaratri are dedicated to Goddess Durga. The next three days are dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. And the last three days are dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge. As Gujarati, we celebrate this festival with much joy and excitement.

I am not fasting but I prefer not to eat any non-vegetable food during these nine days of Navaratri and we do some Garba Aarti. This is the ritual that is observed on our premises. Navratri is often said, like Gujarati sunburn, in which we dance for nine days and enjoy the night with Gujarati folk music, so yes, I’m no exception. In fact, at my university level, I won awards in folk dance. I love to dance, so I insist that every nine days I go and play Garba with my friends.

Ashoka Thackur

It’s a very special festival for everyone, I’m fasting and don’t eat ginger or garlic. We eat real Jain food and get a clay statue of Goddess as we get Ganpati Bappa. We do Aarti every day and Visarjan on the ninth day. I follow all rules and discipline. I go barefoot for 9 days and also try to use the color theme of the clothes every day.

Sudhanshu Pandey

The time of Navratri is very auspicious because during these 9 days we pray to the nine forms of the Goddess. When I fast on Navratri. I follow the discipline of offering my prayers on time and I pray three times a day. During Navratri, I remember not to miss the puja. It is time to pray and cherish femininity, cherish the nine forms of Mata Rani and celebrate them with dance and music.

Charrul Malik

Navratri is just around the corner and I’m very excited because Navratri means lots of colors and lights, dandiya, and of course food. I don’t fast because it becomes difficult to fast when you work in this industry. I don’t like fasting, although I do fast on the first and last days. This festival is full of lights and colors. I don’t follow any discipline or rules.

This festival is very close to my heart. I used to dress in Garba outfits for my show and I liked that Navratri

Anupama Solanki

During this festival, we have the opportunity to play Dandiya, and lights and positivity are seen everywhere. Everyone enjoys this festival, from children to the elderly. Every time I went to Chandigarh I enjoyed the whole atmosphere there.

There used to be long lines in front of the temple, people would celebrate Havan and Pooja and I enjoyed all the celebrations. Navratri is my favorite festival of all time.