Navratri means 'Nine Nights,' the festival is commemorated for nine long days to perform a Puja to one of the nine forms of Goddess. All the nine nights are broken-up into sections of three; first three days are for Goddess Durga, who destroyed Demon Mahishasura and also human impurities. The next three days are committed to the goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of spirituality and the last three days are for Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom and art.

Also, Navratri is the time to celebrate the soil fertility and monsoon harvest, represented by a mound of fresh soil grown in which grains are sown. The soil is worshiped and watered for all the nine days of the festival. On the tenth day, Vijayadashami is celebrated. Puja is done to bless vehicles; also it is considered as an auspicious day to purchase one. Multiple fables and tales link the origin of the festival. The story goes like this: Demon Mahishasur honored a boon to be immortal by Agni, God of Fire. As per the boon, Mahishasur wouldn't be killed and wounded by any weapon. As a result, Mahishasur became so powerful that he created a terror in the mind of people and caused destruction. To end the terror of demon Mahishasur, all the deities went to Lord Shiva to find a solution. Lord Shiva along with the power other divinities created goddess Adhya Shakti. All the gods and goddesses, including Lord Shiv, gave her ornaments, weapons and lion as a vehicle to fight against the Mahishasur. Goddess Adhya Shakti fought against Mahishasur for nine long days and night. On the tenth day, she beheaded Mahishasur. The nine nights came to be known as Navratri while the tenth day was called Vijaya Dashami, the tenth day that brought the triumph of good over the evil.

Apart from religious and traditional significance, during these nine days, people show their best moves and do the garba and dandiya. One can hear the constant noise of sticks and dhols all over the Gujarat for the nine long days. On all days, an evening arti is performed in which garbi, a tradition earthen a port with diyas is used that signifies prosperity. After the arti, all the people gather and put their best foot forward for garba and dandiya dance. Garba is a dance form in which the crowd moves together in a synchronized circular movement. Ashapura Mata-no-Madh in Kutch, Khodiyar Mandir near Bhavnagar, and Chamunda Mata Mandir at Chotila on the Ahmedabad-Rajkot National Highway are some of the major temples in Gujarat that hosts the best Navratri festival. Seeing people dancing in tune with outfits of gold and silk is a sight to behold.

The Chaitra Navratri celebration is dedicated to worshipping Maa Durga’s nine avatars, including Shailputri, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skanda Mata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri and Siddhidatri, and each day of the event has a particular importance. Chaitra Navratri, also known as Vasant Navratri, will be observed from March 22 to March 30.

Many people identify this celebration with the birth of Lord Ram, the seventh incarnation of the Hindu deity Vishnu and the son of A ..

Navratri is celebrated differently in India’s various regions. For many people it is a time of religious reflection and fasting, while for others it is a time for dancing and feasting. Among fasting customs are observing a strict vegetarian diet and abstaining from alcohol and certain spices. Dances performed include garba, especially in Gujarat. Typically, the festival’s nine nights are dedicated to different aspects of the divine feminine principle, or shakti. While the pattern varies somewhat by region, generally the first third of the festival focuses on aspects of the goddess Durga, the second third on the goddess Lakshmi, and the final third on the goddess Sarasvati. Offerings are often made to the goddesses and their various aspects, and rituals are performed in their honor. One popular ritual is Kanya Puja, which takes place on the eighth or ninth day. In this ritual nine young girls are dressed as the nine goddess aspects celebrated during Navratri and are worshipped with ritual foot washing and given offerings such as food and clothing.

Garba (Gujarati: ગરબા) is a form of Gujarati dance which originates from the state of Gujarat in India. The name is derived from the Sanskrit term Garbha .^[1] Many traditional garbas are performed around a centrally lit lamp or a picture or statue of the Goddess Shakti. Traditionally, it is performed during the nine-day Indian festival Navarātrī (Gujarati: નવરાત્રી, where નવ means 9, and રાત્રી means nights). Either the lamp (the Garba Deep) or an image of the Goddess, Durga (also called Amba) is placed in the middle of concentric rings as an object of veneration.

Navratri, (Sanskrit: “Nine Nights”) in full Sharad Navratri, Navratri also spelled Navaratri, in Hinduism, major festival held in honour of the divine feminine. Navratri occurs over 9 days during the month of Ashvin, or Ashvina (in the Gregorian calendar, usually September–October). It often ends with the Dussehra (also called Vijayadashami) celebration on the 10th day. In some parts of India, Dussehra is considered a focal point of the festival, making it effectively span 10 days instead of 9. Additionally, as Navratri depends on the lunar calendar, in some years it may be celebrated for 8 days, with Dussehra on the 9th. There are four similar festivals, also called Navratri, which are held at various stages of the year. However, the early autumn festival, also called Sharad Navratri, is the most significant. It begins on the same day as Durga Puja, a 10-day festival devoted to the victory of the goddess Durga, which is particularly celebrated in certain eastern states.

Ganesh Chaturthi is a Hindu festival dedicated to Lord Ganesha, celebrated with great fervour across India. From date to history, here's all you need to know.

Ganesh Chaturthi 2023: The auspicious festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is just around the corner. It is one of the most popular Hindu festivals celebrated in India and is also known as Vinayaka Chaturthi or Ganeshotsav. It is dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and the god of knowledge, wealth and new beginnings. It usually takes place between August and September, during the Hindu month of Bhadrapada. The festival is celebrated with great fervour and enthusiasm across the country, especially in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka.

It is believed that Lord Ganesha was born on this day. Representing auspiciousness, wisdom, prosperity and good fortune, Lord Ganesha is worshipped in almost every home before any puja or ritual. From the date to the history, here is everything you need to know about this significant Hindu festival. (Also read: September festivals full list: Janmashtami to Ganesh Chaturthi; a look at the upcoming Hindu festivals )

Ganesh Chaturthi 2023 date and shubh muhurat

Lord Ganesha was born in the Gregorian month of August or September, which corresponds to the Shukla Paksha of the Bhadrapada month of the Hindu calendar. This year, Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, and Ganesh Visarjan will be observed on the 10th day on Thursday, September 28, 2023.

76th India Independence Day (1947): August 15, 2023

From history.com, THIS DAY IN HISTORY August 15, 1947, India and Pakistan win independence:

“The Indian Independence Bill, which carves the independent nations of India and Pakistan out of the former Mogul Empire, comes into force at the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947. The long-awaited agreement ended 200 years of British rule and was hailed by Indian independence leader Mohandas Gandhi as the ‘noblest act of the British nation.’”
 

From the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), The World Factbook, India, Introduction, Background:

“By the 19th century, Great Britain had become the dominant political power on the subcontinent and India was seen as the "Jewel in the Crown" of the British Empire. The British Indian Army played a vital role in both World Wars. Years of nonviolent resistance to British rule, led by Mohandas GANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU, eventually resulted in Indian independence in 1947. Large-scale communal violence took place before and after the subcontinent partition into two separate states - India and Pakistan. The neighboring countries have fought three wars since independence, the last of which was in 1971 and resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh.”

Ref: https://www.census.gov/newsroom/stories/india-independence-day.html