Navrati 2023 will begin on October 15 and end on October 24 and Durga Puja 2023 festivities will commence on October 20 and will end on October 24.
Saturday (October 14) marks the end of the 16-day Pitri Paksh and the beginning of Devi Paksh. The nine-day Navratri festival will begin tomorrow, which is widely celebrated in North and Western India, while the Durga Puja festivities, observed in West Bengal and other Eastern states, will begin on Friday.
A lot of people might wonder why are Navratri and Durga Puja mentioned separately, aren't the two festivals the same? While both festivals celebrate Goddess Durga, there are subtle differences between the two in terms of rituals and practices.
Navrati 2023 will begin on October 15 and end on October 24 and Durga Puja 2023 festivities will commence on October 20 and will end on October 24.
Before the festival season officially starts on Sunday, here are some of the key differences between Durga Puja and Navratri that you must know
Navratri begins with worshipping Shailputri - the first avatar of Goddess Durga. Durga Puja, on the other hand, begins with Mahalaya, a day when the battle between Durga and Mahishasura began.
The Navratri celebration ends with the burning of Raavan effigies on Dussehra. On the other hand, Durga Puja ends with Sindoor Khela, where married women play with sindoor (vermillion) with each other before immersion of idols.
During Navratri, devotees of Goddess Durga refrain from eating meat, eggs, onion, or garlic, but, for Bengalis, the Durga Puja celebration is also about good food that includes non-vegetarian treats.
It is important to note that even if there are differences in the festivities of Navratri and Durga Puja, the festival's main objective is to bring people closer in celebration.
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 "Navratri 2023 and Durga Puja 2023: Know key differences between both festivals celebrating Goddess Durga")
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