Navratri 2020: Colours to Wear, Forms of the Devi (Alankaram), Naivedyam Recipes

Sharad Navratri or Devi Navratri is one of the most important festivals and is celebrated across almost all parts of India. These 9 nights/10 days (navratri = nine nights) are dedicated to various forms of the Devi or the Goddess.

In 2020, Devi Navratri is from October 17, 2020 to October 25, 2020.

On each of the 9 days, the Devi is worshipped in a different form. In Andhra Pradesh, one way of celebrating Devi Navratri is to worship Navdurga or the 9 forms of Durga. There is a different naivedyam offered each day. I have used the information from the Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada as the primary source for the naivedyam to be offered.

In addition, each day of Devi Navratri has a specific colour associated with it. I have shown two colours of each day of Navratri because I have used two sources of information: the popular list floating on WhatsApp and the list from the the Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada.

In addition, in most South Indian and Maharashtrian homes, married women invite other married women and offer “tamboolam”. Along with the taboolam, normally sundal is given as prasadam.

In recent times, the tradition of wearing a particular colour on each day of Navratri has grown in popularity. In the table below, I have given two options, one followed commonly (the WhatsApp list as I call it) and the the other followed by the Kanaka Durga Temple. 🙂

This post will be a living document and was last updated September 20, 2020.

Date	Form of the Devi Worshipped	Naivedyam	Navratri Colour to Wear
			Kanaka Durga Temple	Popular/ WhatsApp List
October 17, 2020	Sri Swarna Kavachalankrutha Devi	Halwa Puri/Sojjappalu Chalimidi Vada Pappu Paramannam/Rice Kheer	Gold	Grey
October 18, 2020	Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Devi	Paramannam/Rice Kheer	Light Pink	Orange
October 19, 2020	Sri Gayatri Devi	Allapu Garelu/Ginger Medu Vada	Orange	White
October 20, 2020	Sri Annpoorna Devi	Daddojanam Katte Pongali	Yellow/Sandal	Red
October 21, 2020	Sri Saraswati Devi	Payasam Guggillu/Konda Kadalai Sundal Shakhannam Atukulu/Aval Bellam/Jaggery	White	Royal Blue
October 22, 2020	Sri Lalitha Tripura Sundari Devi	Kobbari Annam, Thengai Sadam, Coconut Rice Chintapandu Pulihora	Gold	Yellow
October 23, 2020	Sri Mahalakshmi Devi	Poornalu, Poornam Boorelu Rava Kesari Chakkara Pongal	Pink	Green
October 24, 2020	Sri Durga Devi (Durgashtami) Sri Mahishasura Mardani	Sri Durga Devi Naivedyam: Kadambam (without shallots) Sri Mahishasura Mardini Naivedyam: Pulihora Vada Pappu Garelu Panakam Pakam Garelu	Red Brown/Maroon	Peacock Green
October 25, 2020 (Vijaya Dashami/ Dasara/Dussehra)	Sri Rajarajeswari Devi	Laddu Maha Naivedyam including: Chalimidi Panakam Vada Pappu Chintapandu Pulihora Payasam Garelu Guggillu Mukkala Pulusu Mudda Pappu Rice & more		Purple