Navratri 2018: Colours to Wear, Forms of the Devi (Alankaram), Naivedyam Recipes

Sharada 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 2018, Devi Navratri is from October 10, 2018 to October 19, 2018.

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.

Vijayawada Kanaka Durga is a very revered form of the Devi in Andhra Pradesh and she has a temple dedicated to her on the a hill called Indrakeeladri on the banks of the river Krishna. The Devi gets her name Kanaka Durga (Golden Durga) from her golden hue. Read more about this temple and the story of its origins. 

This post will be a living document (last updated September 24, 2018).