To answer your query, Durga Puja is Bengal's greatest festival because it's a significant socio-cultural event that unites people through religious devotion, artistic expression, and community celebration, embodying a rich heritage recognised by UNESCO as an intangible “Cultural Heritage of Humanity”. The 10-day festival celebrates the victory of good over evil with Goddess Durga's annual visit to her maternal home, accompanied by elaborate decorations, thematic pandals, music, dance, delicious food, and vibrant processions, fostering unity and cultural pride.
Maha Ashtami which is of preponderance in Durga Pooja falls on Monday, the 29th of Sept. this year (2025) followed by Navami, the next day i.e., 30th instant. And, Vijaya Dasami, the Day of Victory of Lord Rama over the demon King, Ravan and the triumph of Truth falls on Gandhi Jayanthi, i.e, the 2nd of Oct. 2025.
Maha Ashtami is significant during Navratri as it commemorates the triumph of Goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura, symbolising the victory of good over evil. It is a day dedicated to the worship of the divine feminine (Shakti), marked by rituals such as Kumari Pooja, where young girls are worshipped as embodiments of the Goddess. Devotees perform prayers and special rituals to seek blessings for strength, prosperity, and protection.
Now, kindly have patience in sieving through this comprehensive narrative about Navrathri Festival:
To begin with, the word Navaratri means 'nine nights' in Sanskrit, nava meaning nine and ratri meaning nights. There are four seasonal Navratris observed in India, out of which two: Chaitra and Sharad Navratris are celebrated the most. Of these, the Sharada Navaratri near autumn equinox (September–October) is the most celebrated and the Vasanta Navaratri near spring equinox (March–April) is the next most significant to the culture of the Indian subcontinent. In all cases, Navaratri falls in the bright half of the Hindu lunisolar months.
(i) Sharada Navaratri is the most celebrated of the four Navaratri, named after Sharada which means autumn. It commences on the first day (pratipada) of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Ashvini. The festival is celebrated for nine nights once every year during this month, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October. The exact dates of the festival are determined according to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, and sometimes the festival may be held for a day more or a day less depending on the adjustments for sun and moon movements and the leap year.
In many regions, the festival falls after the autumn harvest, and in others, during harvest. The festivities extend beyond goddess Durga and various other goddesses such as Saraswati and Lakshmi. Deities such as Ganesha, Kartikeya, Shiva, and Parvati are regionally revered. For example, a notable pan-Hindu tradition during Navaratri is the adoration of Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, music, and arts, through Ayudha Puja. On this day, which typically falls on the ninth day of Navaratri, peace and knowledge is celebrated. Warriors thank, decorate, and worship their weapons, offering prayers to Saraswati. Musicians upkeep, play, and play their musical instruments.
Farmers, carpenters, smiths, pottery makers, shopkeepers, and all sorts of tradespeople similarly decorate and worship their equipment, machinery, and tools of trade. Students visit their teachers, express respect, and seek their blessings. This tradition is particularly strong in South India, but is observed elsewhere too.
(ii) Chaitra Navaratri, also called Vasantha Navaratri, is the second most celebrated Navaratri, named after vasanta which means spring. It is observed during the lunar month of Chaitra (March–April). The festival is devoted to goddess Durga, whose nine forms are worshipped on nine days. The last day is also Rama Navami, the birthday of Rama. For this reason, it is also called Rama Navaratri by some people.
In many regions, the festival falls after spring harvest, and in others, during harvest. It also marks the first day of the lunisolar calendar, also known as the Hindu Lunar New Year, according to the Vikram Samvat calendar. Chaitra Navaratri is called Navreh by the Kashmiri Pandits, Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Ugadi in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka.
(iii) Magha Navaratri is observed during the lunar month of Magha (January–February). This Navaratri is also known as Gupt (secret) Navaratri. The fifth day of this festival is often independently observed as Vasant Panchami or Basant Panchami, the official start of spring in the Hindu tradition, wherein Goddess Saraswati is adored through arts, music, writing, and kite flying. In some regions, the Kama Deva or the God of Love is revered. Magha Navaratri is observed regionally or by individuals.
In addition to the above, Ashada Navaratri also known as Gupta Navaratri, is observed during the lunar month of Ashadha (June–July), during the start of the monsoon season. Ashada Navaratri is observed regionally or by individuals.
(iv) The main Navarathri festival is observed after Mahalaya Paksha fortnightly thithi is over and immediately beginning after the New Moon (Mahalaya Amavasya) day. This year, the festival starts on Monday, the 22nd Sept. 2025 and will come to a close on Gandhi Jayanthi Day i.e., 2nd of Oct.2025.
Navratri is the festival, spanning over 9 days in which nine goddesses are worshipped-Shailaputri or Pratipada, Brahmacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kaalratri, Mahagauri, Siddhidhatri.
In Tamilnadu, the Navarathri Festival is celebrated with three days each earmarked for Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi Goddesses. The added attraction is the “Navarathri Kolu” (நவராத்திரி கொலு) where the idols of Gods and Devis are arrayed in a proper decorum which is really a cynosure to the Guests and Invitees. Please have a glimpse of the specimen signature hereunder for facile reference. Incidentally, it would be apt to mention that in olden days, huge wooden idols (மரப்பாச்சி) used to decorate the stairs of Navarathri Frame.. The main purport of Kolu (Dolls assortment) depicting various deities is to offer obeisance by mentally concentrating and offering Naivedyam at periodic intervals.
As a tradition Marapachi dolls are a hereditary gift from mother to daughter when the latter starts her Bommai Kolu arrangement. A particular practice followed in South India is to gift the Marapachi Dolls to newly married couple for their children to play with. The significance of this particular gift made of Marapachi doll in red sandal wood is stated to be the medicinal quality of the wood. When a child licks this plaything made of red sandalwood, the child's saliva derives an extract of the wood which the child absorbs into its system.[6]During the Golu festival, which is held in South India, as part of Navratri festival, particularly in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, the Marapachi dolls are part of the display; the displays are arranged in an odd number of tiers or steps of 3, 5, 7, 9, or 11, but generally in nine steps. In the traditional arrangement, the top tier is assigned for the display of Marapachi Dolls. Other dolls, either made of clay or wood, are arranged in specified tiers. On the first day of the Navratri, which is the day following New Moon Day, worship is offered by women of the house to the Goddesses Parvathi, Lakshmi and Saraswati
Please have a glimpse of Marappachi dolls of King and the Queen hereunder for facile reference:-
Navaratri[a] is a Hindu festival that spans over nine nights (and ten days) and is celebrated every year in the autumn season. It is observed for different reasons and celebrated differently in various parts of the Hindu Indian cultural sphere. Theoretically, there are four seasonal Navaratri. However, in practice, it is the post-monsoon autumn festival called Sharada Navaratri which is the most observed in honour of the divine feminine Devi (Durga). The festival is celebrated in the bright half of the Hindu calendar month Ashvin, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of September and October.
In the eastern and northeastern states of India, the Durga Puja is synonymous with Navaratri, wherein goddess Durga battles and emerges victorious over the buffalo demon Mahishasur to help restore dharma. In southern states, the victory of Durga or Kali is celebrated. In all cases, the common theme is the battle and victory of good over evil based on a regionally famous epic or legend such as the Devi Mahatmaya.
Celebrations include worshipping nine goddesses during nine days, stage decorations, recital of the legend, enacting of the story, and chanting of the scriptures of Hinduism. The nine days are also a major crop season cultural event, such as competitive design and staging of pandals, a family visit to these pandals, and the public celebration of classical and folk dances of Hindu culture. Hindu devotees often celebrate Navaratri by fasting. On the final day, called Vijaya Dashami, the statues are either immersed in a water body such as a river or ocean, or the statue symbolising the evil is burnt with fireworks, marking the destruction of evil. During this time preparations also take place for Diwali (the Festival of Lights) which is celebrated twenty days after Vijayadashami.’
SANATANA DHARMA IS EMBELLISHED WITH MANY A MEANINGFUL FESTIVAL.