India is home to many festivals and all the festivals are celebrated with full joy in the country. Navratri Celebrations is one of the most popular festivals that is celebrated for 9 days in the whole of India. In these 9 days, people worship the 9 goddesses to bring happiness and thank them for everything. The best part about this festival is that you find various ways to celebrate across India. In Gujarat people celebrate this with garba and in West Bengal people enjoy this with full energy. Let’s talk about the best places for Navratri Celebrations in India.
Why is Navratri Celebrated?
Navratri is a Hindu festival that is celebrated for 9 days every year. It marks the victory of good over evil. As per the legends, Mahisasur (a devil) was blessed with immortality by the Lord Brahma. But there is a catch in that one condition is there that a woman can defeat him. Mahisasur was okay with that and started to do his evil since no god was able to defeat him due to that boon. So when everything is getting out of hand at the time goddess Durga appears and defeated Mahisasur.
| Day Number | Day Name | Goddess Worshiped | Significance/Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Pratipada | Shailaputri | Worshiped for health and prosperity. |
| Day 2 | Dwitiya | Brahmacharini | She symbolizes the pursuit of knowledge. |
| Day 3 | Tritiya | Chandraghanta | Worshipped for peace and bravery. |
| Day 4 | Chaturthi | Kushmanda | Her name means ‘creator of the universe.’ |
| Day 5 | Panchami | Skandamata | Symbolizes the motherly aspect of the divine. |
| Day 6 | Shashthi | Katyayani | Represents courage and valor. |
| Day 7 | Saptami | Kalaratri | Signifies the destroyer of darkness and evil. |
| Day 8 | Ashtami | Mahagauri | Worshiped for purity and inner strength. |
| Day 9 | Navami | Siddhidatri | Grants knowledge and spiritual enlightenment. |
Also check – Local festivals to celebrate in Rajasthan | Main Tourist Attractions of Punjab
Top 20 Best Places in India for Navratri Celebrations
| Place | Temple Name | Location | Specialty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ahmedabad, Gujarat | Ambaji Temple | Ambaji | Grand Navratri celebrations and aarti. |
| Vadodara, Gujarat | Kirti Mandir | Vadodara | Elaborate on Navratri Garba celebrations. |
| Kolkata, West Bengal | Dakshineswar Kali Temple | Kolkata | Magnificent Durga Puja and cultural events. |
| Delhi | Jhandewalan Temple | Delhi | Grand Ramlila performances during Navratri. |
| Mumbai, Maharashtra | Mumba Devi Temple | Mumbai | Colorful Navratri processions and dance nights. |
| Surat, Gujarat | Umiya Mata Temple | Surat | Enthusiastic Garba and cultural programs. |
| Jaipur, Rajasthan | Khole Ke Hanuman Ji Temple | Jaipur | Traditional dance performances during Navratri. |
| Bengaluru, Karnataka | Dodda Ganesha Temple | Bengaluru | Fusion of traditional and modern Navratri. |
| Pune, Maharashtra | Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Temple | Pune | Spiritual ambiance and cultural events. |
| Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh | Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple | Varanasi | Special aarti and processions during Navratri. |
| Hyderabad, Telangana | Peddamma Temple | Hyderabad | Batukamma festival and cultural celebrations. |
| Goa | Mangeshi Temple | Ponda, Goa | Unique Shigmo festival during Navratri. |
| Chennai, Tamil Nadu | Kapaleeshwarar Temple | Chennai | Traditional music and dance during Navratri. |
| Mysore, Karnataka | Chamundeshwari Temple | Mysore | Royal Dasara celebrations and processions. |
| Surat, Gujarat | Mahakali Temple | Pavagadh, Gujarat | Pilgrimage and grand Garba celebrations. |
| Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh | Vaibhav Lakshmi Temple | Kanpur | Unique Lakshmi Puja during Navratri. |
| Nashik, Maharashtra | Saptashrungi Devi Temple | Vani, Nashik | Devi darshan and trekking during Navratri. |
| Ranchi, Jharkhand | Jagannath Temple | Ranchi | Rath Yatra and cultural festivities. |
| Amritsar, Punjab | Durgiana Temple | Amritsar | Navratri kirtan and lighting decorations. |
| Patna, Bihar | Mangala Gauri Temple | Gaya | Special pujas and cultural events. |
West Bengal
Without any doubt, West Bengal is top among the places where Navratiry is celebrated in the best way. Unlike the other places in India here people mostly celebrate the Durga Asthami. Temples showcase the idols of Durga Mata in which she is killing the demon Mahisasur. People worship idols for 4 days, and after that, they are immersed in the river. For these 4 days, the vibe of West Bengal is mesmerizing. You see people are dancing like they have no tension in their life. This experience is nothing sort of magic and enough to give the goosebumps.
List of Top Tempels in West Bengal for Navratri celebrations
- Joyrambati, Birthplace of Sri Annapurna Devi
- Dakshineswar Kali Temple, Kolkata
- Kalighat Kali Temple, Kolkata
- Belur Math, Howrah
- Adyapeath Temple, Kolkata
- Tarapith Temple, Birbhum
- Nandikeswari Temple, Hooghly
- Bhabatarini Temple, Diamond Harbour
- Kamarpukur, the Birthplace of Sri Ramakrishna
- Jayrambati, Birthplace of Sri Sarada Devi
Gujarat
If there is one festival for which the people of Gujarat wait for is Navratri. They just love the Navratri for those 9 days Gujarat feels something else. Similar to the rest of India people worship the 9 forms of Mata in 9 days. Now you must be thinking what is amazing about this as it’s normal in the whole country. But the real magic happens at night when people go for dandiya nights and do garba. Catchy music, traditional attire. Mesmerizing lighting, delicious cuisine, and the blessing of Mata what else do you need?
List of Top Tempels in West Gujarat for Navratri celebrations
- Ambaji Temple, Ambaji
- Dwarkadhish Temple, Dwarka
- Bahuchara Mata Temple, Mehsana
- Chamunda Mata Temple, Chotila
- Narayan Sarovar Temple, Kutch
- Siddhivinayak Temple, Siddhpur
- Karnavati Club, Ahmedabad
- Maa Shakti Garba Ground, Vadodara
- Ambaji Shakti Peeth, Gandhinagar
- Bhavnath Mahadev Temple, Junagadh
Tamilnadu
Tamils have their way of celebrating this festival. Unlike worshipping all 9 forms of Mata they worship idols of Maa Laxmi, Maa Saraswati, and Maa Durga for 3-3 days. In these people visit the relative’s houses for worship and take some gifts for them which bring joy to the host. Tamilnadu goddess Durga celebration makes it one of the top places to celebrate Navratri in India.
List of Top Tempels in Tamilnadu for Navratri celebrations
- Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai
- Kamakshi Amman Temple, Kanchipuram
- Chamundeshwari Temple, Mysuru (located near Tamil Nadu border)
- Ramanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram
- Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
- Durga Temple, Dindigul
- Mookambika Temple, Kanyakumari
- Kanyakumari Temple, Kanyakumari
- Rajarajeswaram (Brihadeeswara) Temple, Thanjavur
- Arulmigu Marundeeswarar Temple, Thiruvanmiyur (Chennai)
Maharastra
In Maharastra, the Navaratri is not just a celebration its more of a family function. Here people feel a lot more connected to spirituality. People made an idol of the goddess on day 1 with mud or clay and worshipped it for the rest of 9 days. They treat this idol as a part of the family. Honestly speaking this whole process is quite overwhelming and you find people emotionally connected to them.
List of Top Tempels in Tamilnadu for Navratri celebrations
- Shri Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur
- Tulja Bhavani Temple, Tuljapur
- Ambabai Temple (Tulja Bhavani Temple), Osmanabad
- Mahur Renuka Devi Temple, Nanded
- Mahalaxmi Temple, Mumbai
- Mumbarka Temple, Mumbai
- Kailasa Temple, Ellora
- Kopeshwar Temple, Kolhapur
- Saptashrungi Devi Temple, Nashik
- Bhimashankar Temple, Pune
Rajasthan
Rajasthan; ‘s Navratri celebrations are influenced by all the traditions of India. You will find mindblowing music nights for Garba and also people visit the relative house for blessings. You will find the rally of Mata on the road with color and bands. Here people worship all the 9 forms of Mata and on the last day, they offer food to the small girls. After the food, they give them some gift or money to pay gratitude that they come and eat the food in the form of a Goddess. As you find all the colors here then it automatically becomes the best place for Navratri celebrations.
List of Top Tempels in Rajasthan for Navratri celebrations
- Karni Mata Temple, Deshnok
- Govind Dev Ji Temple, Jaipur
- Khole Ke Hanuman Ji Temple, Jaipur
- Chamunda Mata Temple, Jodhpur
- Shri Mahakaleshwar Temple, Udaipur
- Mehandipur Balaji Temple, Dausa
- Sheetla Mata Temple, Chittorgarh
- Eklingji Temple, Udaipur
- Kalki Temple, Jaipur
- Salasar Balaji Temple, Churu
FAQs – Amazing Places for Navratri Celebrations
Q. Which city is best for Navratri celebrations?
Many cities offer the best Navratri celebrations, but Ahmedabad is something else. People here just love Navratri and the Garba nighs are the best part about Navratri.
Q. What are the names of the best places for Navratri Celebrations?
Name of some of the best place for Navratri celebrations are Ambaji Temple, Kirti Mandir – Vadodara, Dakshineswar Kali Temple – Kolkata, Mumbai Devi temple, and more.
Q. Which city is best for Garba?
Ahmedabad is the best city if someone wants to enjoy the true meaning of Garba, Catchy Gujarati music, delicious food, traditional attire, attractive lights and happy faces.
Q. Which city has best Durga Puja?
For Durga puja, West Bengal is the best place. People have a different vibe on this day and they celebrate this Puja with full energy.
by Flextates