Nine-day Hindu festival of Navratri underway in celebration of Durga

The nine-day Hindu festival of Navratri is underway celebrates Durga, the mother goddess who carries weapons in her arms, and marks her nine-day battle with evil demon Mahishasura.

Typically falling between September and October during the month of Ashvin and running until October 20, communities worldwide are celebrating with dancing, gift-giving, light, and food, with free events taking place throughout the period. With Nav meaning nine and Ratri meaning nights, the festival will end with what's known as Dussehra, which is the celebration of good over evil, as Durga defeats Mahishasura, meaning that "peace across the world was restored."

Dancing includes Garba, which sees participants move in circles around an idol of the goddess Durga, as well as Raas Dandiya, in which dancers use a pair of decorated wooden sticks, striking them with a partner. There’s also lights, sweets, gifts, prayers and singing, although this particular festival is more a case of nine days of dancing.

Durga killed the evil demon in a battle which lasted nine days and nights and that is why the festival lasts for nine days and nights as well. Each day is represented by a different colour which symbolises one of her distinct characteristics or traits, with many Hindus wearing a different coloured traditional outfit each day to reflect this.

Over the years, Mahishasura and his men became a powerful force attacking people on Earth and no gods were able to defeat him. Then, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva - the three most powerful Hindu gods - decided to come together and create the goddess Durga, a powerful woman whose job would be to destroy Mahishasura.

The gods equipped the new goddess Durga with lots of weapons before she went into battle with Mahishasura. Durga fought the demon for 10 days, and it proved quite difficult as he kept changing his form to confuse the goddess.

However, when he finally turned into a buffalo, Durga was able to defeat him. The festival ends with what's known as Dussehra, which is the celebration of good over evil.