What is Navaratri, the Hindu festival of nine nights?

Indian women wearing traditional attire pose for pictures as they practice the Garba, a traditional dance of Gujarat state, during a rehearsal ahead of Navaratri or nine night festival, in Ahmedabad, India, Sept. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)
(RNS) — Celebrations of Navaratri, which means ‘nine nights’ in Sanskrit, differ widely across Indian regions.