He did - also on the 10th day - so the last day of Navaratri, called the “Day of Victory,” marks the triumph of good over evil.
Another says the god Rama fasted and prayed to Shakti for nine days to win her help in defeating a 10-headed demon. One tells of a nine-day battle Shakti had with a demon before trouncing him on the 10th day. Navaratri may have originated from several Hindu myths. With multiple mythological and historical roots, the festivities are a celebration of the feminine, wherein the revelers dance to the tunes of traditional folk music. Navaratri is the longest-running dance festival on the planet. The whole festival lasts 10 days, this year from Sept. At night there are special Navaratri dances (called “garba” and “dandiya raas”), street processions, feasts and fun. In some parts of India, celebrants don a different, specific, color for each day and perform different daily rituals. Shakti takes many forms and each day of the festival is focused on one of her qualities. It honors Shakti, the Hindu version of the divine feminine. Navaratri means “nine nights” in Sanskrit and is always celebrated near harvest time. What is this religious holiday, sacred to the more than 1 billion Hindus worldwide yet relatively unknown by non-Hindus, all about? Let us explain: What is Navaratri? More important than Diwali is, in fact, Navaratri, which Hindus around the world are celebrating right now. But some Hindus say Diwali gets overemphasized outside India because of some similarities to Christmas. Many non-Hindus are at least vaguely aware of Diwali, the Hindu holiday marked by lights, dressing up and the exchange of gifts.