Nabami

Nabami, also transliterated as Nabami or Navami, is the ninth day of Durga Puja in the Bengali calendar. The festival is a major Hindu celebration observed especially in West Bengal, India, and in Bangladesh, with many Bengali communities around the world marking the occasion. Nabami occurs after Ashtami (the eighth day) and before Vijaya Dashami (the tenth day), forming a central phase in the multi-day worship of the goddess Durga.

On Nabami, devotees participate in puja to honor Durga, often in temples and in pandals erected for the festival. Rituals typically include prayers, arati, and the ceremonial abhishek or bathing of the goddess’s idol, along with offerings of bhog (food) and ceremonial lamps. Public processions, cultural programs, and night vigils are common features in many localities, with communities sharing meals and viewing the decorated idols.

The name Nabami derives from Sanskrit/Navami, meaning the ninth day. The day is part of the broader Durga Puja observance that culminates on Vijaya Dashami, when the idols are immersed in water and the festival concludes.