Today is the start of Navaratri, a nine-night festival that honors the Feminine Divine \u2013 Shakti, Devi, Goddess. Hinduism Today\u2019s Festival one pager<\/a> explains how it is celebrated, and more importantly, its significance. Hinduism is one of the few living religions where the Divine is She, Shakti<\/a><\/em>. Shakti is the Divine Mother, the personification of primordial energy, that which is\u00a0the source of all and controls all, the power behind divine and cosmic evolution, and exists in each of us. On these nine nights, Hindus around the world worship Her nine manifestations or incarnations. It is one of the most important Hindu festivals, during which many people \u2013 especially women \u2013 fast daily. The stories and celebrations around Navaratri are as varied and rich as the land where they are most vibrant \u2013 India. In the Western hemisphere, the Hindu community \u2013 largely the Indian diaspora \u2013 also have religious rituals, raas garba and other social events. I will be heading to my local temple to participate<\/a> and having a bommala koluvu<\/a><\/em> in my home. This year I will be doing something more: watching Belief<\/a>, on Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) on Oct. 18 at 8 pm, in order to share with friends and family the experience I had a month earlier, and discuss more ways to promote pluralism.<\/p>\n