What Navratri is and how people in Metro Vancouver are celebrating this year
Navratri celebrations are lighting up temples and community halls across Metro Vancouver this week as Hindu families mark one of their most important festivals.
The nine-night event, whose name comes from Sanskrit (nava means nine, ratri means nights), honours the goddess in her many forms, including Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati.
“It really symbolizes the victory of good over evil,” said Narayanasami Swami of the Vancouver Hindu Cultural Society in an interview with Daily Hive. “Navratri celebrates Goddess Durga’s triumph over the demon Mahishasura and represents righteousness winning over evil.”
While Navratri traditions look different across India, from Garba and Dandiya dance marathons in Gujarat, to Durga Puja in West Bengal, to Golu doll displays in Tamil Nadu, in B.C., they take on a distinctly local flavour.
Here, families gather in temples and community halls each evening for prayers, singing, and devotional dance. Women often dress in colourful saris or ghagras, men wear kurtas, and both join in Garba circles that can last for hours.
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Altars are decorated with flowers and lights, sweets and fruit are offered to the goddess, and friends and neighbours are invited to share food and blessings.
The Vancouver Hindu Cultural Society, for example, is hosting a Saraswati Puja this weekend, where families will bring books and tools to be blessed. Children will also take part in Vidyarambham, a ritual that marks the start of learning by writing God’s name in a plate of rice with the guidance of elders.
“These celebrations are a way for us to seek blessings for good health, wealth, knowledge, and spiritual growth,” Swami told Daily Hive.
The festival culminates with Dussehra on the 10th day, marking Lord Rama’s victory over Ravana, another reminder of good overcoming evil.
Where to celebrate Navratri in Metro Vancouver
Here’s where you can join the festivities:
1. Gujarati Society of British Columbia Navratri Festival 2025
When: Friday, Sept. 26 to Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025
Time: 6:30 p.m. onwards
Where: Crown Palace Banquet Hall, 12025 Nordel Way, Unit 201, Surrey
Tickets: From $15 (combo deals available, kids under five free). Food available for purchase. Free parking.
2. Navratri Festival Society Navratri Festival 2025
When: Monday, Sept. 22 to Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025
Time: 8 p.m. to late
Where: Riverside Signature Banquet Hall, 13030 76th Ave., Surrey
Tickets: From $12 (weekday nights) to $25 (Friday and Saturday). Weekend package available for $60. Some dates are already sold out.
3. PLUS91 Cultural Events Society Garba Night
When: Friday, Sept. 26 and Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025
Time: 8 to 11:30 p.m.
Where: Bonsor Recreation Complex, 6550 Bonsor Ave., Burnaby
Tickets: $15 early bird, $20 regular, $25 late. Free for kids under five.
4. Navli Navratri 2025 with Geeta Rabari
When: Friday, Oct. 3, 2025
Time: 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. (gates open at 6 p.m.)
Where: Cloverdale Agriplex, 17763 62nd Ave., Surrey
Tickets: From $24.99. Kids under three get in for free. Free parking on-site.
5. Rangtaali Dandiya Night 2025
When: Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025
Time: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Where: Port Coquitlam Community Centre (Mabbett Hall), 2150 Wilson Ave., Port Coquitlam
Tickets: $15 early bird (until Sept. 5), $20 regular. Free for kids under 10. Free underground parking.
6. UBC Navratri 2025
When: Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025
Time: 6 to 10 p.m.
Where: The Great Hall, AMS Nest, University Blvd., UBC
Tickets: $23 to $27 for UBC students, $25 to $27 for non-students. Alumni, faculty, and staff tickets $25. Some tiers are already sold out.
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