Are Navratri and Durga Puja same festivals in India?

Some people may assume that Navratri and Durga Puja are the same festivals because these are both done in order to honor the goddess Durga, but even if they have some similarities, they are a bit different. First of all, Navratri is considered to be a festival that is usually celebrated with a lot of festivities.

The Durga Puja is more simple, and it symbolizes the significance of Durga’s win over the demon Mahishasur. Navratri can be very strict when it comes to the fasting rules and the activities that people have to do during the 9-day duration of the festival, but Durga Puja will not come with the same restrictions.