Navaratri, or the nine sacred nights dedicated to the Mother Goddess, are celebrated in the month of October-November. Navaratri includes the Sarasvati Puja and the Durga Puja festivals. "Nava" means nine and "ratri" means night. So, Navaratri literally means nine nights. During these nine nights of festivities, the goddess is worshiped in Her different forms of Durga, Lakshmi, and Sarasvati. The Navaratri celebrations are held at night to overcome the influence of tamas, the mode of ignorance that is said to prevail during this time. Additionally, Navaratri commemorates the day on which the combined powers of the three Goddesses of Durga or Maha-Kali, Maha Lakshmi, and Maha Sarasvati put an end to the evil forces represented by the buffalo-headed demon Mahishasura. The ninth day is also the day of the Ayudha Puja. The Ayudha Puja involves worship of whatever instruments one may use in one's livelihood. On the proceeding evening, it is traditional to place these instruments on an altar to the Divine. If one can make a conscious effort to see the Divine in the tools and objects one uses each day, it will help one to see one's work as an offering to God.