Bhakti Margam New Zealand president Dr Kesava Kovanur Sampath said the festival that celebrated the goddess Durga had significance to people from diverse regions across India.
The festival was very familiar to him growing up in Tamil Nadu, in South India.
"Depending on where you are, it could be a nine-day festival, or 10 days or 12 days."
It could take on a different feel in different parts of the country. It was a "massive" event in Bengal.
"So for Bengalis it has a different feel, a different tone."
Irrespective of the different ways it was celebrated in various parts of the country, the basic essence was celebrating the mother goddess, "so, the feminine form of divine power".
Dr Sampath said he thought there was sometimes a misunderstanding that Indian culture was quite patriarchal, but that was not the case.
"It is probably equal."
Worshipping Durga was a form of worship called Shaktism, where the female goddess was central to everything.
"She is the ultimate power."
The Sathi Association has organised two days of celebrations on October 21 and 22, taking place at the St Kilda Scout Group hall at 63 Victoria Rd in St Kilda.
For further details, visit fb.com and search for Sathi Association Dunedin.
