Devotees gathered at temples nationwide to celebrate Chaitra Navratri, a significant Hindu festival dedicated to Goddess Durga. This nine-day festival, also known as Ram Navratri, holds special importance as it coincides with Lord Rama’s birth anniversary and the start of the Hindu New Year. Throughout the festival, devotees worship the nine forms of Goddess Durga with fervor, following traditions like wearing specific colors each day.
In Uttarakhand, devotees flocked to the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar to offer prayers on the festival’s first day. Many devotees observe fasting from Pratipada to Navami, seeking blessings and spiritual fulfillment. The temple priest emphasized the festival’s significance, noting the increased footfall of worshippers during Navratri.
Pilgrims in Jammu and Kashmir visited the Vaishno Devi Temple in large numbers to seek blessings at the festival’s onset. Devotees expressed their devotion, with one visitor mentioning the temple’s beautiful decorations for Navratri. In the national capital, devotees visited the Kalka Ji Temple to seek blessings from Mata Kalka, showcasing the widespread observance of the festival nationwide.
Authorities at religious sites have made arrangements to handle the influx of devotees as celebrations continue with rituals, prayers, and devotional activities.
