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Thousands of devotees thronged temples across India on Sunday, the first day of Sharadiya Navratri, to offer prayers to Goddess Durga and seek her blessings.
Major shrines witnessed long queues, special aartis and religious celebrations as devotees began the nine-day festival.
In Jammu and Kashmir, pilgrims gathered in large numbers at the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Katra. Crowds queued at RFID card counters to collect their cards before starting their pilgrimage.
In Surat, Gujarat, thousands of devotees visited the 400-year-old Juna Ambaji Temple in Gopipura to attend the morning Mangala Aarti and worship Maa Amba.
Temple priest Jitendra Bharti Goswami said devotees had started arriving as early as 3 AM. He further recalled the temple’s historical significance, saying Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Mahatma Gandhi had visited the shrine.
In Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, devotees gathered at the Maa Shailputri Temple in Alaipura, observing fasts and performing rituals.
In Prayagraj, worshippers visited the Alop Shankari Shaktipeeth Temple, while others took a holy dip in the Ganga at Dashashwamedh Ghat in Daraganj and offered prayers to Maa Shailputri.
Chief priest Mansukh Maharaj said long queues formed at Alop Shankari Temple, while priests reported devotees collecting Ganga water and soil for home worship after Pitru Paksha.
Devotees visited Mumbai’s Mumba Devi Temple, Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, and the Chamunda and Tulja Bhavani temples in Dewas.
In Vijayapura, Karnataka, hundreds joined a candle procession to Laxmi Temple.
Sharadiya Navratri celebrates Goddess Durga and her nine forms during Ashwin, ending with Vijayadashami, or Dussehra, which symbolises the victory of good over evil.
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