Devotees flocked to their nearest temples and also visited various shrines as Chaitra Navratri kicked in on April 9. The temples were also thronged on the second day of Navratri on Wednesday morning. People stood in queues as they waited to present offerings to the goddess.
ANI
Thousands of devotees from across the country thronged the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir as the nine-day long ‘Chaitra Navratri’ commenced. ‘Shat Chandi Maha Yagya’, a special havan organised by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), was performed at the holy cave amidst the serene aura besides other rituals on the auspicious occasion.
ANI
Hundreds of devotees visited several temples in the country since early morning to pay their obeisance to Goddess Shakti. During these nine days, the devotees worship various types of Durga, known as Navadurga. Streets wore a festive look with the locals performing Pooja.
PTI
In Prayagraj, devotees took a holy dip and offered prayers at the confluence of River Ganga and River Yamuna on the occasion of the first day of Chaitra Navaratri. They also thronged the Alopi Devi temple on the occasion. A huge crowd of devotees gathered to visit the Durga Temple in Varanasi.
ANI
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Nine avatars of goddess
During the nine days of Chaitra Navaratri, it is believed that nine different avatars of the goddess are worshipped. The celebrations also mark the start of the Hindu New Year as per the Luni-solar calendar, and people in Maharastra celebrate it as Gudi Padwa, while Kashmiri Hindus observe it as Navreh.
