The nine-day festival of Sharadiya Navratri began on Sunday with devotees thronging temples across the country to offer prayers to Goddess Durga and her nine divine forms.
In the national capital, large gatherings were seen at Kalkaji Temple and Jhandewalan Temple, where worshippers sought blessings of the goddess. The Shree Adya Katyayani Shaktipeeth Mandir in Chhatarpur also witnessed heavy footfall. Meanwhile, Mumbai’s Mumbadevi Temple marked the occasion with the sacred Kakad Aarti.
During the festival, Goddess Kanakadurga is venerated in her form as Sri Maha Chandika Devi, who embodies the combined energies of Mahalakshmi, Mahakali, and Mahasaraswati. She is believed to grant knowledge, fame, and prosperity, while protecting devotees from evil. Worshipping Maha Chandika is considered equivalent to worshipping all deities.
Sharadiya Navratri, observed in the lunar month of Ashwin, celebrates the divine feminine power and is marked by fasting, devotional singing, and cultural performances like Garba and Dandiya. Each day of the festival is dedicated to a different manifestation of Goddess Durga, symbolising strength, wisdom, and compassion.
Particularly significant is the seventh day, dedicated to Maa Kaalratri, the fierce form of the goddess known to destroy demons, negative energies, and darkness. The festival concludes with Rama Navami, celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Ram.
Also known as Rama Navratri, the occasion is observed with rituals like Ghatasthapana (invocation of Goddess Shakti), fasting, and prayers, with devotees honouring both the fierce and serene aspects of the divine mother, including Maha Gauri Mata, symbol of peace and calmness.
