New Delhi: The first day of Sharadiya Navratri was marked with devotion and enthusiasm across the national capital, as temples and houses prepared to welcome Goddess Durga on the auspicious occasion. Early morning, 'Mangal Aarti' was performed, beginning with the worship of Shailputri, the first form of the Goddess.
Devotees thronged temples from dawn, after offering prayers and installing 'Kalash' in their respective homes and decorated shrines for the nine-day festival.
At the Shri Jhandewalan Mata Devi Temple, one of Delhi's most revered shrines, devotees began arriving as early as 4 AM. The temple echoed with chants of 'Jai Mata Di' as people patiently waited in long queues for darshan. The temple administration, with the help of police, has made elaborate arrangements to ensure hassle-free darshan amid the heavy rush.
Similar scenes of devotion were witnessed at the Kalkaji Devi Temple and Shri Adhya Katyayani Devi Temple in Chhatarpur. Devotees from Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida also reached the shrines in large numbers to seek blessings.
