THE nine-day festival of Sharadiya Navratristarted with religious fervour in Sanskardhani, on Sunday. Devotees visited temples from early morning to offer prayers and perform rituals. Special worship was organised at Maa Durga temples, while preparations for evening aarti and other religious programmes continued across the city. Devotees offered jalabhishek and prayed for the wellbeing of their families. Temples witnessed a steady flow of visitors throughout the day. Special arrangements were made at prominent Shaktipeeths and other major temples for the festival. At Maa Badi Khermai Temple, Budhi Khermai, Maa Baglamukhi Siddhpeeth and several other religious places, special puja programmes marked the beginning of Navratri. Temples have been decorated for the occasion. Special shringar, Maha Aarti and bhandaara programmes will be organised during the nine days.

 

The arrival of Navratri also brought festive activity to the city's streets and localities. Durga idols started reaching pandals at several places. Preparations are underway for evening aarti, cultural programmes and community worship. Devotees have also started visiting pandals to seek the blessings of the goddess. More than 1,000 small and large Durga idols are being installed across the city this year. Of these, around 300 large public pandals are expected to be set up at different locations. The festival has a tradition of more than 150 years in Jabalpur. According to the Hindu calendar, Navratri will continue for 10 days this year due to a change in the dates.The festival will conclude on October 20 with Navami havan,kanya pujan, Durga idol immersion and Vijayadashami celebrations. The city’s prominent Durga temples, including Badi Khermai, Gohalpur, Budhi Khermai, Tripur Sundari, Tewar, Ranjhi Chhoti Khermai and Bhedaghat Khermai will witness large gatherings during the festival.