Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended Chaitra Navratri greetings to the people.
"Happy Navratri to all the countrymen. May this festival of worship of Shakti infuse new energy in everyone's life," tweeted the Prime Minister.
As the Chaitra Navratri begins today, a large number of devotees flocked to Mata Vaishno Devi Temple in Katra, Jammu to offer prayers. Similar scenes were seen in Durga temples across the country. Devotees started queueing up in Delhi's Jhandewalan Temple, Durga Temple in Varanasi and Mumba Devi Temple in Mumbai.
Celebrated during the spring season, Chaitra Navratri or Vasant Navratri is considered to be an important nine-day celebration for Hindus.
This year, the festival starts on April 2 and will end on April 11. The first day of Chaitra Navratri falls during the 'Shukla Paksha' of the moon which is the full moon phase. The rituals performed during the nine days in order to worship Goddess Durga, vary each day. It also marks the birthday of Lord Rama, which usually falls on the ninth day during the Navratri festivity, hence it is also known as Rama Navratri.
The festival is much like Maha Navratri, dedicated to the nine different forms of Goddess Durga, collectively known as Navdurga.
Today also marks the Hindu new year according to the Vikram Samwat calendar.
( With inputs from ANI )
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