Shardiya Navratri: Devotees offer morning prayers at Harsiddhi Temple in MP's Ujjain

Shardiya Navratri: Devotees offer morning prayers at Harsiddhi Temple in MP's Ujjain (image: ANI)

Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh) [India], September 22 (ANI): Devotees flocked in large numbers at Harsiddhi Temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain on Monday morning as the festivities for Shardiya Navratri began.

On the auspicious start of the nine-day religious festival, devotees are thronging temples in several parts of the country to offer prayers to Goddess Durga in her nine forms.

Large gatherings were also seen at Devkali Temple in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, Kalkaji Temple and Jhandewalan Temple in Delhi. Additionally, devotees visited the Shree Adya Katyayani Shaktipeeth Mandir in Chhatarpur and the Mumbadevi Temple in Mumbai, where the sacred Kakad Aarti ceremony marked the commencement of the nine-day festivities.

During Shardiya Navratri, Sri Kanakadurga is adorned as Sri Maha Chandika Devi, who embodies the ‘Trishakti’ aspect of Mahalakshmi, Mahakali, and Mahasaraswati. She is believed to fulfil divine purposes, punish the wicked, and protect the righteous. Worshipping Sri Maha Chandika is considered equivalent to worshipping all deities, as her grace is said to grant knowledge, fame, wealth, and the fulfilment of desires.

Shardiya Navratri is a sacred Hindu festival spanning nine nights, celebrating the divine feminine energy embodied by Goddess Durga. Observed in the lunar month of Ashwin, the festival is marked by fervent worship, rituals, and cultural performances. Each day is dedicated to a different form of the goddess, symbolising aspects of strength, compassion, and wisdom.

Devotees also engage in fasting, devotional singing, and traditional dances such as Garba and Dandiya, creating a joyful atmosphere.

The seventh day of Navratri is especially significant, dedicated to worshipping Maa Kaalratri, the fierce manifestation of Goddess Durga. Known as the destroyer of demons, evil spirits, and negative energies, Maa Kaalratri is believed to help devotees remove darkness from their lives.