Navratri festival begins with widespread religious observances

The Shardiya Navratri festival has commenced, marked by widespread religious observances across India and Bangladesh. The nine-day celebration honors the various forms of Goddess Durga, beginning with the worship of Maa Shailputri. In India, prominent figures such as Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath performed Kalash Puja at the Gorakhnath Temple, while ICC Chairman Jay Shah extended festive wishes to devotees.

In Bangladesh, the observance of Mahalaya signaled the end of Pitru Paksha and the beginning of Devi Paksha, with rituals including Tarpan to honor ancestors. Devotees in various regions, including Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat, and Varanasi, have gathered at major shrines like the Mata Vaishno Devi and Juna Ambaji temples to participate in traditional prayers and fasting.

Special religious ceremonies, such as the Shat Chandi Maha Yagya at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, are being held to promote universal peace and prosperity. Cultural expressions of the festival also include themed jewelry presentations at the Indian Museum in Kolkata, celebrating the goddess's nine avatars.