New Delhi, March 19 (NationPress) Devotees flocked to temples across the nation on Thursday as India celebrated Chaitra Navratri, a highly revered Hindu festival honoring Goddess Durga through prayers, fasting, and various rituals.

This nine-day festival, often referred to as Ram Navratri, is particularly important as it concludes on the birth anniversary of Lord Rama and signifies the start of the Hindu New Year.

During these nine days, worshippers engage in celebrations filled with profound faith and excitement, venerating the nine forms of Goddess Durga while adhering to rituals that include the observance of specific colors associated with each day.

Many devotees initiate their fast from Pratipada and continue until Navami, earnestly seeking the blessings of the Goddess for spiritual growth.

In Uttarakhand, numerous devotees gathered at the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar to offer prayers on the festival's inaugural day.

A devotee shared with IANS, “During Navratri, followers feel that Mata Rani fulfills the desires of all who pray sincerely.”

The temple priest also emphasized the special nature of this time and the surge of visitors.

“Navratri draws a significant crowd at the temple, with worshippers arriving from various regions to pray and seek blessings. They offer flowers, sweets, coconuts, and other traditional items to honor the Goddess,” he informed IANS.

Meanwhile, in Jammu and Kashmir, a large number of pilgrims headed to the Vaishno Devi Temple to receive the deity's blessings as the festival commenced.

One devotee remarked, “I visit this temple almost every year, but this is my first experience during Navratri. My devotion to Mata Rani makes this visit exceptionally meaningful, especially seeing the temple beautifully adorned for the celebration.”

In the national capital, devotees also visited the Kalka Ji Temple to pray and seek blessings from Mata Kalka, showcasing the widespread recognition of the festival throughout the country.

A regular visitor stated, “Each year during Navratri, I come here. The temple's management and arrangements are commendable, which is why I keep returning.”

“For the past 20 years, I have sought darshan at this temple, and by the grace of Mata Rani, everyone's wishes are fulfilled. During every Navratri, a large number of devotees come here with unwavering faith,” another devotee expressed to IANS.

Officials at various religious locations have implemented measures to accommodate the large influx of visitors, as the festivities continue in the coming days with prayers, rituals, and devotional practices.