Devotees Gather for Shardiya Navratri Aarti Across India

On the second day of Shardiya Navratri, devotees flocked to the Jhandewalan Mata Temple and Shri Adhya Katyayani Shaktipith Mandir in Delhi to perform Aarti for Mata Brahmacharini. Navratri, celebrated with great fervor, includes rituals like offering sugar bhog and reciting special mantras.

Devotees congregated at Delhi's Jhandewalan Mata Temple early Friday to participate in Aarti rituals marking the second day of Shardiya Navratri. This phase involves reverence for Mata Brahmacharini, one of Goddess Durga's renowned avatars.

A similar sanctified occasion unfolded at Shri Adhya Katyayani Shaktipith Mandir in Chhatarpur, Delhi, as worshippers presented offerings to the divine Mata Brahmacharini. Heralded as a devout Sati in Hindu lore, her presence symbolizes the rigors of penance undertaken by Goddess Parvati.

Adorned in white with a sacred rosary and kamandal, Goddess Brahmacharini's worship is believed to amplify devotion and austerity. Devotees invoke her essence by reciting, 'Om Devi Brahmacharinyai Namah.' The traditions include bathing her effigy in honey and milk and applying a teeka, complemented by a unique sugar bhog.

Navratri, inspired by its Sanskrit translation 'nine nights,' honors Goddess Durga and her nine manifestations, Navdurga. Primarily, Chaitra and Shardiya Navratris coincide with seasonal transitions and witness widespread festivities.

Across India, Navratri unfolds distinctively; the northern states, notably Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, relive epic narratives via Ramlila performances, culminating in Vijayadashami with King Ravana's effigies in flames.

(With inputs from agencies.)