Sharadiya Navratri Begins With Morning Aarti At Himachal’s Naina Devi Temple

Sharadiya Navratri began on Sunday with the morning aarti at the Shaktipeeth Shri Naina Devi Temple in Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh. As the aarti was performed, the temple of Mata Rani resonated with devotional chants and the atmosphere became deeply religious.

On the first day of Navratri, devotees offered prayers to Maa Shailputri, the first form of Maa Durga. The Sharadiya Navratri celebrations at the Shri Naina Devi Temple are being held from 11 October to 20 October.

The arrival of devotees at the temple began from the morning itself on the first day of Navratri. Devotees from Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and other states are reaching the temple to seek the blessings of Mata Rani.

After offering prayers at the temple, devotees bowed before the goddess and prayed for the happiness, prosperity and well-being of their families. They also offered ahutis at the ancient havan kund located within the temple complex and sought religious merit.

In view of the increasing number of devotees during Navratri, the temple trust and the district administration have made the necessary arrangements. These arrangements have been put in place so that devotees arriving from different parts of the country do not face any difficulty while seeking darshan.

The temple has also been decorated grandly for the occasion. The darbar of Mata Rani, decorated with colourful flowers and attractive decorations, has become a major centre of attraction for devotees. The decoration has added to the devotional atmosphere at the temple.

Shri Naina Devi Temple priest Lakki Sharma said that, according to religious belief, the eyes of Mata Sati fell at this place. This is why the Shaktipeeth came to be known as Shri Naina Devi.

He also said that, according to mythological belief, the goddess killed Mahishasur and freed the gods from his atrocities. After this, the gods and goddesses were pleased, showered flowers and raised chants in praise of the goddess.

With the beginning of Sharadiya Navratri, a devotional atmosphere continues to prevail at the Shri Naina Devi Temple. It is expected that lakhs of devotees from across the country will reach the darbar of Maa Naina Devi during the upcoming nine days.