New Delhi, March 22 (IANS) Devotees lined up in temples from early morning across the country, on Sunday, to celebrate the fourth day of Chaitra Navratri, dedicated to the worship of Goddess Kushmanda.
Goddess Kushmanda, whose name contains the elements “Ku” (small), “Ushma” (powerful), and “Anda” (egg), is revered on the fourth day of the nine-day festival.
As devotees gathered at New Delhi’s Jhandewalan Temple, the temple’s priest told IANS, “Today marks the fourth day of Chaitra Navratri, dedicated to Maa Kushmanda. All the devotees of Goddess Bhagvati (Kushmanda) have arrived here to seek blessings. All those devotees who are unable to reach the temple can worship the Goddess in their homes. It is all about one’s faith and devotion.”
A devotee who had arrived to offer prayers at the temple said, “I have been coming here for the past 20 years, and it is by Maa Jhandewali’s grace that devotees in large numbers come here to offer prayers.”
Another devotee added that arrangements in the temple are also good.
Another temple in Delhi where worshippers started coming in since early morning was Delhi’s Kalkaji Temple.
A devotee visiting the temple said, ” I come here on Navratri for nine days. I usually come here on Saturdays. Today it is the most crowded as it is the fourth day of the festival, and on top of it, today is Sunday.”
A trustee of the Kalkaji Temple told IANS, “All the arrangements that you see here, volunteers, barricading, lights, announcement, CCTV, all those arrangements have been made by Shri Kalkaji Mandir Parvandak Sudhaar Committee for the devotees. But compared to the last time, this time we have seen a little less crowd, maybe due to the rain and the weather.”
Speaking about the auspicious day, a priest at Mata Tekri Temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas, told IANS, “Today is a very auspicious day as we worship Goddess Kushmanda. Whatever devotees pray for, all their wishes are granted by the Goddess on this day.”
About the significance of the shrine, he said, “Blood spots of Devi Sati fell on this place, so this place came to be known as ‘Rakt Peeth’.”
In Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra, a large number of devotees continued to reach the ‘Darshani Deodi’ of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine on the fourth day of Chaitra Navratri to offer prayers and seek blessings.
A devotee at Darshan Deodi told IANS, “I am super fortunate. I never imagined that we would be able to come here on Navratri. People get scared of the crowd, and I, too, was one of them. “
Praising security measures, the devotee said, “The security arrangements are very good. Our vehicle number was noted at all entry points. Even though we reached Katra late at night, at 12 p.m., the police personnel were all vigilant in their duty.”
Another person echoed that even though there was a rush, the arrangements were in place.
Further, devotees waited in queues to offer prayers at Sureshwari Devi Temple in Haridwar.
Chief Priest of Siddhpeeth Sureshwari Devi Temple, told IANS, “Goddess Bhagwati is worshipped in her Kushmanda form today. According to scriptures, including references in the Skanda Purana, all the deities, along with the king of Gods, Indra, have worshipped the Goddess here.”
Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur also witnessed a rush of devotees at Shri Naina Devi Temple to offer prayers on the auspicious day.
Temple official Chatar Singh told IANS, “During (Chaitra) Navratri, all arrangements are being made for the devotees. A community feast (bhandara) is also underway, and all necessary preparations have been put in place.”
–IANS
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