Devotees Celebrate Shardiya Navratri at Ambaji Temple in Surat
On the eighth day of Shardiya Navratri, devotees gathered at the Ambaji Temple in Surat, Gujarat, to offer prayers and participate in the early morning Aarti. The temple was filled with the sounds of chanting as devotees performed the Aarti ritual.
Similar celebrations took place at New Delhi’s Jhandewala Devi Temple, where the morning Aarti was also performed. In Assam’s capital, devotees visited the Shakti Peetha Maa Kamakhya Temple to offer their prayers during the ongoing Navratri festival.
Maa Mahagauri, the eighth incarnation of Goddess Durga, is worshipped on this day. Navratri, meaning ‘nine nights’ in Sanskrit, is a festival dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga and her nine forms, known as Navdurga. Devotees across India engage in various rituals, including fasting, reciting shlokas, wearing new clothes, and offering bhog to the goddess.
Navratri is celebrated with great devotion across India, with different regions observing unique traditions. In North India, particularly in states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, the festival includes the Ramlila, a dramatic re-enactment of scenes from the Ramayana, culminating in Vijayadashami with the burning of King Ravana’s effigies.
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Shardiya Navratri -: Shardiya Navratri is a Hindu festival celebrated in the autumn. It lasts for nine nights and is dedicated to worshipping the nine forms of Goddess Durga.
Ambaji Temple -: Ambaji Temple is a famous Hindu temple located in Gujarat, India. It is dedicated to the goddess Amba, who is considered a form of Goddess Durga.
Aarti -: Aarti is a Hindu religious ritual of worship, where light from wicks soaked in ghee or camphor is offered to deities. It is usually performed with songs and prayers.
Jhandewala Devi Temple -: Jhandewala Devi Temple is a well-known temple in New Delhi, India. It is dedicated to the goddess Jhandewali Mata, another form of Goddess Durga.
Maa Kamakhya Temple -: Maa Kamakhya Temple is a famous temple in Assam, India. It is one of the oldest and most revered centers of Tantric practices, dedicated to the goddess Kamakhya.
Maa Mahagauri -: Maa Mahagauri is one of the nine forms of Goddess Durga. She is worshipped on the eighth day of Navratri and is known for her purity and calmness.
Ramlila -: Ramlila is a traditional performance of the Ramayana, an ancient Indian epic. It is performed during Navratri in many parts of North India, depicting the life of Lord Rama.
Vijayadashami -: Vijayadashami, also known as Dussehra, is a Hindu festival that marks the end of Navratri. It celebrates the victory of good over evil, symbolized by Lord Rama’s victory over the demon king Ravana.