On first Navratra, devotees throng Kali Mata Mandir

Karam Prakash

Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 18

On the eve of Chaitra Navratri, devotees across Punjab and neighbouring states have reached the famous and historic Kali Mata Mandir to pay their obeisance, here today.

The heavy police forces have been deployed by the Deputy Commissioner of Patiala. As many as 217 police personnel and 16 duty magistrates have been put on this job. Installations of the CCTV cameras have been made to keep eyes on the activities - inside and outside the mandir. Timings of the temple entry have been fixed from 4:15 am to 10 pm.

Karnail Singh, Traffic In-Charge, said, “Around 60 police personnel are on foot to manage the traffic during Navratri. “

The road leading from the Fountain Chowk to the Kali Mata Mandir has been barricaded to stop the vehicles’ ply, on this stretch, for the next nine days. Since thousands of devotees are expected, every day, at Kali Mata Mandir, therefore, thousands of  ‘seva’ workers are volunteering for the smooth worshipping in the  mandir. In fact, every year, during Chaitra Navratri, around one lakh people visit Kali Mata Mandir.

Chaitra Navratri, a Hindu festival, dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga and her nine avatars for a period of nine days.  The festival will be celebrated from March 18 to 26.