Thousands take holy dip on first day of Navratris

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, March 28

Thousands of devotees took a holy dip on the first day of the Navratris and paid obeisance at various shrines in the city.

Rituals and sermons were also performed by worshipping deity Shailputri, considered as incarnation of Goddess Parvati. This year, Navratri are of eight days, while normally they are of nine days.

From early morning, devotees were seen taking holy dip at Har-ki-Pauri.

On the first day of Navaratri, devotees came in large numbers to pay obeisance at the ancient shrines of Mata Mansa Devi, Mata Chandi Devi, Maya Devi, Mata Vaishno Devi, Maa Dakshin Kali Peeth, Sati Kund, Kankhal, Shri Daksheswar Maha Dev Temple, Kankhal, Bilkeshwar Dev Mahadev, Shiv Parvati Temple, Vivek Vihar, Sector-1 Lord Shiva Panchayati Temple, Tibdi bypass Lord Hanuman temple and other temples.

At Gayatri Teerth Shantikunj, thousands of devotees arrived to perform Navaratri rituals.

A 27 hawan kund Gayatra Mahayagna was organised today in which devotees offered rituals.

Spiritual orator Dr OP Sharma shed light on the significance and spiritual bliss of the nine-day Navaratri meditation.

Moral education cell in charge Pundit Shiv Prasad Mishra spoke on the meditation procedure and daily routine of devotees.

Spiritual ideologue of Gayatri Teerth Shantikunj Dr Pranav Pandya will be taking special spiritual classes till April 4, the last day of the Navaratri.

Dr Pranav Pandya, while wishing the people on Hindi New Year, said, “The New Year is quite bright for youth awakening, women empowerment and other creative works.” Spiritual guru Shail Didi also wished the devotees on Nav Samvatsar.

Rituals were performed at all akhadas, maths and religious seats of spiritual gurus.