PATNA: Amid chanting of prayers and mantras, Navaratra began with ‘kalash sthapana’ on Thursday. Despite the restrictions imposed by the district administration to check the spread of Covid-19 during the festival, a large number of devotees, mostly women, flocked to temples and pandals for worshipping Goddess Durga.
They also visited different ghats for collecting ‘Gangajal’ before performing religious rituals at home. According to priests, Goddess Durga is believed to have arrived in a palanquin this year.
Pundit Bhup Narayan Pathak, a priest at a temple near DPS Mor, told this reporter that the arrival of the goddess in a palanquin spelled widespread epidemic. However, her departure on an elephant would be auspicious as “it is an indicator of prosperity”.
Pathak added, “Quite a few devotees reached the temple on Day 1 of Navaratra to seek the blessing of the goddess.”
The Mahavir Temple near the Patna Junction also witnessed huge footfalls on Thursday. The secretary of the Mahavir Mandir Trust, Acharya Kishore Kunal, performed ‘kalash sthapana’ along with the other priests.
“With a view to curbing the spread of Covid-19, we are using loud speakers to request all the devotees to follow social distancing norms. We have also made hand sanitisers available for them,” Kunal said.
Rajesh Sharma, the secretary of a Durga Puja committee on Gola Road, pointed out that banners and posters, urging people to follow Covid safety protocols, would be put up at his pandal.
The nine-day festival marks the victory of good over evil.
CM extends wishes: Chief minister, Nitish Kumar, extended his greetings to the people of the state on the first day of Navaratra on Thursday.
