Early Times Report
KATRA, Oct 2: Amidst vedic chants and religious hymns, devotees worlwide thronged the Vaishno Devi Cave Shrine during Navratri - the nine-day festival dedicated to Goddess Durga - began on September 25.
Over 1.25 lakh devotees paid obeisance during the Navratri, said Dr. Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Chief Executive officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Katra.
On Thursday, on the eve of Ashtami, Eager to offer coconuts, 'chunris', bangles, vermilion and other religious items, devotees in serpentine queues were seen waiting for their turn outside the cave shrine to seek the deity's blessings.
"It is believed the devotees who pray and fast during the auspicious occasion are blessed by the divine mother," Raj Kumar, a devotees from Gandhi Nagar.
"Prayers during Navratra hold special significance as they are answered by the Goddess Durga if offered with a true heart," said Anjali a devotee from Nagpur.
At cave shrine, Shat Chandi Yagya will conclude on Friday. It is believed that the shat chandi yagya with samputit path is the worship of goddess as mother and samputit enhances the auspiciousness of the chandi path and eradicate entire problems of life. It is carrying out to attract the attention of goddess durga, and ask for her help and blessings in life.
The yagya with samputit path is one of the forms of devotion (bhakti) and performed with admiration and modesty to please the goddess.
At base camp Katra, Bagwath Katha concluded with a special prayer today in which CEO SMVDSB, Director Tourism Jammu , Soujanya Sharma, SDM Katra with large number of devotees participated. |
