The auspicious occasion of Navratri, the nine-day fest, which is dedicated to Goddess Durga and her nine avatars, started today.
The festival is celebrated to mark the victory of good over evil and is associated with the prominent battle that took place between Durga and demon Mahishasura.
While every year one would go pandal hopping to offer prayers to the Goddess, this year amid the pandemic, the festival will be celebrated in a different manner.
This year, as COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc in the world, scientists all over the world are racing to produce a safe and effective vaccine against the virus. And until we find the vaccine we will have to take all the necessary precautions like wearing a mask, washing hands and maintaining social distancing.
Now, for the Navratri, Pune Police has come up with 9 'astras' (weapons) against Coronavirus that will ensure our Navratri is safer. These 9 astras include - stay home, wear mask, hand hygiene, practice social distancing, build immunity, wear face shield, wear gloves, follow guidelines, take care of mental and physical health.
Pune police have posted a creative mentioning these 9 ways to make your Navratri safer. Check out the creative here.
Meanwhile, the number of COVID-19 cases in Pune increased by 1,072 in the last 24 hours, while the death toll rose by 41, an official said on Friday.
A total of 681 people were discharged during this period, he added.
The district's caseload is now 3,12,699, including 7,376 deaths, he said.
"Of the 1,072 cases, 489 were in PMC limits, which now has 1,56,633 cases, and 228 in Pimpri Chinchwad, where the overall count stands at 85,114," the official said.
(With inputs from PTI)