On Thursday, October 7, 2021, devotees across India visited local temples to pray to goddess Durga on the first day of Navratri.
The celebrations of Sharad (autumn) Navratri involve worshipping Goddess Durga and her nine forms. The festival is celebrated in different ways across the country. Over the next nine days, devotees offer their prayers to Goddess Durga and observe fasts.
Also known as Sharad Navratri, the occasion is believed to mark Goddess Durga's victory over demon Mahishasura, signifying the victory of good over evil.
The 10th day of Sharad Navratri is celebrated as Dussehra or Vijaya Dashami.The festival of Navratri will be observed from October 7 till October 15. This year Ashtami falls on October 13 while Dashami is on October 15.
Here's how India celebrated the first day of Navratri 2021:
Women dance during kalsh yatra on the first day of the 9-day long Navratri festival, in Beawar, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021 | PTI
Devotees arrive to offer prayers at Bada Hanuman Mandir on the first day of Navratri festival, in Amritsar on Thursday. | ANI
Devotees along with children, dressed up as Lord Hanuman, pay obeisance at the Durgiana temple on the first day of the 9-day long Navratri festival, in Amritsar, Thursday, Oct 7, 2021. | PTI
Devotees queue up to offer prayers at the Jhandewalan temple on the first day of the 9-day long Navratri festival, in New Delhi, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. | PTI
Devotee offers prayer at Bawe Wali Mata Temple on the first day of the Navratri festival, in Jammu on Thursday. | ANI
Workers sort flowers at a wholesale flower market on the first day of Navratri or the nine nights Hindu festival that symbolises the triumph of good over evil in Hyderabad on October 7, 2021. | AFP
Devotees pray on the first day of the Navratri festival, at Historical Kali Mata Temple, in Jammu, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. | PTI
Pilgrims walk towards Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on the occassion of Navratri festival at Katra in Reasi, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. | PTI
Devotees take a holy dip in the Ganga river on the first day of the Navratri festival in Patna, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021. | PTI
View of decorated Darshani Deodi (entrance) of Mata Vaishno Devi shrine on the occassion of Navratri festival at Katra in Reasi, Wednesday night, Oct. 7, 2021. | PTI
With inputs from ANI.