9-day long Navratra festival begins

Rush of devotees at Bawe Wali Mata temple in Bahu Fort on the first Navratra. —Excelsior/Rakesh
Rush of devotees at Bawe Wali Mata temple in Bahu Fort on the first Navratra. —Excelsior/Rakesh

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Mar 28: Navratras, the nine day festival devoted to Goddess Durga commenced today with great fan fare in Jammu.
The festivity begins with the devotees taking bath in rivers and sacred Bowlies at the dawn, which are followed by a large number of people keeping fast and other religious rituals. Devotees including young children throng temples of Goddess as per their convenience, which are beautifully decorated for the nine day festival. On the first day of Navratra the people sow Barley in an earthen pot at the place of worship in their houses which is immersed in running water or stream at the conclusion of the festival with Kanya Poojan.
Chhari Mubaraks are carried by the devotees to different places of pilgrim like Mata Vaishnodevi in Katra and to Sukrala Mata from Jammu. A big Mela is held at the temple of Bahu Fort which lasts for full Navratras. The devotees can be seen making bee-lines since dawn to have Darshan of Bawe Wali Mata. The Management committees of the temples make elaborate arrangements for the festival days while the security aspect and other logistics are looked after by the administration.
Meanwhile, various functions were organized by Kashmiri Pandits in connection with celebration of Navreh (the beginning of new year) here today.
All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) organized a function at ASKPC Bhawan Durga Nagar in which a large number of members of Kashmiri Pandit community members were present.
Another function in connection with Navreh was held at Bhagawaan Gopinath Ashram Udaiwala Bohri to mark the first Navratra (Navreh celebrations). The function started with Guru Vandana and as usual Guru Geeta recitation competition was held on the occasion in which 50 competitors participated.
Sanjeevani Sharda Kendra celebrated Navreh festival in Purkhoo Camp. The theme of the programme was to lay emphasis on the three days, one prior to Navreh and the other on Navreh and the following day after it.

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