New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) Rush of devotees continued across temples in various parts of the country on Tuesday as people celebrated the sixth day of Chaitra Navratri.

The nine-day festival is dedicated to the nine forms of Goddess Durga. The sixth day is significant for the worship of Goddess Katyayani.

Speaking on the occasion, Pujari Vinod Mishra at Delhi’s Jhandewalan Temple, told IANS, “Today is the sixth day of Vasantha Navratri. On this day, Goddess Katyayani is worshipped. Especially, girls seeking a suitable life partner worship the goddess today.

A devotee who is a regular at the temple, said, “This time the crowd seems to be less in the morning though all the arrangements at the temple have been made well.”

Another popular shrine in New Delhi, Kalkaji Temple, also witnessed crowd of devotees as people gathered to offer prayers on the sixth day of the festival.

A priest at Kalkaji Temple, who is also a member of Shri Kalka Ji Mandir Prabandhak Sudhar Committee, said, “It is a very pleasant atmosphere. We have also made all the arrangements (for devotees) at the temple. Everybody here has contributed for the ‘seva’.”

Meanwhile, devotees sang devotional songs during their visit at Darshani Deodi, while on their way to offer prayers at Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Katra.

A pilgrim who came with his family from Punjab’s Ambala, told IANS, “Though I come here after every three months but the ‘darshan’ of the goddess is most significant during Navratri.” He further added, “I pray for the health and well-being of the soldiers who guard our borders. They are safeguarding our country, may God protect them. We and the entire country stand by them.”

Another devotee added, “May the goddess protect the soldiers and their family. They keep safeguarding our country always, irrespective of whatever the season is.”

At Banaskantha in Gujarat, thousands of devotees thronged Ambaji Shaktipeeth since early morning, to catch a glimpse of the famous ‘Mangala Aarti’ at the shrine.

Chief Priest and Ghadipati of Ambaji Temple, Jayashilbhai Thakar, told IANS, “People from faraway places come here in large numbers to seek blessings of the goddess.”

A devotee who came along with his friends, said, “I along with my friends came here to take part in the ‘Mangala Aarti’. It was been such a great experience that it feels like the goddess herself has blessed us.”

Devotees also gathered at Mata Tekri in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas and thronged the temples of Maa Tulja Bhavani and Maa Chamunda on the sixth day of the Chaitra Navratri festival.

–IANS

cg/rad