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The Maharashtra Police have implemented extensive security arrangements at the Kalika Temple Devasthan in anticipation of the Navratri celebrations.
"The Kalika Devi Utsav has begun, and traffic has been diverted accordingly. Around 100 police personnel will be on duty 24/7," said Ravindra Kumar Chavan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, speaking to ANI. "Officers will also be deployed in plain clothes. More than 100 CCTV cameras have been installed, and both fire brigade and ambulance services will be available. Thousands of devotees visit daily, and the police helpline number 112 will be operational 24/7," he added. Meanwhile, on Friday, devotees across the country flocked to temples to offer prayers and seek blessings as the nine-day Sharadiya Navratri festival commenced. Devotees waited in long queues to present 'Pooja' and 'Prasad' to the Hindu goddess Durga. Hundreds of devotees visited various temples nationwide from early morning to pay their respects to Goddess Durga, also known as Shakti. During the nine days of Navratri, devotees worship the nine forms of Goddess Durga, collectively known as Navadurga. In Madhya Pradesh, devotees offered prayers at the Kali Temple in Bhopal on the first day of Sharadiya Navratri. In Uttarakhand, devotees prayed at the Mata Vaishno Devi Gufa Mandir, located on the premises of the Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple in Dehradun. In Rajasthan, prayers were offered at the Shree Mata Vaishno Devi Mandir in Jaipur, while in West Bengal, devotees visited the Nimtala Ghat Mata Temple in Kolkata. In Uttar Pradesh, devotees offered prayers at the Kali Bari Temple in Lucknow, Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, Alopi Sankari Devi Shakti Peeth Temple in Prayagraj, Ashta Bhuji Temple in Shivpur, and Badi Devkali Devi Temple in Ayodhya. In Delhi, devotees visited the Shri Kalka Ji Temple, with BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj offering prayers at the Jhandewala Devi Mandir on the first day of Sharadiya Navratri. Aarti was also performed at Shri Adhya Katyayani Shaktipith Mandir in Chhatarpur and Jhandewalan Mata Temple. In Punjab, devotees visited the Durgiana Temple in Amritsar to offer prayers. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his greetings to the nation on the first day of Sharadiya Navratri. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "I wish all my countrymen a very Happy Navratri. May this holy festival dedicated to Shakti Vandana prove to be auspicious for everyone. Jai Mata Di!" Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai also conveyed his best wishes to the people of Chhattisgarh. Speaking to ANI, Chief Minister Sai said, "Today is the first day of Sharadiya Navratri, and I extend my congratulations and best wishes to all the people of Chhattisgarh. May the blessings of the Goddess be upon the people of Chhattisgarh. Today, four buses, provided free of charge by the Kali Mata Annadata Samiti, will transport devotees to Dongargarh for the darshan of Maa Bamleshwari. I congratulate the devotees who will have this opportunity for free." (ANI)
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