On the occasion of Ram Navami, less number of devotees offered prayers at Ashtabhuja Mata Mandir in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi on Wednesday due to the COVID restrictions in place in the state.
Though many temples are closed in the city due to restrictions, there are still few temples that are open for the devotees to celebrate the last day of Chaitra Navratri.
Speaking to ANI, a priest of Ashtabhuja Mata Mandir said: “Earlier huge number of people used to come at the temple to offer prayers. But this year due to the coronavirus, a very few people have come here.” While the devotees who came for the “puja” said due to pandemic people are performing puja at home and avoiding to visit temple.
“People are coming for the prayers due to the pandemic but they are offering prayers at homes. I pray to Goddess to fulfill the wishes of the people who are performing puja at home,” a woman devotee said today. Ram Navami is celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Lord Ram. Apart from it, it is also the last day of Chaitra Navratri which was started on April 13.
The festival of Navratri holds special importance in Hindu mythology. It symbolizes the victory of good over evil, the awakening of the divine feminine.
The festival is celebrated twice a year with different significance. The Ashwina Navratri that starts at the beginning of winter (between September and October) is the more popular Navratri.
The Chaitra Navratri is celebrated in the month of March-April. This year Chaitra Navratri started from April 13 and would end on April 21. (ANI)
