The festival of Navratri, which marks the worship of Goddess Durga, begins today.
On the first day of Navaratri, Devi Durga is worshipped as Shailaputri.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended greetings on the auspicious occasion of Navratri. In a tweet, Mr Modi hoped that Maa Jagdamba will bring happiness, peace and prosperity to all.
The Prime Minister bowed to Maa Shailputri on the first day of Navratri. He said, with her blessings, may our planet be safe, healthy and prosperous. He said, May her blessings give us strength to bring a positive change in the lives of the poor and downtrodden.
Navaratri begins with a night of worship and celebration in honour of Durga’s avatar Shailaputri, whose name means “daughter of the mountains.” Also known as Sati Bhavani, Parvati, or Hemavati, she is the daughter of Hemavana, the king of the Himalayas. Shailaputri is considered to e the purest embodiment of Durga and the mother of nature. In iconography, she is depicted riding a bull and holding a trident and a lotus blossom. The lotus represents purity and devotion, while the prongs on the trident represent the past, present, and future.*
* source: learnreligions.com
