Navratri 2022 begins today ; Gujarat to witness full scale celebrations again after pandemic break

Gandhinagar: One of the major festivals of Gujarat, Navratri begins today on Monday – 26th September and it will end next Tuesday on 4th October night. Navratri, also known as Sharad Navratri will begin today on Aaso Sud Ekam and it will be of 9 days as per Gujarati calendar. The festival of Dussehra will be marked on Aaso Sud dasham on 5th October.

Navratri is a Hindu festival dedicated to worship the nine ‘swaroop’ (incarnations) of goddess Durga and each night of the festival is dedicated to one swaroop of the goddess Durga. It is one of the major festivals of Gujarat which includes Garba and raas, Puja, Aarti, prayers, fasting and more. It is also celebrated in other states of the county with different types of festivities and rituals. Major temples of Shakti including Mahakali temple in Pavagadh, Chamunda temple at Chotila, Bahuchar temple in Bechraji, Ambaji temple in Ambaji attract millions of visitors during Navratri period.

Son of soil, Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi observes fast during Navratri period. He is going to visit home-State Gujarat for two days on 29-30 September. He is likely to attend a Garba event at GMDC ground in Ahmedabad. He is going to inaugurate a number of development projects during his visit including Thaltej – Vastral metro train route and India’s first Vande Bharat Express train service connecting Gujarat to Mumbai. A devotee of Goddess Shakti, PM Modi is going to visit Ambaji mandir during his visit. Like every year, union Home minister Amit Shah will perform Aarti on second Navratri at a mandir in his native town Mansa. Shah is also scheduled to inaugurate and kick off the number of development projects during his three day visit to home-state.

Last year, Navratri celebration was permitted in Gujarat only on a non-commercial basis in sheri-mohalla-society in the limit of 400 persons. Two doses of vaccination were compulsory for participants. Commercial garba events were prohibited and curfew was imposed post 12 am. This year, there are no pandemic related restrictions. Commercial garbas are back this year therefore. The State government has an extended limit for use of loud speakers during Navratri period to 12 am instead of the earlier limit of 10 pm. Food joints are allowed to remain open post 12 am during Navratri period.

DeshGujarat