Hyderabad: Devotees throng temples as Navratri celebrations begins in the city

The auspicious nine-day Navaratri celebration begun on Sunday with devotees thronging temples in Hyderabad to offer prayers.

Right from early morning today, long queues were witnessed outside Shri Kanaka Durga Nagalakshmi Temple, with large number of devotees thronging the temple.

Sharing details of the celebrations, Madhushankar Tewari, a priest at the Bashirabad temple, told ANI, "Shri Kanaka Durga Nagalakshmi Temple has begun it's Navaratri celebration in a very grand way. Like every year devotees from all over the city and the state visit the temple to offer prayers to the goddess."

Vinna, one of the devotees visiting the temple told ANI, "In the nine days of this Navaratri, the goddess Durga will be decorated and dressed up in nine different incarnations as per Hindu mythology. We offer prayers to the deity and we keep fast during this holy period."

This year, Navratri is being celebrated in the country from September 29 to October 7.

Navratri in Sanskrit means nine nights in which nine forms of Goddess Durga are worshipped in a particular order.

Also known as Sharad Navratri, the tenth day of the festival is celebrated as Dussehra or Vijayadashami.

The occasion is believed to mark Goddess Durga's victory over demon Mahishasura, which signifies the victory of good over evil.