by Sunil Bajpai

Kanpur: Temples in Kanpur were filled with the powerful chants of Maa Durga as devotees across the city marked the beginning of Chaitra Navratri on Sunday, coinciding with the celebration of the Hindu New Year.

The festival, which starts from the Pratipada of the Shukla Paksha in Chaitra month, began with immense fervor and devotion.

From early morning, long queues of devotees were seen at both small and large Devi temples throughout Kanpur, eager to offer prayers and seek blessings for the coming year. Temples were alive with the chanting of Maa Durga’s name, creating a spiritual atmosphere across the city.

Women stood for hours in line, holding plates filled with prasad and Maa’s sixteen adornments. Devotees performed rituals, lighting incense sticks and oil lamps, and offering aarti to Maa Bhagwati, while praying for the prosperity, happiness, and well-being of their families.

Notable temples that witnessed large crowds included Tapeshwari Devi, Budhha Devi at Birhana Road, Maa Baradevi at Juhi, Jangli Devi at Kidwai Nagar, Maa Vaishno Devi at Damodar Nagar, and the Durga Temple at Govind Nagar. In light of the large gatherings, authorities ensured stringent security measures to manage the crowd and ensure the safety of the devotees.