New Delhi, March 30 -- The nine-day-long Chaitra Navratri festival began on Sunday, with the morning aarti being offered at temples across the national capital. On the first day of Navratri, Goddess Durga is worshipped in the form of Mata Shailputri.

Visuals from Shri Aadya Katyayani Shaktipith Mandir showed a large number of people gathered to offer prayers and seek blessings from Goddess Durga.

Navratri, which means 'nine nights' in Sanskrit, is dedicated to the worship of Goddess Durga and her nine avatars, collectively known as Navdurga.

Hindus observe four Navratris throughout the year, but only two--Chaitra Navratri and Shardiya Navratri--are widely celebrated, as they coincide with the changing of the seasons. In India, Navratri...