Navaratra begins, devotees throng temples

LUCKNOW: The Hindu festival of Navaratra began on Monday. As devotees will observe nine-day fasting, markets have been flooded with `falahari' and namkeen.
Devotees in large numbers thronged the temples to offer prayers to Goddess Durga. "Worshipping Durga in all her avtaars during Navratra gives me strength. I feel that since I can control self, I can attempt any other thing,'' said Saumya Sharma, a school teacher who will fast for nine days.
Many families install the idols of Durga in their homes.Shops selling puja items do brisk business. "Families observe `sthapana' ritualistically in their houses. And since this involves various rituals, puja items are high on demand," said Raju Verma, owner of a puja shop in Narhi.
However, fruits have become costly with the beginning of Navaratra. "The prices of bananas which were selling at Rs 20-25 till Saturday, rose to Rs 30 a dozen on Sunday evening," said CK Shukla, a resident of Kaiserbagh.