Overview

• Devotees observed the ninth day of Navratri by worshipping Goddess Siddhidatri, with temples from Delhi to Varanasi reporting heavy crowds and extended rituals.
• Puja schedules were guided by widely shared muhurats, including Kanya Puja timings for Navami, as households and communities conducted Kumari Puja and bhog offerings.
• City administrations focused on crowd and traffic control, with Bhubaneswar logging severe evening congestion near major pandals and police-volunteer deployments reported in multiple hubs.
• High-profile visibility continued as Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed aarti at Delhi’s CR Park on Maha Ashtami and national leaders issued festive greetings.
• Pandal themes drew attention nationwide, from a US tariff–slaying demon in Lucknow and political tableaux in Ranchi to CR Park’s ‘Sonar Kella’ homage, alongside celebrity visits to Mumbai’s North Bombay Sarbojanin.