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DELHI, INDIA, April 9, 2005: With the start of Navaratri, the festival of nine nights, Hindu devotees thronged the temples today. This festival is celebrated twice in a year. Once in the bright two-week period of Shukla Paksha of the lunar month of Ashwani (Asuj in Kashmiri) – corresponding to September/October) from the 1st to the 9th date of the two-week period and secondly, during the first nine days of the bright two-week period of Shukla Paksha of the lunar month of Chaitra – corresponding to mid-March to mid-April. It is believed that on the ninth night Lord Rama was born. So the ninth day of the festival is called Ram Navami and havans (fire worship) are performed at the temples on this occasion. The devotees sow barley in a pot on first day of Navratra, keep it at a sacred place, water it daily and offer prayers. The household keeps fast and have food one time only. On the last day of the festival, the barley plants are kept for display of the devotees as a symbolic darshan of Goddess Durga, and later they are immersed in rivers. It is believed that a good growth of plants would bring happiness and prosperity to the devotees.

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