KATHMANDU: Thousands of devotees have flocked to temples and shrines dedicated to Goddess Durga across the country, including the Kathmandu Valley, to offer prayers and perform rituals on the occasion of Maha Ashtami, the eighth day of Bada Dashain.
As the lunar calendar has extended the festival observance, devotees have visited major Shakti shrines, including Guheshwari and Maitidevi, to worship the goddess, with Maha Ashtami rituals being observed for a second consecutive day.
In the Kathmandu Valley, large numbers of worshippers visited Kalikasthan, Naxal Bhagawati, Bhadrakali, Shobha Bhagawati, Bijeshwari, Indrayani, Raktakali, Shwetakali, Chamundamai, Sundarimai, Bajrayogini, Taleju Bhawani and Tokha Chandeshwari, among other shrines.
The temples and shrines have been decorated with colourful lights, flags, banners and flowers, creating a festive atmosphere. Devotees began gathering early in the morning to offer prayers and perform religious rituals.
According to RSS correspondents, major religious sites across the country also witnessed a large influx of worshippers.
These included Dakshinkali near Kathmandu, Manakamana in Gorkha, Pathibhara in Taplejung, Bagalamukhi in Lalitpur, Bindhyabasini in Pokhara, Palanchok Bhagawati in Kavrepalanchok, Chandannath in Jumla, Shaileshwari in Doti and Ugratara Bhagawati in Dadeldhura.
Similarly, Tripurasundari in Baitadi, Bageshwari in Nepalgunj, Chhinnamasta Bhagawati and Rajdevi in Saptari, Jalpadevi in Dhankuta, Dantakali in Dharan, Sunsari, and Gadhimai in Bara also drew large numbers of devotees from the morning.
Devotees traditionally believe that worshipping at Shakti shrines during this auspicious period helps fulfil their wishes and bring prosperity. Special prayers are also offered to Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati, who are revered as manifestations of the divine feminine power.