Navami in pictures: Kumari Puja, bustling pandals and dazzling lights

From age-old rituals to bustling pandals and dazzling illuminations, Kolkata marked Navami with devotion and festive fervour. Devotees gathered at traditional family pujas to seek the blessings of Goddess Durga, and pandal-hoppers stepped out in large numbers to admire the elaborate installations, click photographs and soak in the festive atmosphere. Here’s a look.  

Devotees offer prayers at Kalibabur Bari in Janai, Hooghly. The historic palace was built by Dewan Kaliprasad Mukhopadhyay in 1827 and came to be known by his name. The Mukhopadhyay family is believed to host one of Janai’s oldest and most popular Durga Pujas at the ancestral residence. 

Kumari Puja at the 350-year-old Baksha Kaliprashana Singha Rajbari in Janai, Hooghly. The traditional Hindu ritual involves worshipping an unmarried, pre-pubescent girl, regarded as a living manifestation of Goddess Durga. 

Visitors click photographs at the Deshapriya Park pandal, capturing memories of the elaborate decorations and the festive atmosphere on Navami. 

Crowds gather at Baghbazar Sarbojanin during the midnight hours of Navami. 

Illuminations light up a road near Gariahat, adding to the festive spectacle as visitors flock to nearby pandals to admire the decorations and enjoy the celebrations. 

Visitors throng a decorated lane near the Singhi Park Sarbojanin pandal 

A mother-daughter duo go pandal hopping with their furry companion in south Kolkata.