Pics: Dayananda Kukkaje

Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (NJC)

Mangaluru, Oct 11: The auspicious festival of Navaratri commenced with deep devotion, spiritual fervour, and traditional rituals at temples across Mangaluru and its outskirts on Sunday, October 11.

The celebrations began with special religious ceremonies at the renowned Kudroli Sri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple, known for its grand Mangaluru Dasara festivities, and the historic Sri Mangaladevi Temple, as devotees gathered to seek the blessings of the goddess.

At the Kudroli Sri Gokarnanatheshwara Temple, the festival began early in the morning with a series of sacred rituals, including Ganapathi Puja, Punyahavachana, Kalasha Pratishtapana, Kopparige Muhurtha, and Devi Parayana.

The temple premises resonated with prayers and devotional chants as the rituals marked the beginning of the nine-day celebration dedicated to the divine feminine.

The installation of Goddess Sharada, Lord Ganapathi, and the Navadurgas was performed in a spiritually charged atmosphere in the presence of B Janardhana Poojary, former Union minister, who played a significant role in the development of the Kudroli temple.

The installation ceremony marked an important part of the Navaratri celebrations, invoking divine blessings for devotees.