Navaratri: Naxal Bhagwati lit up, special worship at Pashupati area's shakti peeths

For Navaratri, the Bhagwati temple at Naxal in Kathmandu has been decorated with colourful lights. With Dashain preparations underway, the attractively decorated temple has added to the festive excitement at the premises.

During Dashain, devotees traditionally visit various shakti peeths across the valley to worship and seek the darshan of goddess Durga Bhawani. Accordingly, footfall increases at major goddess temples in the valley, including Naxal Bhagwati.

Suryams Upreti of the Nepal Photo Library captured images of the decorated temple.

Meanwhile, special worship has begun for the first time this year throughout Navaratri at the nine Mahashakti Peeths and ten Mahavidya sites in the Pashupati area. According to Kedarman Bhandari, a member of the Pashupati Area Development Trust, the worship has been organised with a wish for world peace and the nation's welfare.

He said arrangements have been made to conduct worship throughout Navaratri at all Mahashakti Peeths and deities within the area, including the Pashupatinath temple itself. The famous Guhyeshwari, Vatsaleshwari, Jayabageshwari and Rajarajeshwari shakti peeths within the Pashupati area are included in this. Special worship is also being held at the Bajreshwari, Koteshwari, Jhamkeshwari, Bhuvaneshwari and Manamaneshwari peeths.

As Dashain is celebrated as a festival of worshipping shakti (divine power) and religious faith, goddess temples and shakti peeths typically see large crowds during Navaratri.