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Festive season in India picks up now that Shardiya Navratra has begun from today. The following nine days will be devoted to worshiping different forms of feminine divinity, the motherly Maa Durga.
One of the most auspicious Hindu festival in Hindu calendar, the nine days are time for families to get together and elderly to meditate and focus on reviving traditions making sure that it gets passed on to next generation in the right spirit.
This is also a time when many big purchases are made by the families and thus this is indeed a good time for the business. Automobile or real estate but also jewellery sector shines through in these nine days when people move to make investments.
But speaking religiously, the devotees would bow down and pay their obeisance to the nine different incarnations of Maa Durga, who is protective mother to those who seek her refuge.
Colourful pandals come up at street corners all over country but the temples too get decorated as much as they can to welcome the devotees in large numbers.
Many devotees take the time out to walk quite a distance on foot to particularly revered temples in the region and this is a way for them to connect with the motherly divine.
On the first day today, the incarnation of Goddess Shailputri is worshiped. She symbolizes nature and purity.
