Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh) [India]: Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiradtiya Scindia offered prayers at Gorkhi Devghar located in Maharaj Bada area in Gwalior, dressed in royal attire on the occasion of the last day of Navratri on Monday.
During this, the Union Minister’s son Mahanaryaman Scindia also participated in the prayers. Union Minister Scindia worshipped his Kuldevi (family deity) and after that, he worshipped the symbol flag of the erstwhile Scindia royal family and the weapons. He also sat on the royal throne.
Earlier on the same day, Union Minister Scindia’s wife, Priyadarshini Raje Scindia also visited Gorkhi Devghar and performed the traditional puja. A priest of the Scindia family conducted the rituals on the occasion.
Priest of the family, Chandrakant Shende said that the traditional worship of the erstwhile Scindia royal family was performed here with musical instruments according to the rituals. Scindia’s wife performed the Kanya puja and after that also organised the Kanya Bhoj.
Every year, the erstwhile queen of the Scindia family performs worship and takes the blessings of the family diety. It is a hundred-year-old tradition and people of the Scindia family worship here, he added.
The nine-day-long festival of Shardiya Navratri is intended for worshipping Maa Durga and her nine avatars, known as Navdurga. Navratri means ‘nine nights’ in Sanskrit. Hindus observe a total of four Navratris throughout the year.
The 10th day of Sharad Navratri is celebrated as Dussehra or Vijaya Dashami. From Ashwin Shukla Paksha’s Navami until the Pratipada, Shardiya Navratri is observed.
While it is celebrated with great fanfare across the nation, distinct traditions are commonly practised in different states.
Meanwhile, in various parts of the country, Ram Leela, a celebration in which scenes from the Ramayana are also performed during the Navratri festival. The burning of King Ravana’s effigies marks the story’s conclusion on Vijayadashami.
