Devotees offer prayers on day 1 of Navratri | Pics

The nine-day long Hindu festival of Navratri celebrated with great fanfare has begun. Dedicated to goddess Durga and her nine avatars, Navratri means 'nine nights' in Sanskrit. In Hindu tradition, a total of four Navratris are observed throughout the year. On Monday, devotees could be seen flocking to various temples including Mata Vaishno Devi Mandir atop the Trikuta hills in Jammu and Kashmir's Katra to offer their prayers to the goddess. On the first day of the festival, Maa Durga is worshipped in the name of Shailputri. Pictures of 'artis' being done at various temples across the country surfaced on social media - symbolising the beginning of widespread celebrations that will conclude on October 5.