Bhopal, Oct. 11 -- As the sacred festival of Sharadiya Navratri commenced on Sunday, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan offered prayers at the historic Kankali Mandir in Bhopal.

Emphasising the core values of the festival, he delivered a message on respecting women in daily life.

"I wish to tell society this: if we merely worship the Mother Goddess but harbour no respect for daughters or sisters in our hearts, then the Mother (Goddess) herself will not be pleased," he told ANI.

Sharadiya Navratri is a vibrant and sacred Hindu festival that spans nine nights, celebrating the divine feminine energy embodied by Goddess Durga. Observed in the lunar month of Ashwin, this festival is marked by fervent worship, elaborate rituals...