Varanasi, March 19 -- Marking the first day of Chaitra Navratri, devotees across the country visited temples on Thursday in large numbers to seek blessings and begin the auspicious festival with devotion. The occasion was celebrated with great faith as people observed rituals and prayers from early morning.

In Uttar Pradesh, a large number of devotees gathered at the Shri Durgakund Temple in Varanasi from early morning on the first day of Chaitra Navratri.

In Jammu and Kashmir, despite continuous rainfall, a large number of devotees thronged the temple in Katra early in the morning to begin their pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji on the auspicious occasion.

A devotee said, "Today is the first day of Navrat...