PRAYAGRAJ, March 20 -- The grand festival of Chaitra Navratri, dedicated to the worship of Goddess Shakti, began on Thursday, drawing throngs of devotees to Prayagraj's Shakti Peeths and temples. Anticipating the massive turnout, authorities have implemented new crowd management measures to ensure safety and smooth proceedings. Chanting "Jai Mata Di" and carrying coconuts, bangles and red chunris, thousands of devotees flocked to temples celebrating Goddess Durga in her nine forms on the first day of the nine-day festival. Long queues were observed outside major temples, including the Kalyani Devi Temple in Alopibagh and the Lalita Devi Temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peeths. Smaller temples across the city also saw heavy crowds throughout the day. The idols were adorned with colorful streamers and marigold flowers, enhancing the festive spirit. Prayagraj mayor Umesh Chand Ganesh Kesrawani said, "Special cleanliness arrangements have been made at all Shakti Peeths and temples. Municipal sanitation teams will be stationed throughout the festival, and devotees will enter in organised queues. Fans have been installed along the lines to provide relief from the heat." Shivanand, chief priest of Maa Alop Shankari Shakti Peeth, added that covered sheds have been arranged for all queues, RO water systems have been installed for clean drinking water, and security has been strengthened. "CCTV cameras cover the sanctum and outer pathways, and drones will monitor the crowd when numbers increase," he said. The festival is expected to see even larger crowds following recent development work at Shakti Peeths and sacred sites in the Prayagraj division, undertaken by the tourism department and the department of religious affairs ahead of the Mahakumbh 2025. The tourism department has funded renovations at Maa Alop Shankari Shakti Peeth (Rs.6 crore) and Maa Kalyani Devi Shakti Peeth (Rs.1.01 crore). Divisional commissioner Soumya Agrawal said the projects aim to improve devotees' convenience, including renovations, beautification, parking, sheds, toilets, drinking water, signage, cleanliness, and facade lighting. During the nine-day festival, many men refrain from shaving or haircuts, and devotees of all ages observe fasts, surviving on fruits, curd, milk, and dishes made of water chestnut flour. Rock salt is used in place of regular salt. Thursday also marked the beginning of the Hindu New Year, known as Vikram Samvat....