Over 1.25 lakh devotees visit Maihar Sharda temple on first day of Shardiya Navratri

The Shardiya Navratri fair began at the Maa Sharda temple in Maihar, in the Vindhya region of Madhya Pradesh, on Sunday 11 October, and more than 1.25 lakh people visited the shrine on the first day, according to figures reported by Amar Ujala. The newspaper said the temple doors opened at about 3 am and that worship began with Maa Shailputri, the first of the nine forms of Goddess Durga venerated during the festival. ETV Bharat reported that devotees started forming queues around midnight.

Amar Ujala described its figures as official and current as of 8 pm, but did not name the agency that compiled them. Of 1,25,811 visitors, 1,17,625 climbed the stairway on foot, 1,686 used the forest route and 6,500 travelled by ropeway. The report said the walking route carried by far the largest share, and that the administration faces the task of managing darshan, crowd control, traffic and facilities along the stairs and access roads.

The shrine stands on Trikuta Hill. Dainik Jagran reported in English that visitors can climb 1,063 steps or take the ropeway, and advised elderly pilgrims and people with disabilities to plan around their mobility needs and expect long queues at peak hours. ETV Bharat described the temple as one of the 52 Shakti Peeths and said lakhs of people are expected over the nine days.

On security, ETV Bharat said more than 650 police personnel have been deployed, with surveillance covering the whole complex. Dainik Jagran gave a similar figure and said teams are stationed along the main route, the fairground, the stairways and key access points, with help centres for emergencies and for families separated in the crowd.

To ease congestion, temporary bus stands have been set up on Katni Road in front of Hotel Aakriti and on Satna Road in front of St Thomas School, according to Dainik Jagran. It said eight large LED screens are being installed at prominent locations so that devotees can watch live views of the temple without adding to the crowd near the shrine. A 250-gram packet of laddoo prasad is available at authorised centres for 150 rupees, the paper reported, advising devotees to confirm quantity and price before buying.

Free Press Journal reported that Shardiya Navratri began across Madhya Pradesh on 11 October and continues until 19 October. None of the reports named an official responsible for the arrangements; they attributed them generally to the authorities, the local administration and the police. Visitor counts for later days were not available in the sources reviewed, and devotees planning to travel should check for updates from the local administration.