New Delhi, Oct 3 : Congress supremos Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rahul Gandhi extended their greetings and best wishes on the commencement of the auspicious occasion of the nine-day Navratri festival on Thursday.

General Secretary of All India Congress Committee, Priyanka Gandhi took to X and expressed her wishes to the devotees.

'From today's auspicious day, Sharadiya Navratri is starting - the great festival of worship of Shakti Swaroopa Maa Durga. Many congratulations to the devotees of Maa spread across the country and abroad on this series of festivals,' she wrote, as translated from Hindi.

Adding to her greetings, she went on: 'May the whole country be blessed with wealth and prosperity; people be free from diseases, grief, old age and death. May the loving blessings of Maa be showered on all the children.'

She concluded her message with the Sanskrit shloka in praise of the goddess: 'Om Jayanti Mangala Kali Bhadrakali Kapalini. Durga Kshama Shiva Dhatri Swaha Swadha Namostu Te.'

Her brother and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi too took to X and wished devotees on the grand occasion.

'Best wishes to everyone on the auspicious festival of Navratri. May the blessings of Maa Durga always be upon you and your life be filled with happiness. Jai Mata Di,' he wrote in Hindi.

The festival of Shardiya Navratri begins with the worship goddess Shailputri on the first day.

Shailputri, the daughter of the mountain king Himavat, is a form of the Hindu mother goddess Mahadevi, representing herself as the pure form of goddess Parvati.

Shailputri is the form the goddess takes on the first day of Navratri. Likewise, each day is dedicated to a certain form of the goddess and is celebrated with fervour. The festival concludes with the occasion of Dussehra at the end of the nine-day festivities.

/IANS