NEW DELHI: As the national capital prepared for Dussehra celebrations, a sudden spell of rain on Tuesday cast a shadow over the festive spirit, leaving artisans and organisers scrambling to salvage what they could and despairing over how they will ever recover their losses. While Shardiya Navratri concluded with Maha Navami, the city witnessed a mix of emotions—devotion and anticipation tempered by weather-induced setbacks.
From sprawling Dussehra grounds in Subhash Nagar and Dwarka to local parks across Delhi, artisans had been working for weeks to construct towering effigies of Ravana, Meghnad and Kumbhkaran.
However, Tuesday evening’s downpour damaged many of these creations—some beyond repair—leading to concerns over mounting financial losses. For many, the unexpected rain turned excitement into anxiety, dampening the mood ahead of one of the city’s biggest annual events.
Meanwhile, on the occasion of Maha Navami, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta performed the traditional Kanya Pujan at the Government Girls’ Secondary School in Haiderpur, Shalimar Bagh.
She bowed at the feet of young girls, removed their footwear, applied tilak on their foreheads and tied sacred mauli threads on their wrists in a symbolic gesture of reverence and maternal affection.
Describing the girls as “little goddesses,” Gupta said their innocence reflects the true embodiment of the Divine Mother. “The brightness of the future shines through their smiles,” she said. She added that Navratri celebrates not just faith and devotion, but also the strength and compassion represented by women and girls.
The chief minister reaffirmed her government’s commitment to ensuring equal opportunities and a safe environment for every girl in the city. She highlighted the Delhi government’s Honslon Ki Udaan (Flight of Courage) scheme, which aims to identify and nurture the talents of children who lack the resources to realise their potential.
“Navratri reminds us of our responsibility to empower daughters with education, opportunity and safety. Every girl is the hope and strength of our society,” Gupta said.
The chief minister stressed that daughters are the foundation of families and society, and their empowerment is essential for the progress of the nation. She said the festival serves as a reminder of the collective duty to ensure education, equal opportunities and a safe environment for girls.