Devotees kicked off the second day of Shardiya Navratri with vibrant morning prayers at Delhi’s Jhandewalan Temple on Tuesday. The nine-day festival, a major celebration across India honoring Goddess Durga, drew crowds eager to offer their devotion amid chants and rituals.
Shifting to the festival’s first day on September 22, excitement surged at the Tanot Mata Temple in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer district, right near the India-Pakistan border. This 1,200-year-old Shakti Peeth, famous for its miraculous powers, saw a huge turnout of worshippers. Known as the “Bomb Temple,” it stands as a symbol of faith and resilience, having survived intense battles during the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, as well as the more recent Operation Sindoor.
The Border Security Force (BSF) oversees the temple, with soldiers stepping in as priests to handle daily ceremonies. BSF Commandant Neeraj Sharma shared a gripping account with during the Navratri kickoff. “During the 1965 and 1971 wars, no bombs exploded here,” he explained. “Even in Operation Sindoor, Tanot Mata’s blessings destroyed Pakistani drones and missiles right in the skies over Jaisalmer.”
Dedicated to Tanot Mata—an avatar of Goddess Hinglaj Mata—the temple boasts a legendary history of defying destruction. In the 1965 war alone, Pakistani forces dropped more than 3,000 bombs nearby, with over 400 landing inside the complex. Yet, most never detonated, leaving the site untouched.
The temple’s priest vividly recalled that dramatic episode to . “Pakistan showered over 3,000 bombs around the area, and more than 400 hit the temple grounds,” he said. “But thanks to Tanot Mata’s miracles, they failed to explode.” Moved by the events, Pakistani Colonel Shahnawaz Khan—impressed by the goddess’s protection—gifted five silver umbrellas to the temple. Those umbrellas still grace the site today, boosting the growing devotion among soldiers and locals alike.
On the first day, the rituals heated up with a special havan during the Kalash installation, drawing even more pilgrims to this renowned “Miracle Temple.” The afternoon aarti packed the complex to the brim, and afterward, hundreds lined up for prasad at the Mata Bhandara, sharing a communal meal of blessed food. As Shardiya Navratri unfolds, these sacred spots highlight the festival’s spirit of faith and unity nationwide.
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