PM Modi joins devotees in observing 9-day fast as Navratri begins

Brajesh Kumar Singh/Zee Media

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday joined millions of devotees in observing fast - a practice that he has been following for more than four decades - on the pious occasion of 'Navratri'.

The Prime Minister, who extended his greetings to the nation on the auspicious occasion of Navratri, is believed to be an ardent devotee of Goddess Durga himself.

During the nine-day long fast, the Prime Minister will follow a strict diet consisting only of warm water.

The BJP leader has been fasting for many years and this has never affected his hectic schedule and official engagements. 

On the first day of the Sharadiya Navratri, the Prime Minister is scheduled to attend the centennial birth anniversary of former RSS leader Lakshmanrao Inamdar, who was popularly known as 'Vakil Saheb'.

Rao was also one of the founding fathers of the RSS in Gujarat and is credited with inducting PM Narendra Modi as an RSS balswayamsevak. 

The PM is slated to visit Varanasi – his Lok Sabha constituency – to attend several events lined up in the holy city.   

In 2012, the firebrand BJP leader had written a blog in which he disclosed that he has been fasting during Navratri for nearly 35 years.

Even during his US visit in 2014, the Prime Minister did not break his tradition and strictly consumed only lemon water.

The nine day festival of Navratri is dedicated to goddess Durga - the epitome of justice and destroyer of evil. Each day in Navratri, the different nine forms of Maa Durga are worshipped. 

The Sharadiya Navratri begins on September 21 and ends on September 29 this year. 

It is this time of the year when devotees joyfully make preparations for 'Maa' Durga’s arrival.