NEW DELHI: Delhi-NCR witnessed massive traffic congestion on Friday as crowds of shoppers thronged markets and commercial hubs for Dhanteras, leaving several major roads choked with bumper-to-bumper traffic.From Chandni Chowk and Connaught Place to Karol Bagh and Lajpat Nagar, festive shopping rush brought vehicular movement to a crawl, with motorists stuck in long queues and traffic snarls across the national capital.Marking the beginning of Diwali celebrations, lakhs of people stepped out to purchase gold, silver, utensils, electronics and other festive items, overwhelming roads and parking spaces around prominent shopping destinations.Visuals from across the city showed heavy congestion at commercial hubs, including Connaught Place, Chandni Chowk, Anand Vihar, Khichripur, Karol Bagh, Lajpat Nagar, Sarojini Nagar, Ghazipur Highway and South Extension.Several major arterial roads, including the Ring Road, Outer Ring Road, ITO, DND Flyway and Delhi-Gurugram Expressway, also witnessed bumper-to-bumper traffic, with vehicles moving at a sluggish pace.
Delhi markets see festive rush for gold, silver and utensils
Dhanteras is being celebrated across several parts of the country on Friday, marking the first day of the five-day Diwali festivities. The occasion traditionally sees people purchase gold and silver jewellery, utensils, kitchenware, vehicles, clothing, electronics and other goods.Buying a broom is also considered particularly auspicious on Dhanteras.People across the country celebrated the festival with enthusiasm and fervour, with markets witnessing increased shopping activity.
Dhanteras: Significance, date and religious rituals
Dhanteras is one of the major Hindu festivals and marks the beginning of Diwali celebrations. It falls on the 13th lunar day of Krishna Paksha in the Hindu calendar month of Ashvin or Kartika.The festival is considered an auspicious occasion for new purchases and is associated with the worship of Siddhi Vinayak Ganesh Ji, Goddess of Wealth Mahalakshmi Ji and Kuber Ji.Dhanvantari, regarded as the god of Ayurveda, is also worshipped on the occasion. According to religious beliefs, he imparted the wisdom of Ayurveda for the betterment of humankind and to help alleviate the suffering caused by diseases.(With ANI inputs)
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