Pune: Celebrations for Navaratra are in full swing as the nine-day festival celebrating the divine feminine begins today. Devotees are all eager to visit various Devi temples across the city, with many planning to fast and rise early to seek blessings of Goddess Lakshmi, one of the forms of the Devi, on all the days of the festival. The annual festival of Navaratra is observed in honour of Goddess Durga .
Shri Mahalaxmi Mandir in Saras Baug is expected to draw large crowds throughout the festival. "The first day will start with dhol taasha pathak from 7.45 am to 9 am by participants from Vishwakarma Vidyalaya.
The ghatastaphana ceremony will be conducted by police commissioner Amitesh Kumar at 8 am. We have arranged for various cultural programmes throughout the day, including bhajans and women empowerment presentation," said Pradeep Pardeshi, the temple trustee. On the second day of the festival, Shri Mahalaxmi Mandir will organise a grand aarti by over 7,000 women devotees.
"We have also organised bhajans and cultural programmes throughout the day to engage devotees," added Pardeshi. At Shri Devi Chatushrungi Temple Trust, which was closed due to renovations over the last two weeks, preparations are underway to accommodate large number of devotees. "Even though approximately 40% of the restoration work has been completed, the rest of the work will be done over the next 6-8 months.
Devotees can have a proper darshan of the goddess during their visit. The new assembly hall is.
