Ten-day celebration to feature religious, cultural and social programmes; special honour for women achievers

Pune: The annual Public Navratri Festival organised by the Shri Mahalakshmi Temple, Sarasbaug, will begin on Sunday, October 11, and continue till Tuesday, October 20. The ten-day festival will feature a series of religious, cultural and social programmes, along with a special initiative to honour women who have made significant contributions in various fields, said Amita Agarwal, chief trustee of the temple trust, at a press conference held in Pune.

The press conference was attended by founder and trustee Rajkumar Agarwal, Advocate Pratap Pardeshi, festival head Dr. Trupti Agarwal, Bharat Agarwal, Pravin Chorbele and Hemant Aranalkar, among others.

The festival will commence with the installation of the Navratri Kalash on Sunday, October 11, at 9 am, at the hands of Belrise Industries Limited Managing Director Shrikant Badve and Supriya Badve. The decorative illumination of the temple will be inaugurated at 6 pm by Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar.

This year’s festival theme is ‘Shringar’, under which the temple premises and its grand entrance will be attractively decorated. Various religious rituals, including abhishek, yagna and Maha Aarti, will be conducted throughout the festival under the guidance of priest Milind Rahurkar.

Two-kg Gold Crown for Goddess Mahalakshmi

As part of this year’s ‘Shringar’ theme, Goddess Mahalakshmi will be adorned with a new two-kg gold crown on the day of Ghatasthapana. The crown features intricate craftsmanship and traditional designs, allowing devotees to witness the deity in a specially adorned form from the first day of the festival.

Collective Shri Sukta Recitation and Women Achievers to be Honoured

On Monday, October 12, a collective Shri Sukta recitation for women and men will be held at 6 am, with thousands of devotees expected to participate. Mayor Manjusha Nagpure will also be present on the occasion. The organisers have appealed to citizens to participate in large numbers.

From October 12 onwards, women achievers from different walks of life will be felicitated every evening at 5 pm. The honours will include women farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs, women scientists, women police officers, women pilots, women district collectors, women human resource managers from various companies, women who have made outstanding contributions to society, and women entrepreneurs.

Ashtalakshmi Procession and Special Live Tableau

A grand Ashtalakshmi procession will be held on Tuesday, October 13, at 8.30 pm. On Thursday, October 15, a special Kanya Pujan ceremony will be conducted at 3.30 pm on the occasion of Lalita Panchami.

A major attraction of this year’s festival will be the live tableau ‘Gatha Shivshambhunchi’, scheduled for Friday, October 16.

Other programmes include a blood donation and health camp, a painting competition for school students, Dhol-Tasha performances, devotional dance presentations, Banjo performances and Mata Ki Chowki. A collective Garba programme will be organised in front of the temple on Monday, October 19, at 8.30 pm.

Gold Saree for Goddess Mahalakshmi on Dussehra

On Dussehra, Tuesday, October 20, Goddess Mahalakshmi will be adorned with a gold saree. A grand Ravana Dahan programme will be held at 9.30 pm. Students of Vishwakarma University have created a large-scale effigy of Ravana for the occasion.

Several prominent personalities from the political, social, cultural, religious and educational fields in Maharashtra are also expected to visit the temple during the festival.

For the safety and security of devotees, the temple trust has taken an insurance cover of Rs 5 crore. Around 50 CCTV cameras and more than 50 security personnel will be deployed in and around the temple premises.

The organisers have appealed to citizens of Pune to participate in large numbers and make the annual Public Navratri Festival a celebration that brings together