Navratri begins across Satara district with ghatasthapana today

Satara: Sharadiya Navratri begins on Sunday with ghatasthapana, the ritual installation of the sacred pot, amid chants of 'Aai Ude Ga Ambe Ude'. Goddess temples across Satara city and the district have been freshly painted and lit up for the festival, and the mood across the district is devotional.

Celebrations begin at temples including the Bhavani Mata temple at Pratapgad, the Yamai Devi temple at Aundh, Kalubai at Mandhardev, Mangalai on Ajinkyatara, Sakhargadnivasini at Kinhai, Waghjai at Dhavadshi and Mahalaxmi at Bhuinj. Over the festival there will be daily maha-aartis, puja, offerings, recitals, kunkumarchan, bhajans, kirtans, discourses and competitions.

The auspicious time for ghatasthapana on Sunday is from 6.19 am to 10.12 am, and the abhijit muhurat is from 11.44 am to 12.31 pm. The goddess is worshipped in nine forms over Navratri, and the colours of the nine days are saffron on October 11, white on the 12th, red on the 13th, blue on the 14th, yellow on the 15th, green on the 16th, grey on the 17th, purple on the 18th and peacock green on October 19.

Markets were busy on Saturday as residents, women in particular, shopped for the ghatasthapana.

Source: Pudhari