Mumbai: The pan-India festival of Sharadiya Navratra gets under way from Sept 22-Oct 2. The celebration spans 10 days this year instead of the usual nine by the Hindu almanac.Temples, sarvajanik pandals that install idols of Goddess Durga, as well as individual households, are preparing to welcome Mother Goddess with prayer and fasting.Hemant Jadhav, manager of Mumbadevi temple said, “On the first day of Ashwin Navratri, the mandir will open at 5.30am with mangala aarti after which devotees will be allowed to enter for darshan.
The ghatsthapna ceremony will take place between 7-8am. Twenty-one priests will perform Chandi Path every day. On Panchami (Sep 26), deepotsav will be held at 6pm. And Navami (Oct 1) will witness the Chandi mahayagya from 10am to 5.30pm.”Sarvajanik pandals have started bringing the idols of the Devi into their pandals. A few others will do so on the eve of the festival.The tallest sarvajanik Durga idol this season is claimed to be the Khetwadi Chi Aai. Its aagman procession will take place Sunday, Sep 21, from moortikar Arun Datte’s workshop. The 26ft-tall balancing moorti aims to replicate Datte’s success with the magnificent Parelcha Maharaja, which he carved during Ganeshotsav.
The locality of Reay Road also has an array of inspiring moortis which will arrive in their pandals Sunday.In the suburbs, garba troupes are rehearsing in earnest. This year, singer Falguni Pathak has moved to an indoor venue in BKC from her longtime stronghold of Borivli. Borivli, which is the hub of high profile dandia events, will host Geeta Rabari, a young tribal performer from Gujarat, at Kora Kendra ground no. 4. Meanwhile, a grand 1 lakh sq ft air-conditioned dome has been built for singer Aishwarya Majmudar’s performance in the same suburb.On the other hand, Durga Puja festivities by the Bengali community will begin on Shashti (Sep 28). Bengal Club will organise its 90th year of festivity from Sep 27 onwards at Shivaji Park. Senior club member Joy Chakraborty said, “Our festivity centres around the theme of Operation Sindoor.
And it is not merely symbolic — it reflects the eternal spirit of Durga Pujo itself, where the good ultimately triumphs over evil.
“He said, “The pandal design showcases scenes of soldiers, tanks and missiles alongside the national flag, symbolizing courage, sacrifice and the protective spirit of Goddess Durga. The welcome arches are shaped like flames. And above the gateway there are depictions of soldiers, tanks and fïghter planes, with the Tricolour soaring over the scene.”