Chandrapur |
Over three and a half lakh devotees have flocked to the Yatra of Goddess Mahakali, one of the eight Shakti Peethas in Vidarbha. It is estimated that the crowd has increased in the last two years due to the inability of devotees to visit the Goddess.
The government lifted the ban as corona infections began to decline. Yatras and festivals allowed. From this, the Navratri festival of Goddess Mahakali started on 7th April, Chaitra Shukla Shashthi, on behalf of the Mahakale family. Ekvira Devi, the elder sister of Mahakali Devi, was also demoted. The pilgrimage, which was canceled due to the Corona crisis, came to Darshan from afar after two years. From the first day, a crowd of devotees started gathering. Devotees were also registered from Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Osmanabad, Aurangabad, Kolhapur and Andhra Pradesh.
Although the procession started from Chaitra Shuddha Shashthi to Pournima, the crowd increased on the last day. From 15th to 18th April, a record number of devotees was recorded till date. Devotees who came for Darshan chanted ‘Jai Ho Mahakali Chandavasini’. Asha Mahakale, the trustee of the temple, moved the shrine of Goddess established in the temple after Maha Aarti. Sprinkled with curd and the return journey of the pilgrims began. Although the procession ended on 19th April, the bustle of devotees continued till 24th April in the temple premises. This year too, Potraj became the center of attraction in the yatra.
- So that hope does not remain unfulfilled.
‘I have not been able to visit Goddess for two years. This time I got a chance. The government is still predicting a wave of Corona. If the yatra is canceled next year, the hope in my mind will remain unfulfilled. Therefore, this time the family came to see the Goddess’, said the devotees from Marathwada.
- Graph of the crowd of devotees
Years भाव– passionate
2016—75 thousand
2017— 1 lakh 20 thousand
2018— 1 lakh 40 thousand
2019— 1 lakh 25 thousand
2020 – Travel canceled
2021— Travel canceled
2022– 3 lakh 50 thousand
