Jabalpur To Host Grand Navratri Festival From October 11; 31 Goddess Idols Upto 81 Feet Tall To Be Installed

Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): Devotees visiting Sukha village near Jabalpur will witness a grand display of 31 Goddess idols, ranging from five to 81 feet in height, during a 12-day Navratri festival beginning October 11. Spread across five acres, the celebrations will feature a Shatchandi Mahayagya, religious discourses, cultural programmes, special prayers and a community feast. Organised by the Sarvajanik Durga Utsav Samiti, the festival will conclude on October 22 with Dussehra celebrations.

31 Idols To Be Installed

The festival will be organised at Sukha (Bharatpur) village near Chargawan in Jabalpur for the second consecutive year. Devotees will get an opportunity to worship different forms of the Goddess, including Dash Mahavidya, Navdurga, Mahakali, Mahalakshmi and Mahasaraswati, at one location.

According to the organisers, around five acres of land have been reserved for the event. Of this, nearly two acres will be used for installing idols and conducting religious rituals.

The idols will range in height from five feet to approximately 81 feet. The organisers said the huge idols and religious activities would be the main attractions of the festival.

Festival To Begin With Kalash Yatra

The celebrations will begin on October 11 with a grand Kalash Shobha Yatra and the installation of 31 idols.

Several religious programmes and special prayers will be organised throughout the festival. Special worship will take place on October 15, while Ashtami Puja and a grand Maha Aarti of Goddess Durga will be held at 8 pm on October 18.

On October 20, the Shatchandi Mahayagya will conclude with Purnahuti, followed by a grand community feast (Bhandara). The 12-day festival will end on October 22 with Dussehra celebrations.

Religious Discourses And Cultural Events

The Shatchandi Mahayagya will be conducted under the guidance of Acharya Sandeep Tiwari.

Acharya Kanhaiyanand Shastri will deliver religious discourses every evening from 4 pm to 6 pm. Musical and cultural programmes will also be organised at night to create a devotional atmosphere throughout the festival.

Committee Invites Devotees

Organiser Navalkishore Dixit said the main aim of the festival was to preserve religious traditions and provide devotees with an opportunity to worship different forms of Goddess Durga at one place.

During a press conference, committee members Sanjeev Kumar Tiwari, Navalkishore Dixit, Kishore Patel and Basant Sharma shared details of the preparations.

The committee appealed to residents of Jabalpur and nearby areas to attend the festival in large numbers, seek the blessings of Goddess Durga and participate in the religious programmes.