Mumbai's Mahalaxmi Temple Celebrates Annual Annakut Ritual

Mumbai: The Mahalaxmi temple on Bhulabhai Desai Road will celebrate its annual Annakut ritual on November 27.

Annakut means a mountain of food and is a ritual at temples and religious celebrations. The Mahalaxmi temple observes this ritual on ‘Tripurari Poornima’ or Kartik Poornima, the first full moon day after the Diwali festival.

A member of the temple staff said that during the day, a chappan bhog or 56 dishes are offered as naivedya to the goddess and then distributed to devotees. “Different temples observe the Annakut ritual on different days, like the Mumbadevi temple which has its Annakut on another day,” said the staff member.

The food is prepared in the temple premises and offered to the deity between 12.30pm and 5pm. After the evening prayers or aarti, the food is distributed to devotees as prasad.