By: Aakash Singh | March 06, 2024
Top view of the celebrations of the Shreenath Veer Mhaskoba festival in Pune district's Veer village
The festival is a celebration of Lord Shiva's avatar of the same name and his marriage
It lasts for 10 days during the Magh Poornima (February full moon), with the final Sunday being the most important
Devotees, accompanied by regional bugle music, traverse on foot with palkis from Kondit village to Veer village, covering a 30 km distance
The 10 day festival attracts 10-15 lakh devotees who gather in the temple at Kondit
Some devotees even stay for 10 days in the village for festival
When the deity is believed to have entered the body of the devotee they perform amazing stunts with swords
After the 5th day of the yatra there is a ceremony called Bhaknuk where it is assumed that the deity assumes a devotees body
Kunal Patil