The Dussehra festival was celebrated in Trimbakeshwar on Thursday in the traditional manner with religious fervour and joy.
Chairman of the Trimbakeshwar Temple Trust, Justice Sachin Bhansali, performed Mahapuja in the sanctum sanctorum in the morning. Historical weapons in the possession of the Sansthan, including shields, swords, spears and guns, were worshipped at the trust office building.
At around 3.30 pm, the palanquin of Trimbak Raja was taken out for Simolanghana in the traditional style. The priest of the Devi temple at Gadavane and descendants of the Dore family accompanied it with abdagiri. They worshipped the mask with flowers and coconuts. The palanquin first reached Kushavarta and later the government rest house on the Nashik–Trimbak road.
Prabhakarao Tryambakarao Dharane and his family arranged a pavilion on two gunthas of land donated in memory of former mayor, the late Tryambakarao Dharane. The Simolanghana was performed here, and the Shami vriksha was also worshipped. Sansthan trustees Swapnil Shelar, Pradeep Tungar, Satyapriya Shukla and Mangesh Dharane conducted the rituals. Former mayors Trupti Dharane, Pankaj Dharane and Parag Dharane inspected the palanquin and welcomed devotees. Girish Joshi, Mangesh Dighe, Raj Tungar and the priest were also present.
After the Shami vriksha rituals, the Devasthan Trust distributed milk as prasad to devotees. The palanquin returned to the temple via the Mahadevi temple. At that time, the worship of the Nitya Pradosh Pushpa Pujak Ulhas Aaradhi was underway in the sanctum sanctorum. The five-faced golden mask of Lord Trimbak Raja was taken inside, touched to the Shivpindi, and then brought out.
The palanquin later passed through the Gramdevata Mahadevi temple via Jawhar Road and returned to the Trimbakeshwar Temple. The festival concluded smoothly and was described as a visual delight by attendees.
