Devotees throng Shri Khandoba temple on Champashashti

Aurangabad, Dec 9:

Devotees thronged the Khandoba Temple in Satara area on Champashashti and offered 'Bhandara' (coconut and turmeric) amidst the chanting of Yelkot Yelkot Jai Malhar. There was a rush of devotees throughout the day. The devotees followed all Covid guidelines in the temple premises.

The Champashashti is an auspicious occasion for Khandoba devotees. The devotees visited the temple and Bhandara and prasad made of Bhakri and Bharit as Naivaidya. All religious activities were conducted in a simple manner. But the artists performing Jagran Gondhal expressed displeasure as they were not allowed to perform in the temple premises. The arti was performed at 7.30 am by the hands of former MP Chandrakant Khaire, former mayor Nandkumar Ghodele, Satara police station PI Surendra Malale, temple trust president Sahebrao Palaskar and secretary Gangadhar Parkhe. The palkhi procession was then taken out from the temple and ended in the Jahagirdar wada. The idol was again taken back to the temple in the evening. The temple trust distributed prasad to the devotees throughout the day. Vitthal Devkar, Laxman Solat and villagers took efforts. There was also a strict bandobast deployed by the Satara police at the temple. A blood donation and vaccination camp was organized in the temple premises. The camp received good response from the devotees. The volunteers ensured that all the covid guidelines are followed by the devotees and no crowd gathers in the temple premises.