Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
The Mahalakshmi festival, marking the arrival of the Jyeshtha and Kanishtha sisters, was celebrated with grandeur on Sunday. On Monday, households across the city offered puran poli and the traditional sixteen-vegetable spread (sola bhaji) as naivedya, with the aroma of festive meals filling every street.
After the Mahalakshmi aarti, families, relatives, and friends sat together to relish the elaborate feast. Women prepared traditional delicacies uran poli, kurdai, papad, bhaji, amti, kadhi, rice, pickles, salads, chutneys, and panchamrut. The highlight remained the sixteen-vegetable dish, featuring seasonal produce such as leafy greens, beans, ridge gourd, pumpkin, sponge gourd, bitter gourd, cluster beans, brinjal, okra, drumstick, bottle gourd, amaranth, and spinach. With heavy demand for garlands and flowers, prices in city markets soared.
As is customary, families invited each other for collective meals, adding to the festive bustle across the city. Women in traditional attire enhanced the cultural charm, while the celebrations brought families together in devotion and joy.
Special Delicacies for Gauri:
In homes, sweet and festive dishes were specially prepared for Gauri, welcomed as a guest during this occasion. The Gauri Poojan ritual included puran poli, sixteen vegetables, chutneys, and pakwan as part of the feast. After aarti and naivedya, the food was shared as prasad. On Tuesday, Mahalakshmi who arrived under the Anuradha Nakshatra will be given an emotional farewell, with prayers for her early return next year.