Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
On the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, the sanctum of the Gajanan Maharaj Temple was filled with the rich aroma of Alphonso mango. Continuing a long-standing tradition, thousands of Alphonso mangoes were used to create an elaborate decoration inside the sanctum. Devotees began arriving in large numbers from early morning for darshan.
“Akshaya” means something that never diminishes. Devotees believe that the grace, blessings and divine acts of Gajanan Maharaj are eternal and inexhaustible. For many years, this temple in the Garkheda area has followed the tradition of decorating the sanctum with thousands of Alphonso mangoes. Devotees specially procure these mangoes from the Konkan region and offer them at the holy feet of the deity.
This year too, thousands of mangoes were used for the decoration. Rituals such as abhishek and puja were performed at 6 am, followed by the morning aarti at 7 am, after which the temple was opened for devotees. A steady stream of devotees continued throughout the day.
As per tradition, the mangoes used in the decoration are distributed as prasad to devotees visiting the temple on the day following Akshaya Tritiya, informed president of the temple trust of Gajanan Maharaj Temple, Dr Pravin Wakte.