Khandoba Navratra: Margashirsha month begins from November 21, 2025 and the first day of this Marathi month is very important as the Khandoba Navratra and Dev Diwali is celebrated on this day. In many homes in Maharashtra, Khandoba's Shardatra Festival, i.e. the six-day festival of Khandoba, is celebrated as a Kuldharma Kulachara. This festival begins on Margashirsha Pratipada and ends on Champashashthi. Let's find out which Kulachara is celebrated on this occasion.
In the past, the demons Mani and Malla tortured people a lot. Then Shankar took the incarnation of Martand Bhairava and fought a great war with those demons and killed the demon Mani Malla in the Champak forest on the sixth day of Margashirsha Shuddha. Since then, this sixth day is known as Champashashti. Because he killed the demon Mani Malla, Shankar was named Mallari (Malla Ari means enemy of the demon named Malla), Mallari Martand, Khandoba, Khanderai.
In one sense, this is Shiva worship, it is done as a family ritual in many homes, but you can also do this festival as Shiva worship in the following way.
Ritual of worship: In a tamhana or plate, place coconut, Supari, Vida leaves, fruits and Bhandara. Place coconut on an kalash and worship it. Invoke Khandoba. Think that Khandoba's strength has descended in that kalash and worship it.
Then, they put it in a Tamhan after applying ghee and waving it around the Tamhan Kalash three times. Then they lift the Shreephal on the Kalash and place it on their forehead. At this time, everyone prays to Khandoba by saying 'Yelkot Malhar- Changabhal'. They offer offerings to Khandoba and perform puja on the sixth day of Champashashti. This year, Champashashti is on November 26.
Khandoba has many names and many forms. Some Muslim brothers are devotees of Khandoba. They call Khandoba Mallukhan. In Karnataka, Andhra and other regions, Mailar- Mairal i.e. Khandoba is the ancestral deity. Mailapur, a suburb of Madras, is the native village of Mailar.
Jejuri, Nimgaon, Pali Pembar, Naldurg, Shengud, Satare, Malegaon (Nanded), Mailapur, Mailarsingh, Devarguddu, Manmailar etc. are the pilgrimage places of Khandoba. The newly married couple goes to Jejuri or the village where their family deity Khandoba is and performs Tali Aarti. This is a Kulachar. It is called Aher Yatra.
So let us also remember and worship the incarnation of Shankar, i.e. Khandoba, who destroyed the Mani Malla demons, on the occasion of Champashashti and offer the Bel Bhandara with devotion. Jai Malhar!