The Chaitra Navratri festival of Goddess Renuka Devi has began with great enthusiasm on the auspicious occasion of Gudi Padwa at Mahur Fort which is one of the three shakti pith in Maharashtra. On Thursday,March 19 at 12:30 PM, the ceremonial Ghatasthapana was performed, followed by a grand Maha-Aarti for the Goddess. On this occasion, the entire fort premises resonated with the resounding chants of "Aai Raja Ude Ude!"
The festival began on its first day at 6:00 AM with a musical performance on the Sanai by the renowned artist Nitin Dhumal and his ensemble. Priests Bhavanidas Bhopi, Shubham Bhopi, and Samir Bhopi performed the Panchamrut Abhishek for the Goddess, after which she was adorned with a yellow Paithani silk garment and gold ornaments. In the main sanctum as well as in the surrounding temples dedicated to Tuljabhavani, Parashuram, and Mahalakshmi the traditional ritual of sowing Saptadhanya was observed, and the first floral garland was offered to the deities.
Thousands of devotees from Maharashtra, the Vidarbha region, and neighboring Andhra Pradesh have flocked to the fort to begin the Marathi New Year with the auspicious Darshan (holy sighting) of the Goddess. The temple trustees performed the ceremonial hoisting of the Nishan and conducted the ritual worship of the Gudi.
Following the Maha Aarti, a special worship ceremony was held to honor young girls and married women . This festival is set to be celebrated with immense fervor over the next nine days, creating an atmosphere of deep devotion across the fort.