Various rituals are going to be performed and programs are going to be organized during the 9-day Shivnavratri Utsav, which is scheduled to start at the Mahakaleshwar Temple from Wednesday on account of Maha Shivratri.
At 8 am, Shivpanchami puja is going to be performed at Koteshwar Mahadev located near Kotiteerth Kund. It will be followed by Ekadash-Ekadashni Rudrabhishek and blog aarti. Special decorations of the Mahakal Jyotirlingam are going to be made during the subsequent 9 days at 4 pm a day. Like per annum, a sola (unstitched dhoti) and a variant are going to be presented to 11 Brahmins and two assistant priests for performing the rituals.
Also, Hari Kirtan will be held every day between 4 to 6 pm near Navrhih Mandir. It will be done by Pt Ramesh Kandadkar (Indore), whose father Shriram Kanadkar started practicing it in 1909.
Mahakaleshwar Temple Management Committee administrator Narendra Suryawanshi informed that the entry of devotees within the garb-grih will remain restricted during the mega event. They will be allowed to possess darshan of the presiding deity from the barricaded stairs behind Nandi Mandapam. According to the administrator, devotees are going to be allowed to return to the temple from the Chardham Mandir side.
Those devotees who have purchased paid darshan passes at the rate of Rs 250 will be allowed to enter from Harsiddhi Mandir Chouraha. VIPS, pujari-purohit, temple committee employees, and media persons will enter the temple from gate number 4.
