Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
The annual festival at the Khandoba Temple in Satara is set to begin. Each year, the original idol is taken from the temple in a procession to the Dandekar mansion, where a small Rudrabhishek is performed, and devotees take darshan. The temple trustees had earlier requested that the Archaeological Department allow only the festival idol to be taken out due to security concerns, but a recent meeting confirmed the continuation of the traditional practice.
This year, the Khandoba Yatra and Champa Shasthi will be observed on Saturday. A meeting held on Thursday, attended by PI Sangram Taathe, municipal officer Bharat Birare, trustees and villagers, unanimously decided to uphold the centuries-old tradition. The trustees assured that the original idol would remain unharmed, and the procession and rituals would proceed as usual.
Procession schedule:
The Champa Shasthi will be celebrated on Saturday. At 8 am, the original Khandoba idol will begin its procession from the ancient temple in Satara to the nearby Dandekar mansion. From 9 am to 11 am, 11 Brahmvrindas will perform Rudrabhishek. Devotees can take darshan of the idol, and the Dandekar family will offer Mahaprasad. At 8.30 pm, the idol procession will return to the temple with music and drums, and the idol will be reinstated.