Devotees keep decades-old tradition alive at Belapur

Chants of Lord Rama filled the air on Friday as temples were decked up and elaborate arrangements were made to mark Ram Navami Janmotsav across the city.

The 153-year-old Ram Mandir at Belapur village located on the banks of Amruteshwar pond celebrates the festival with grand fervour every year. The programmes were organised by the Ram Maruti Janam Utsav Mandal trust, which was formed 60 years ago.

“Our celebrations begin days before the Navami which is inaugurated on Gudi Padwa day and continues for almost 15 days till the next full moon day,” said Ganpat Mhatre, member of the trust.

“On Friday, at 12.40pm, the golden idol of Lord Rama was seated on a swing while the devotees recited shlokas,” he added.

Towards midnight on Friday, a procession carried the idol in a palanquin around the village. The biggest attraction of the festival here was the ‘jatraotsav’

(village fair) which is one of the biggest fairs organised in the city. A wrestling competition was organised on Ram Navami. Kirtan mandalis have congregated to sing bhajans for the last three days and continued till late night on Friday.

Many of the devotees who thronged the temple said this has been a practice for the

last many years to mark Ram Janmotsav.

Sachin Karanjekar, 69, a resident of Nerul, said, “It is a family tradition to come and celebrate Ram Navami at the Belapur village temple for the past 40 years. My grandfather inculcated this tradition in me and now I am imbibing it in my grandchildren.”

BACHCHAN KUMAR Devotees pray at the 153-year-old Ram Mandir in Belapur on Friday.

BACHCHAN KUMAR Wrestlers take part in a competition on Ram Navami, a tradition in Belapur.