Chandrapur's Mahakali Mata Mahotsav to be low-key this year; singing events cancelled, savings for farmers

This year's Mahakali Mata Mahotsav in Chandrapur will be celebrated in a simple manner. In view of drought conditions in the state, all entertainment programmes of the festival have been cancelled. Mahotsav committee president and MLA Kishor Jorgewar took the decision after an appeal by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The money saved by cancelling the programmes will be given to drought-affected farmers through the Chief Minister. The festival was to run for five days from October 14. Religious traditions and social initiatives will continue as planned.

MLA Kishor Jorgewar said farmers are in distress because of the drought, and helping them should matter more than festival spending. He suggested cutting the cost of the festival with the thinking that devotion and faith in Mahakali Mata should remain, but duty towards society should also be fulfilled. The decision conveys the message that standing with farmers in their hour of difficulty is true social responsibility. It is an effort to link a religious festival with the welfare of society and to take help to families battling drought.

As every year, big preparations had been made this time too for the Shri Mahakali Mata Mahotsav. The five-day festival starting October 14 had devotional programmes lined up by well-known bhakti singers Gajendra Pratap Singh, Hemant Brijwasi and Chaitanya Devdhe, and noted singer Jaspinder Narula. In view of the severity of the drought in the state, it was decided to cancel all these programmes. This will reduce the cost of the festival and opens the way to use the saved money to help farmers.

The religious traditions of the festival will continue as already decided. These include the worship of and feeding of 9,999 girls. Married women will be offered green bangles with wishes for eternal marital good fortune. Girls born during Navratri will be given a silver coin. A city procession (Nagar Pradakshina) will also be taken out on October 19.

The cultural programmes may have been reduced, but the social purpose behind this is far larger. On one hand, the tradition of devotion to Mahakali Mata is being maintained; on the other, the pain of farmers troubled by drought is being acknowledged.

Meanwhile, in connection with the Mata Mahakali Mahotsav 2026, a 51-foot-high flag will be hoisted at the Shri Mata Mahakali Temple on the first day of Shardiya Navratri, on the occasion of Ghatasthapana. The ceremony is scheduled for 2 pm on Sunday, October 11, 2026, in the temple premises. The flag hoisting will express unwavering devotion to Mata Mahakali and add to the Navratri fervour.