President Murmu attends Godavari mahaarti in Nashik as 6,500 villagers set world record

A grand tribal Simhastha mahaarti was held in the Ramtirth and Godaghat area of Nashik on Saturday, October 31, 2026, to mark the start of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela. President Droupadi Murmu was the chief guest. About 6,500 villagers from tribal hamlets across Nashik district performed the Godavari mahaarti together, setting a world record.

The day began at 12.02 pm with flag-hoisting ceremonies in Nashik and Trimbakeshwar. The flag of the Simhastha Maha Kumbh was hoisted by President Murmu. The main mahaarti programme began at 4 pm.

The mahaarti and shankhnad (conch-blowing) were organised jointly by the Ananta Vijay Shankhnad Sanstha, the Ramtirth Godavari Seva Samiti and the Purohit Sangh. With thousands of villagers present, the banks of the Godavari echoed with devotion.

Preparations for the aarti had been under way for a long time. The 6,500 villagers from tribal hamlets were given special training beforehand so that they could perform the aarti with discipline. A dry run of the mahaarti was held at 1 pm to check all arrangements. The actual mahaarti was then performed at 4 pm with thousands of lamps lit.

The earlier foreign record was of 3,800 women performing an aarti. That record has now been surpassed. A mahaarti was held once again in the evening in the presence of the President. The event has added to Nashik's religious and cultural stature, and the Simhastha Kumbh Mela has begun in a radiant and devout atmosphere. The administration's efforts on security arrangements and crowd management were successful, and the event is being praised from across the country.

President Murmu also visited the Trimbakeshwar temple at Shri Kshetra Trimbakeshwar, where she performed puja in the prescribed manner and offered prayers. Governor Dr Jishnu Dev Varma, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Ajit Pawar, and Marketing and Protocol Minister Jaykumar Rawal were among those present. The puja was conducted by priest Girish Joshi. After the darshan, the temple trust presented the President with a replica of the temple.