Three Dussehra melas in Beed as RSS holds Vijayadashami event in Nagpur amid drought

Drought casts a deep shadow over Marathwada. Against this backdrop, Dussehra melas are being held at three places in Beed district today, and all eyes are on the emotional appeals and messages the leaders will give at them. Over the past three to four years, attempts were made to tear apart Beed's social fabric, but many people did not fall victim to this political rivalry and kept up mutual brotherhood.

BJP leader and minister Pankaja Munde holds her mela at Bhagwan Bhaktigad in Savargaon Ghat. Manoj Jarange Patil, associated with the Maratha reservation agitation, holds his at Narayangad. BJP MLA Suresh Dhas holds his at Macchindranath Gad in Ashti taluka.

Jarange Patil's traditional Dussehra mela will, as every year, be held over hundreds of acres at Shree Kshetra Narayan Gad in Beed. Preparations are in the final stage. Parking has been arranged around the gad. Arrangements for lakhs of people to stay, eat and get water have also been made. The stage, sound system and other arrangements are complete. The mela begins at 11 am today.

Before the mela, Jarange had targeted the government. Last week, after paying obeisance to Renuka Mata at Somthana Gad, he spoke about the plight of farmers battling drought. Jarange said farmers scorched by drought need a grant of Rs 1 lakh per hectare, while the government is giving Rs 5,000, which is an attempt to put a bandage on the farmers' wounds. He alleged that farmers are being misled by an aid of Rs 5,000 ahead of Diwali. According to Jarange, the government is playing this card to divert farmers' attention from the agitation and morchas. He also said the government's policy is not in farmers' interest and that farmers having to stand in bank queues for Rs 5,000 is also a mockery of them.

Pankaja Munde's Dussehra mela is being held, as every year, at Bhagwan Bhakti Gad in Savargaon Ghat in Patoda taluka. According to information received, MLA Dhananjay Munde, ministers Meghna Bordikar, Mahadev Jankar and Sujay Vikhe, former MP Pritam Munde and other leaders will be present with Minister Pankaja Munde. Organisers said preparations are in the final stage and a large number of people will attend. Helipads have been built at three places and a large police deployment has reached Savargaon Ghat.

Before the mela, Pankaja Munde said she had built Gopinath Gad here, where Munde saheb's samadhi stands, along with temples of goddesses such as Tuljabhavani, Renukamata and Mahalaxmi. During Navratri, devotees from the surrounding areas come here, and a homa-havan is held on every Ashtami and Navami. She said she performed kanyapujan this morning and the girls recited a beautiful stotra, which moved her. Munde said she could not say anything until she went there, and that what comes to mind comes to her once she reaches the place. According to her, the mela is not hers but the people's, and it is the blessing of Bhagwan Baba. Anganwadi workers are given a Bhai Dooj gift, which is a symbolic sum. Central and state aid is a comfort to them. Munde said this is not the final sum.

MLA Suresh Dhas will hold his mela at Shree Kshetra Macchindranath Gad in Ashti taluka on the occasion of Vijayadashami, as every year. This is the 18th year of the mela, and the religious event will be held in the presence of several saints and mahants. Dhas has appealed to Nath devotees and worshippers to attend in large numbers.

Meanwhile in Nagpur, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's Vijayadashami festival will begin with shastra puja. All eyes are on what Sarsanghchalak Dr Mohan Bhagwat will say. Former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and Israel's Consul General Yaniv Revach will be present at the event. Sanjay Gupta, editor-in-chief of Dainik Jagran, will be the chief guest at the function, being held in the RSS's centenary year. The RSS completes 100 years since its founding this year. There will be particular attention on what Bhagwat says on several important issues, including student movements in the country and the drought-like situation in the state.