The city streets adorned vivid shades of saffron, on Thursday, as an overwhelming wave of devotion marked the grand shobhayatra taken out from Shri Poddareshwar Ram Mandir. Thousands of citizens thronged the shobhayatra route to witness one of the most iconic Ram Navami celebrations of the Second Capital of Maharashtra. The spectacle, now in its 60th year, combined religious fervour with cultural grandeur, leaving a deep impression across the city. The traditional shobhayatra commenced from Shri Poddareshwar Ram Mandir in the afternoon. At the outset, dignitaries performed the ceremonial puja of Lord Ram, Laxman and Sita.

 

 

Prominent dignitaries included Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister; Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways; Chandrashekhar Bawankule, State Revenue Minister and Guardian Minister of the district; Maya Iwnate, Member of Parliament (elect); Ajay Sancheti, former Member of Parliament; Pravin Datke, Member of Legislative Assembly; Krupal Tumane, former MLA; Rameshchandra Bang, former Minister; Padma Shri Satyanarayan Nuwal, Chairman of Solar Industries; Neeta Thakre, Mayor; Lila Hatibed, Deputy Mayor; and Rajendra Purohit, Managing Director of ‘The Hitavada’, among others. A total of 89 tableaux, centred on themes from Hindu religion and tradition, formed the core attraction of the shobhayatra.

 

The tableaux creatively used lighting, colour and live performances to depict mythological and cultural narratives. Among the most admired was the presentation by Shri Chinteshwar Navyuvak Mandal portraying ‘Radhakrishna Vivah’, while Erandel Teli Samaj Yuvak Mandal drew attention of the devotees with its live-action depiction of ‘Hiranyakashyap Vadh’. The tableau by Shri Sahyog Sardotsav Mandal showcasing Shri Rangnath Swami of Tamil Nadu also received appreciation, as did the depiction of ‘Ashok Vatika Vidhwans’ by Lord Hanuman, presented by Shri Sankatmochan Panchamukhi Hanuman Temple (Bellori). Rokade Jewellers’ tableau depicting ‘Braj Ki Holi’ also filled atmosphere with light and colour. Other notable tableaux included those by Shri Shitala Mata Mandir and Shiv Mandir Panch Committee illustrating ‘Shri Ram-Ravan Yuddha’.

 

A unique representation by late Ganpatrao Thakre Memorial featured a statue of Bali from Indonesia, highlighting cultural links beyond India. The tableau by Shri Mahalakshami Jagadamba Devsthan, Koradi, depicting the Koradi temple and the upcoming grand Hanuman statue, also drew significant attention. A tableaux of Baidyanath Ayurved’s ‘Bhagwan Shivji Ki Puja Karte Shri Ganesh’, also was part of the shobhayatra. The shobhayatra route witnessed enthusiastic participation from devotees who welcomed every tableau by showering flowers and performing puja at various points. Children and youngsters were particularly engaged, capturing photographs and joining in dance performances to devotional music played along the route. Several organisations contributed to the arrangements by distributing mahaprasad, drinking water, chhach and fruits to the devotees. For the smooth conduct of the event, more than 24,000 volunteers and around 3,000 police personnel were deployed along the pre-determined route of the shobhayatra. Traffic authorities had announced route diversions and timings through social media to minimise inconvenience in advance.