Indore: Khajrana Ganesh to Receive Offerings of Different Laddus Daily for 10 Days on Ganeshotsav
Indore. Preparations for Ganesh Chaturthi are in full swing at the Khajrana Ganesh Temple. The Ganeshotsav festival will commence on September 14 at 10 AM with the Dhvaja Pujan (flag worship ceremony). This year, an offering of 1.25 lakh modaks will be made to Lord Ganesh. Additionally, for the evening Aarti over the 10-day period, offerings of 11,000 laddus* of various types will be presented.
Chief Priest Pt. Ashok Bhatt gave this information. He stated that preparations to make the 1.25 lakh modaks would begin soon; the modaks will be prepared over a span of approximately six days.
Confectioner Khemjibhai, assisted by a team of 30 helpers, will prepare the modaks using 10 large-scale industrial stoves (super-bhattis).
During the festival, laddus will be prepared using a variety of ingredients, including moong (green gram), urad (black gram), rice, chawla (black-eyed peas), chana (chickpeas), jowar (sorghum), bajra (pearl millet), wheat, dry fruits, and panchmeva (a mix of five dry fruits).
Prasad will be distributed to devotees after the Aarti. Lord Ganesh will be adorned with magnificent decorations (shringar) daily for the 10-day duration. The deity will be bedecked with gold ornaments valued at over Rs 6 crore; these ornaments will be brought to the temple under tight security before being placed on the idol.
Daily Adornment in Unique Forms
According to Pt. Ashok Bhatt, the deity will be adorned in a different form each day. Anticipating a large influx of devotees, the main gate of the sanctum sanctorum has been widened, and the Sabha Mandap (assembly hall) in front of the temple has been lowered by 1.5 feet.
Zig-zag barricading will also be extended. The temple committee stated that the entire complex will be monitored by over 80 CCTV cameras.
Temple to Remain Open All Night for Devotees on Hartalika Teej
The Chief Priest mentioned that on September 13—the day before Ganeshotsav begins—the temple will remain open all night for devotees on the occasion of Hartalika Teej. The Dhvaja Pujan is scheduled for 10:00 AM on September 14. Collector and Temple Management Committee Chairman Shivam Verma, along with Municipal Commissioner and Temple Administrator Kshitij Singhal, will perform the worship rituals.