Devotion Hits Its Crescendo At Poddareshwar Temple Ram Navami Shobhayatra Nagpur: A sea of devotees surged through the city on Thursday as the Poddareshwar Ram Temple's 60th Shobha Yatra rolled out, with packed streets, rising chants, and continuous movement of crowds turning the procession route into a live, unfolding celebration. Devotees lined up along the route — from Itwari through Badkas Chowk, Gandhi Gate, Cotton Market, and Variety Square — hours in advance, with continuous chants and drumbeats accompanying the procession. The scale of participation remained high through the afternoon, with crowds swelling at every major junction. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union minister Nitin Gadkari joined the celebrations at the temple, where they performed pooja of Lord Ram and attended the aarti. They later symbolically pulled the chariot, marking the formal start of the rath procession. Senior leaders, including revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, mayor Neeta Thakre, were also present. Fadnavis, while speaking to mediapersons at the Poddareshwar Ram Temple, said the ideals of Maryada Purushottam Lord Ram continue to guide society. "The Shobha Yatra here in Nagpur has become a unique tradition, growing in scale and participation every year. It is heartening to see such overwhelming devotion and unity among people. This spirit of faith and discipline is what defines our cultural strength," he added. The procession featured around 94 tableaux, making it one of the largest in recent years, which spanned over 3.5 km in length, with 24,000 volunteers helping to smooth out the process. These depicted scenes from the Ramayana and other mythological themes, including Ram Darbar, Lord Hanuman, Mahadev, Maa Bhagwati, and Indra.#nitin_gadkari #devendra_fadnavis #chandrashekhar_bawankule #neeta_thakre #poddareshwar_ram_temple
City Decks Up For Ram Navami Celebrations Nagpur is fully prepared to commemorate Ram Navami on Thursday, with extensive decorations and arrangements along key routes for the shobhayatra procession. The main route for the Poddareshwar Ram Temple shobhayatra begins at Itwari and passes through Badkas Chowk, Gandhi Gate, Cotton Market, and Variety Square before continuing further. The entire stretch has been transformed into a decorative tunnel with continuous lighting grids and saffron drapes. Stages have been set up at multiple squares along the route, featuring replicas of Ayodhya’s Ram temple and idols of Lord Ram. Loudspeakers play devotional songs throughout the day, creating an immersive atmosphere for the celebration. Organizers have planned halting points along the procession route where rituals and performances will take place. Preparations for distributing prasad are underway, with volunteers stationed not only along the main route but also in adjacent lanes to manage the expected crowd. Water distribution points and basic amenities have been established at several locations to ensure convenience for participants. Over 150 organizations from outside Nagpur have arrived to set up stalls and distribute prasad along the Poddareshwar shobhayatra route, highlighting the city’s role as a hub for the festival. In Mahal, local temples have been adorned with flowers, lights, and traditional decorations. Early morning aartis will be held at these temples, followed by ‘dindis’ and ‘prabhat pheris’ that will traverse nearby areas. Residents have been actively involved in preparations, working late into the night to finalize arrangements. In west Nagpur, similar efforts have been made, with key roads and squares decorated with lighting series and saffron coverings.#nagpur #ram_navami #itwari #poddareshwar_ram_temple #ram_janm_aarti
