Mumbai:
Thane has a rich historical heritage; today some of it remains alive amidst the modern city. Jankadevi temple at Manpada is a 400-year-old shrine and was constructed by locals when Manpada was a little hamlet. The temple is visited by thousands of devotees, as they believe the deity fulfils wishes and desires.
Since the last 45 years, traditional
Navratri festival is being celebrated at Jankadevi temple. This year the
Jankadevi Utkarsh Mandal brought a procession of goddess on the first day in the locality. During the week of
Navratri, programmes of devotional songs,
Gondhal art form by famous Waikar Gondhali group,
maha aarti and distribution of
prasad was held. This year the temple is being lit up and the lighting arrangement is being conceptualised by art director Sandeep Vengurlekar. "The goddess is believed to be fulfill wishes of people. We urge devotees to be a part of
Navratri celebration," said Anant Tare, convenor of Jankadevi Utkarsh Mandal.
The temple has a rich historical background and is therefore considered to be a local deity of Majiwada locality. The temple is believed to be built during the rule of the Shilahar dynasty in Thane. Later the shrine was destroyed by Portuguese rulers, however the temple then was rebuilt by local residents. Residents recall that the place of worship had sheltered saint Ramdas.
Copyright restricted. Under license from
www.3dsyndication.com