13-day Navratri at Kateshwar Kalika Mataji Temple: Ashwin Navratri festival celebrated as per centuries-old tradition

The 13-day festival of Ashwin Navratri is celebrated at the temple of Kalika Mataji at Kateshwar in Lakhpat taluka. The festival, which is usually celebrated for nine days, runs from Aso Sud unit to Aso Sud Teras, which is a unique tradition. During these 13 days, Mataji's garba is installed in the temple. Every night, the youths sing Mataji's ancient couplets, verses and garbas in the accompaniment of Jhanj. On the 13th day of the festival, i.e. on the night of Aso Sud Teras, rituals including home havan are held. After this, the flag is hoisted at Mataji's temple early in the morning the next day and the festival ends with Mahaprasad in the afternoon. Regarding the thirteen-day Navratri festival celebrated at Kateshwar on the Guneri-Siot highway at the end of Lakhpat taluka, Mansinghji Jadeja, the leader of Guneri village, said, "As per the tradition of the elders of this centuries-old temple of Kalika Mataji, the Ashwin Navratri festival is celebrated from Aso Sud Unit to Aso Sud Teras." As part of the conclusion of this 13-day Navratri festival, tomorrow is Aso Sud Teras, on the day of the festival. The ritual of the home havan will begin at 8:15 pm on Sunday, October 5. At 10:00 p.m., there will be a late night service with Patkori and Aradhivani. The next day, The festival will conclude with the hoisting of the flag at the temple of Kalika Mataji in the early hours of Aso Chaturdas on Monday, October 6, followed by mass prasad in the afternoon.