Gandhinagar: Navratri is a nine-day long festival, which is celebrated all over the country with great pomp and show.
It is one of the most celebrated festivals among the Hindus, and one is Rupal village in Gujarat's Gandhinagar on the ninth night of Navratri, actually showed the excitement of people out there, as devotees offer drums of ghee to goddess Vardayini.
It actually sees a river of ghee and it is believed that those who offer prayers, have their wishes fulfilled.
"It is said that Pandavas offered ghee here during their exile, as they later wanted to get their kingdom back. Since then it has become a tradition here.
A palli is a sort of palanquin, whose procession is taken out at midnight of ninth Navratri. There, devotees offer tonnes of ghee, which flows in the lanes of the village.
The village has a population of 8,000, but those who have left the village for cities return to take a glimpse of Palli. On the day lakhs of devotees come to the village to offer prayers and ghee as well.
The rush for the village is so huge that private vehicles are not allowed entry after the afternoon of eighth Navratri. Elaborate police arrangement is made as people throng to have a darshan of the Palli.
An aarti of 33 diyas is conducted at midnight, followed by prayers by all the communities of the village. A procession is then taken out, during which ghee is offered. Special volunteers climb the palli to pour the ghee.
Only the members of Valmiki Community (sanitation workers) have the right to collect the ghee and use it. No one even thinks of using the ghee. On the very next day, they collect the ghee for their use.
People of Valmiki community, collect the ghee next morning, filter it and use it for cooking. They can even give it to members of their own community.
On the day lakhs of devotees come to the village to offer prayers and ghee as well.
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