Prachi River Aarti Tradition Begins Like Ganga Aarti, Hundreds of Devotees Mesmerized
Kakatpur (Tushar Dixit), 24/02/2024:
The sacred and historic Prachi River, which flows near the feet of Maa Mangala in Kakatpur, holds great religious and cultural significance. While the river’s glory has been described in ancient scriptures, sages have remarked that the Prachi is even older than the Ganges by thousands of years. In remembrance and reverence of this spiritual legacy, saints organize the annual Prachi Parikrama Padayatra.
After years of neglect, the cultural revival of the river has now taken shape with the initiation of Prachi River Aarti, inspired by the famous Ganga Aarti. With the efforts of devotee Braja Sahu, temple authorities, and servitors, the tradition has begun on every Purnima (full moon day), featuring offerings of Naivedya, prayers, and Aarti performed at the riverbank, seeking blessings from Maa Mangala.
Under the supervision and involvement of temple priest Suresh Chandra Tripathi, pujapanda servitors Subash Chandra Padhi, Raghunath Dixit, Manas Kumar Dixit (Manua), Nalini Kanta Dixit, Suryakant Dixit (Bena), Mahendra Dixit, Ranjan Dixit, Tushar Ranjan Dixit (member of Maa Mangala Temple Advisory Committee), Kamal Lochan Dixit, and Executive Officer Kailash Chandra Das, a ceremonial procession carrying the deity’s Ajnamala (divine command garland) moved from the temple to the Ghantatola Ghat on the banks of the Prachi River.
There, the ritualistic worship and Aarti of the river were performed amidst a spiritually charged atmosphere. The surroundings echoed with the devotional chants of “Haribol” and the sound of conches and bells, with over a hundred devotees emotionally immersed in the sacred ritual.
According to temple authorities, the Prachi River Aarti will now be held on every full moon day, continuing this newly established spiritual tradition.
