The nine-day festival of Sharadiya Navratri has started across the country and today, the second of Navratri is being observed. Goddess Brahmacharini is worshiped today. A large number of devotees are gathering in every small or big temple throughout the country including Delhi. A grand and wonderful procession of Sanatan Dharma that was three and a half kilometers long was taken out in Malviya Nagar area of Delhi. In the grand procession, Goddess Vaishno Devi, Goddess Kalka, Baba Mahakal and Baba Khatu Shyam Maharaj rode on chariots while people queued up for their darshan. Several grand tableaux were part of this procession. People participated in the procession in large numbers. Delhi Jal Board Vice Chairman and Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti and all three local councillors Leela Kumar, Kamal Bhardwaj and Sarita Phogat also participated in the Shobha Yatra with their families and took the blessings from the deities.
Shobha Yatra begins from the Malviya Nagar Market
The Shobha Yatra or grand procession started from the Malviya Nagar Market and reached Nirankari School passing through the roundabout. The procession ended by returning to the Malviya Nagar Market via Shiv Mandir. During the Shobha Yatra, people welcomed the Goddesses and Lords by setting up stalls at multiple points. “Bhandaras” were organized for the devotees at many places on the route of the procession. Somnath Bharti himself was a sevadaar today and along with other devotees, distributed Bhandara with complete faith and devotion. The whole atmosphere became devotional as people worshipped Goddess Durga. Women, children and elderly participated enthusiastically in the procession that was taken out with devotional songs and music.
Sanatana Dharma teaches to serve, not demean: Somnath Bharti
MLA Somnath Bharti participated in the grand Shobha Yatra along with his wife and children. He wished everyone on the occasion of Navratri and described the Shobha Yatra as wonderful and historic. On the occasion, he prayed to Goddess Vaishno Devi to shower her blessings on everyone. He said that such a wonderful scene of devotion was never seen in Malviya Nagar. For the first time, such a huge procession is being taken out on a grand scale in Malviya Nagar. The people of Malviya Nagar were happy to have got physical darshan of Goddess Vaishno Devi, Goddess Kalka, Baba Mahakal and Baba Khatu Shyam.
Somnath Bharti said that in the Shobha Yatra, the devotees had the same experience as they get in the temples of Vaishno Devi, Khatu Shyam and Mahakal of Ujjain. As an MLA, I, the local councillors, market associations, RWAs and the local people of the area have made contribution to the best of our capacities in making the Shobha Yatra successful. I am a devotee of the Goddess and I am trying to do the best possible from my side. He said that this Shobha Yatra was not organized for any particular caste or group of persons. People having faith in Sanatan Dharma participated in the procession in large numbers. Sanatan Dharma says that we should not criticize anyone and no one should criticize us. The true followers of Sanatan Dharma serve the people and do not harm them which is the true tradition of Sanatan Dharma.
People should respect each other’s religion
On the occasion, Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti specifically mentioned about the “sewa camp” organized by the residents of Hauz Rani area of Malviya Nagar. Talking about the sewa camp, he said that this has been organized by the Muslim community for the Shobha Yatra being taken out by the followers of Sanatan Dharma. He said that this is the identity of India and our shared history. The atmosphere of brotherhood has to be maintained. It must not be harmed by anyone. We must preserve our brotherhood. We want that there should be amicable and harmonious relations among all communities in the country and everyone should respect each other’s religion.
