| The daily
worship of the goddess consists of five different sessions. This is a common mode of daily
rituals in the Marathi region. The Karvir-mahatmya states that anybody who is present and
witnesses any of these three sessions for a period of one and a half months accumulates
the greatest possible amount of punya. The first session is commonly known as Kakadarati.
It begins at five o’clock in the morning and the purpose is to awaken the deity.
Kakada is a torch, This torch is taken in the garbhagriha and the goddess is awakened by
singing her aratis. After the prayers are over, the image receives a wash. The puja
arranged on the day before is removed and her feet are washed in milk. Sandal paste is then
applied, flowers placed on the image and it is attired in a new dress. After this worship
is over, laudatory songs and aratis are sung, This is the karpur-arati, when camphor is
burnt before the image. For fifteen days of an year, the first or shukla fortnight of the
month of Kartika, this routine is slightly changed. The entire image is washed in milk and
not her feet alone. Outside in nagarkliana on the Mahadwara musical instruments,
especially sanai and chaughada play soft tunes. The
second worship of the goddess begins at eight in the morning. This is what is known as the
‘shodashopa chari’ puja, a worship consisting of sixteen elements or rites, The
origin of these rituals would be found in the customary manner of the reception of an
honoured guest. However, great elaboration of these customs has taken place to suit the
divine recipient of these honours. There are other tornis of worship employing 108 rites,
64, 18, !6, 10 and 5. Of these, the ones employing 108 and 64 rites are used only in the
Tantra form of devi worship. As stated earlier, the one consisting of sixteen upacharas is
most common place, other is being employed in the worship of particular deities on
particular occasions. |
