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800-meters rath yatra to grace Dahisar temple

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As per the scriptures of the Gaud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) community, a temple is incomplete without the age-old tradition of a rath yatra (a chariot procession). The community will be having a week-long festival with a rath yatra to mark the complete existence of the Sri Kashi Math and Sri Vittal Rakhumai Mandir in Dahisar, built almost 12 years ago. The temple, say members of the community, has idols of VittalRakhumai given to them from the original temple in Pandharpur.

The celebrations will be held between November 24 to November 29. While the first few days will see rituals and prayers, on November 28, there will be a rath yatra in the evening from the temple premises. The yatra will be similar to those conducted in Mangalore, where a large number of Gaud Saraswat Brahmins reside. For the celebrations, a special rath is prepared, which will be 41 feet tall. Idols of Sri Vittal Rakhumai will be stationed on it. The rath will be on display from November 27.

"In the south, from where our community originates, yatras are a yearly custom meant for the overall development of the community, while simultaneously creating awareness among youngsters about our age-old customs. There, the yatra and celebrations are conducted in January-February. Here, we are doing it in November because of the advice from our spiritual guide H.H. Shrimand Sudhindra Tirtha Swamiji, Mathadhipati of Sri Kashi Math Samsthan, Varanasi. It is said that unless a yatra is conducted, the existence of the temple is not complete," said Mohandas Mallya, president of the VittalRakhumai Mandir.

"The rath yatra will complete a distance of 800 meters too and fro from the temple premises. While prasad is served everyday in temple premises, having it from the rath has an altogether different significance. This washes away the sins of many generations, it is said," added Mallya.

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