Located in the heart of Shekhawati, Pilani considered the Oasis in the desert state of Rajasthan is well known in India today for various top ranking establishments which include one of the Institutions of Eminence Birla Institute of Technology and Science BITS Pilani, CSIR CEERI, L.N. Birla Naturopathy & Yoga Kendra and Birla Science Centre. Durga, in Sanskrit means "She who is incomprehensible or difficult to reach” and as the Mother of the Universe bestowed with infinite power she is the symbol of female dynamism.
It is quite likely that Stanley Horowitz made the quote “Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all" possibly after seeing a Durga Puja in India”. This year Pilani has over forty Devi Pujas a big number indeed for a small town. The Mitra Mandal Puja which is in its 19th year organized next to the Devi Mandir in Pilani facing the Ram Lila Grounds is undoubtedly the most popular one.
For this year, Mitra Mandal brought pandit Nritya Sastri from Vrindavan – Mathura to perform all the rituals during the Navratras which started with the Kalash Sthapna on 29 Sep. Daily Artis which are held in the morning and evening attract thousands of devotees. The Maha Ashtami day which fell on Sunday 6 October this year was a peak day for Mitra Mandal Puja. It goes without saying that Team Mitra Mandal which is the most sought after group for Sunderkand Path in Shekawati region gave a high octane performance in the pandal.
In addition to daily bhajan sessions, Mitra mandal is a hub of cultural activities. Various competitions are held for both visual arts and performing arts which include rangoli, singing, drawing and solo dancing. For the Maha Navami day on 07 Oct 2019, Mitra Mandal had invited as devotee of honour Prof BR Natarajan from Banashali Vidyapith which features in Times Higher Education THE World Rankings as one among the best 3 - 4% global universities and Second Best Women’s University in the world.
The budget of the Mitra Mandal Puja runs into six figures with voluntary donations from large hearted citizens of Pilani. Arvind Runthala and Sushil Saini who are employed at BITS Pilani indeed have taken up the Mitra Mandal Puja as a Mission with Passion for the past ten years. Team Mitra mandal regularly takes up social issues with passion and this year during Navratra they had taken up Swachh Bharat abhiyan with utter seriousness it deserves.
Mitra Mandal Puja
Mr Arvind Runthala
(opposite to Pilani Police Station),
Loharu Road
Pilani Rajasthan 333031 India
Email arvinddlpd@gmail.com
Desert Chronicle does freelancing cyber journalism on events which matter in and around Pilani
