Festivals celebrated at Shri Saint Balumama Temple – Adamapur
Bhandara Festival
This is the biggest festival held at Adamapur in Shri Balumama temple.
Millions of devotees from Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Goa attend this festival annually. This seven-day festival is characterized by a devotional atmosphere filled with various religious rituals.
The event features the free distribution of Mahaprasada (sacred food), also the thunderous sound of drums (Dhols), the bursting of firecrackers, and the continuous chanting of “Balumamacha Navane Changbhala (Balumama’s name is good)”.
The Bhandara festival is celebrated with kirtans, bhajans, Dhangari drums (Dhols), from different regions of India.
The palaki ceremony commences from Balumama’s temple in Adamapur at 8 am. Accompanied by the thunderous sound of Dhangari drums, Bhajani Mandals, Lezim Pathaks, Dandapatta, and the Dance of Shri Balumama’s Horses, the procession begins.
In the evening, the palaki arrives at the marking the conclusion of the procession.
Schudule of the Annual Bhandara Festival: In Phalgun vadya ( Marathi calendar -second fortnight of the month falgun) on the Ekadashi day there is night long function and Mahaprasad (serving of meal). Lakhs of people take part in it.
Then on the Tryodashi day a procession is taken round. This procession goes to Margubai temple which is located at the backside of the Shri Balumama Temple. Shri Balumama spent most of his life in this temple and also laid the body here.
The entire Adamapur village is coloured Bhandara (Turmeric powder).
Other Festivals:
Every Monthly Amavasya:
There is a practice followed by devotees to visit Adamapur on every Amavasya. Large number of devotees visit the temple. All devotees are offered Ambil, made from finger millet as Prasad. Highly nutritious and considerably rich with vitamins and calcium this Ambil is a specialty of this place. Also prasad of rice, amti and sweet khir is also served on all days.
Ekadashi day
Some devotees visit on Ekadashi and Dwadashi, the second day of Ekadashi. On Ekadashi day Bhajani mandal arrive from different places and perform Bhajans.
Shri Balumama Punyatiti
Sharvan Vadya Chaturthi (The fourth day in the second forthnight of Shravan). A week-long program is arranged in remembrance Shri Balumama samadhi. The program contains reading of ‘The Dnyaneshwari” “Shri Balumama Vijay Granth” Parayan , Naamjap, Pravachan, kirtan etc.
Bhadrapad Amavasya
From Ghatasthapana to Dassera (There two Hindu religious events) the devotees observing fast are engrossed in Naam-Jap, Bhajan etc. in the temple.
Shri Balumama Janmatithi
Ashwin Shuddha Dwadashi:- (Twelve day in the first fortnight of the month Ashwin) This day is the Janmatithi (Birthday) of Balumama. Abhishek is performed at the Samadhi at early in the monirng.
At 4.23 in the afternoon flowers are showered on the Samadhi over Kirtan recitation. Then Bhajans are Sung and Mahaprasad is distributed.
Ashwin Vadya Dwadashi (Gurudwadashi)
This Tithi (Lunar Day) is the day on which Balumama’s devotees visit Pandharpur called wari. They arrive at Pandharpur on the Ekadashi day (The eleventh day) and after the Abhishek (holy bath with milk, honey and ghee) of God Shri Vitthal Rukhumini.
Kartik shuddha pratipada (the first bright lunar day of Kartik) or Diwali Padva :- The dung of the sheep is made into a heap near the Margubai temple and worshipped by the shepherds as Goddess Laxmi on this auspicious day. Sheep milk is boiled till it over flows on this occasion.
The sheep also are worshipped by the shepherds by waving Light around their faces with Lamps. There is a race of sheep, after which mahaprasad is served.
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