Chaitra Festival
Every year on full moon of Chaitra (April Month) an enormous festival happens on Jyotiba Mountain. About six to seven lakh of pilgrims from various districts and territories of Maharashtra come to this festival. At this time, the devotees cheers the name of Shree jotiba in a single hymn of 'Chan G Bhal', by defeating their entire consciousness. All the 'festival scenes' are very unique, throwing Gulal, coconut and Bandi coins the palanquin.
On this day, Shree’s Government Maha Abhishekam takes place in early morning at 5 to 6 AM and Mahapuja at 7 to 8 AM. Also, at 10 to 12 AM in the morning there was a Dhuparati and Pancharati. Respected people start the process of procession at around 1 PM. At this time, saasan Sticks dances on the tunes of halagai, Pipani and clarinet. Sasan Kathi means a thirty to seventy feet reed with tuft and flags on top! The jotiba's vehicle 'horse' is installed in the bottom. On Jyotiba, there are 106 respected Sasan Reeds are defined and they comes to mountain on the day before.
The Lavajama of Camel, Horse, cannon cart and Bhaldar, Chopdar adds value to the glory of this festival. About 5pm in evening, after the formal worship ceremony the festive idol of Shree Jyotiba sits in palanquin and heads toward Yamai Temple. As Goddess Yamai is sister of Shree Jyotiba so on same day after sunset Goddess Yamai gets married to Jamadgni.
This wedding ceremony is held in the Yamai Temple. On this occasion Shree Jyotiba takes gift in their palanquin for Goddess Yamai and they returns to temple after finishing the ceremony. At this time various religious rituals performs with attractive fireworks. It takes month to finish this festival of Chitra Pournima.
Importance of the respected Sasan Stick
Sasan Kathi (Stick) is one of the main attractions of Chaitra Yatra. The form of Sasan Reed is like it is thick and about 50 to 70 feet high with Jyotiba’s vehicle horse installed at bottom. It is very skillful to dance by balancing the sasan reed on ones shoulders. Most of the devotees walks toward Jyotiba Mountain with their Sasan Kathis and Bullock cart. While Sasan Kathis heads towards jotiba there were huge crowd on roads to worship the Sasan Kathi. The devotees offer various attractive flower necklaces, currency notes and coconuts to the Sasan Stick.
There are many Sasan Kathi comes to festival but among them 106 Sasan Kathis are defined as honorable by Government means Devasthan Committee and Committee honors these sasan kathis by order. The ‘procession’ of Sasan Kathi is the main attraction of Chaitra Festival. The villages who have Sasan Kathi arranges meeting on Gudhi Padva to plan the Chaitra Festival. These Sasan Kathis are grandeur of Chaitra Festival.
Shravan Shashti
Shravan Shshti is the second big festival on this pilgrimage. Charpat Amba killed Ratnasur Monster on Shravan Shuddha Shashthi. At that time, goddess was suffering with dermatitis because of the blood of demons then to calm that down all gods along with Kedarnath worshiped goddess with lemon, durva, bel and Vala. Since then, a special pooja of lemon, bel and flower is made overnight on Shravan Shudha Shashthi.
The special feature of this festival is that lakhs of devotees come to visit the Goddess during the rainy season. Only Dhuparati happens in this festival and it is an overnight festival. There is Jagar of goddess in whole night. On next day early morning the festival completes with Dhuparati.
Khete
The pilgrims who visit five Sundays during the month of Magh (Feb-March) are called Jyotiba khete. The feature of this Khete is that only devotees of Kolhapur walks to visit the temple. There’s a mythology about this: Aforetime Shree Kedarnath was returning to Himalayas, after finishing his southern expedition. When Karveer Nivasini Shree Mahalaxmi got to know this, she ran barefooted from Kolhapur and asked Keadrnath for not to go to Himalays. Then Kedarnath agreed to stay on Jyotiba. Since then, the tradition of walking khete on jotiba Hill from Kolhapur is going on till date.
Navratrotsav
Navratri festival of The King of Deccan Shri Jyotiba is different from other gods and goddesses. It has the basis of spirituality and Holy Books. The different Mahapoojas in Sohan Lotus Petals are built in this Navratri at Jyotiba Mountain. Each of these petals has great importance. Three of the five petals show the Triadic incarnation of Jyotiba. The following two petals are the bifoliate of the lotus flower. This Saguna and Nirguna are the symbol of mind. It is said in mythology that Shri Kedarnath gives a gold lotus to worship in Kamalbhairav Navratrotsav Festival from Kashi.
On this basis, these Mahapoojas are building with cloths of colorful lotus cloths. In a pleasant atmosphere on the first day of this festival, the rituals of the establishment of a Ghat takes place in the main temple with tunes of instruments like Tutari, Dhol, Sanai, Shing and Tasha. During the Navaratri, Jyotiba's Jagar is on the seventh day. Two lakh devotees come to the mountain on the Jagar Day. The temple is open all night on this day. As a symbol of freedom, The Mahapooja of Jyotiba is built in the sitting form of The King of Deccan in Sohan Lotus Flower. Various religious programs are organized in the main temple during Jagaran. On the day of Khandenavami.
The programs like solemnity of Palanquin, lighting up of lamps, and raising the Ghats are organized. On the day of Vijaya Dashmi (Dasara), Shree's unique Mahapooja is built in Ambari. This pooja is built once in the year. At the south door in the evening at around 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 pm., there is a celebration of the Simollanghan. Lalit celebration completes the Navaratrostav on the Jyotiba Mountain. Shree's Garudarudh Mahapuja is built on this day. There are various religious events throughout the night at the temple. The temple is kept open for darshan all night.