CM Fadnavis attends Navratri dandiya fest in Mumbai
Synopsis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis attended the Morphosis Navratri 2026 Dandiya Mahotsav in Mumbai on 16 October, organised by BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha, offering prayers for the state's welfare during the nine-night goddess festival.
Key Takeaways
CM Devendra Fadnavis visited the Morphosis Navratri 2026 Dandiya Mahotsav in Mumbai on 16 October 2026 .
The event was organised by BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha .
Fadnavis offered darshan to the goddess and prayed for the happiness and prosperity of Maharashtra's citizens.
He opened his post with a Sanskrit Devi stotra invocation to Mahadevi.
The visit follows a longstanding tradition of Maharashtra chief ministers attending major Navratri celebrations across the state.
With a Sanskrit invocation to Mahadevi on his lips and marigolds in the air, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stepped into the spirit of Navratri 2026 on Friday, 16 October — joining the Morphosis Navratri 2026 Dandiya Mahotsav in Mumbai and offering prayers for the welfare of the state's people.
The event was organised by BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha, who represents a Mumbai constituency. Fadnavis opened his post with the Devi stotra verse — 'Namo devyai mahadevyai shivayai satatam namah' (Salutations always to the Goddess, the Mahadevi, the auspicious Shiva) — before describing how he received the goddess's blessings and prayed for the happiness and prosperity of Maharashtra's citizens.
Dandiya nights and a CM's presence
Navratri, the nine-night Hindu festival honouring the goddess in her many forms, is among the most widely celebrated occasions in Maharashtra. Dandiya mahotsavs — community dance gatherings punctuated by the rhythmic clatter of decorated sticks — draw thousands of devotees across Mumbai each year. CM Fadnavis's attendance follows an established tradition of Maharashtra's chief ministers participating in major religious-cultural events during the festival season, combining darshan with a public moment of community prayer.
Kotecha's event on Mumbai's cultural calendar
Mihir Kotecha, the BJP MLA who hosted the Morphosis festival, has been a regular organiser of large-scale Navratri gatherings in the city. The Chief Minister's presence at the event adds visible state-level endorsement to what is both a religious celebration and a community anchor for Mumbai's neighbourhoods during the festive fortnight.
As the festival continues through its remaining nights, similar visits by senior state leaders to Navratri venues across Maharashtra are expected — each one a small window into how governance and community life intertwine during India's biggest cultural season.
Point of View
Not merely a patron of, community life. The Sanskrit invocation signals cultural literacy aimed at a devotee base. Such gestures rarely shift policy but reliably reinforce the soft social contract between a ruling government and its cultural constituency.
NationPress
17 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Navratri event did CM Devendra Fadnavis attend in Mumbai?
CM Devendra Fadnavis attended the Morphosis Navratri 2026 Dandiya Mahotsav in Mumbai on 16 October 2026, an event organised by BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha.
Who is Mihir Kotecha?
Mihir Kotecha is a BJP MLA from Mumbai who organised the Morphosis Navratri 2026 Dandiya Mahotsav attended by Chief Minister Fadnavis.
What did CM Fadnavis pray for at the Navratri event?
Fadnavis stated that he prayed for the happiness and prosperity of the people of Maharashtra during his visit to the festival.
What is Navratri and how is it celebrated in Maharashtra?
Navratri is a nine-night Hindu festival honouring the goddess in her many forms. In Maharashtra and Mumbai, it is widely celebrated through dandiya mahotsavs — community gatherings featuring traditional stick dances — and religious darshan.
What Sanskrit verse did CM Fadnavis quote at Navratri 2026?
Fadnavis quoted the verse 'Namo devyai mahadevyai shivayai satatam namah', a Sanskrit stotra meaning 'Salutations always to the Goddess, the Mahadevi, the auspicious one'.
