CM Mohan Yadav Offers Navratri Prayers at Chamunda Dham
Synopsis
Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav offered prayers at Gajnikhedi Maa Chamunda Dham in Badnagar, Ujjain, during Sharadiya Navratri on 18 October 2026, praying for the peace and prosperity of Madhya Pradesh's people.
Key Takeaways
Mohan Yadav visited Gajnikhedi Maa Chamunda Dham in Badnagar, Ujjain district on 18 October 2026 .
The visit was on the occasion of Sharadiya Navratri , the nine-night autumn Hindu festival.
The Chief Minister performed prayers 'with full religious rites' ( vidhi-vidhan se ).
He prayed for the prosperity, welfare, and happiness of all citizens of Madhya Pradesh.
The temple is located in the Malwa region , one of India's most prominent pilgrimage belts.
On the auspicious occasion of Sharadiya Navratri, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav visited the Gajnikhedi Maa Chamunda Dham temple in Badnagar, Ujjain district, on Sunday, 18 October 2026, performing traditional rituals and praying for the prosperity, welfare, and happiness of the people of Madhya Pradesh.
The Chief Minister's Office shared that Dr. Yadav offered prayers 'vidhi-vidhan se' (with full religious rites), seeking 'sukh-samriddhi, jankallyan aur sab ke jeevan mein sukh, shanti evam khushhali' — peace, prosperity, and well-being for every citizen of the state.
Gajnikhedi Maa Chamunda Dham is a revered temple dedicated to Goddess Chamunda, located in the Badnagar tehsil of Ujjain district — a region already dense with sacred geography in the Malwa heartland of Madhya Pradesh. Ujjain itself is one of India's most prominent pilgrimage centres, home to the Mahakaleshwar Jyotirlinga, making the district a natural focal point for state-level religious observances.
Sharadiya Navratri, the nine-night autumn festival honouring the divine feminine, draws millions of devotees across India. For elected leaders in states like Madhya Pradesh, temple visits during Navratri have long formed part of cultural engagement with constituents — a visible affirmation of shared tradition at one of the year's most widely observed festivals.
For Dr. Yadav, who has served as Chief Minister since December 2023, such visits reflect a broader pattern of active religious participation that has characterised his administration's public outreach in the state's culturally rich Malwa-Nimar belt.
Point of View
Whose administration has leaned into Madhya Pradesh's identity as a Hindu pilgrimage state since December 2023, such appearances in the Ujjain belt carry both devotional and political resonance. The choice of Gajnikhedi Chamunda Dham — a locally revered but not nationally headline-grabbing shrine — signals outreach to grassroots constituencies rather than marquee optics. It is routine statecraft dressed in festival colours, but routine does not mean inconsequential in a state where religious geography and electoral geography closely overlap.
NationPress
18 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did CM Mohan Yadav offer Navratri prayers in 2026?
CM Dr. Mohan Yadav offered Navratri prayers at Gajnikhedi Maa Chamunda Dham temple in Badnagar tehsil, Ujjain district, Madhya Pradesh, on 18 October 2026.
What is Gajnikhedi Maa Chamunda Dham?
Gajnikhedi Maa Chamunda Dham is a temple dedicated to Goddess Chamunda located in Badnagar tehsil, Ujjain district, in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh.
What is Sharadiya Navratri?
Sharadiya Navratri is a nine-night autumn Hindu festival celebrating the divine feminine, observed widely across India typically in September or October each year.
Who is Dr. Mohan Yadav?
Dr. Mohan Yadav is the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, representing the BJP, who assumed office in December 2023.
Why do Indian Chief Ministers visit temples during Navratri?
Temple visits during Navratri are a long-standing tradition for elected leaders in India, combining religious observance with public outreach to constituents during one of the year's most widely celebrated festivals.
