Pune: That most people are not averse to spending a fortune when it comes to seeking divine blessings was proved once again at an auction held during the annual ‘bhandara utsav’ of Nageshwar Maharaj at Moshi village in Pimpri Chinchwad city on Thursday.Nitin Saste, a devotee, made a bid for ‘Manacha vida’ – revered betelnut leaves -- by paying a whooping Rs 28 lakh.Another devotee, Atil Alhat, forked out Rs 18 lakh for ‘manacha oti’ (cloth offerings) while ‘manacha limbu’- revered lemon – went to Rohidas Havaldar for Rs 4.15 lakh.The bidding took place on the second day of the 150-year-old festival.Nagesh Saste, a villager said, “Nageshwar Maharaj was among a group of sadhus who had come to Moshi from Nashik’s Kumbh Mela. He fell ill here and stayed back while other sadhus went away. He used to give religious discourses to people who offered him food, which he distributed as bhandara.”He said, “Villagers from Moshi as well as surrounding villages are devotees of Nageswar Maharaj. They come to attend the annual festival where they seek his blessings for fulfilment of their wishes. If a devotee’s wish is fulfilled then he/she gives the promised offerings to the temple. These offerings along with goods purchased for ‘bhandara’ is auctioned. People willingly participate in the auction and try to get the offerings by paying a ransom.”Laxman Saste, chairman, sports art literature and cultural committee, Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation said, “The annual festival begins on Mahashivratri. Bhandara is held on the second day while fair and auction is held on third day. Wrestling competition is held on the fourth day of the festival,” he said.Nitin Saste, treasurer, Nageshwar Devasthan Trust, who also won the auction for ‘manacha vida’ said, “Nageshwar Maharaj is our family deity. My grandfather and father were his devotees. I became the treasurer in 2018. Our family has prospered due to his blessings. It is a great honour for any devotee to make a bid at the auction and get the revered articles. It is the devotion of the people to Nageshwar Maharaj that makes them participate in the auction and bid for these articles.”

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