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15th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Navratri Maha Aarti

This pic is of Navratri Maha aarti with more than 35000 oil lamps at Surat Umiya Dham Mandir campus on the 8th day of Navratri. This occasion is celebrated once a year and people from different sources and backgrounds visit that place to witness this beautiful site. Thousands of diyas are lit at the same time. Thousands of Hindu devotees gather and hold lit oil lamps as they participate in a Maha Aarti. All the diyas are lit in just a couple of minutes and then the lights, all go out in a second and we witness a spellbinding spectacle. Only the temple lights were on for the entire duration of the Aarti, while thousands of hands swayed with diyas.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 10.2016
Date Uploaded: 04.2017
Photo Location: SURAT, India
Copyright: © TEJAL MEWAR