In Pande village of Satara’s Wai taluka, the most devout Navratri vow is not about what people do, but what they refuse to do: sit down. For nine days and nights, around 100 men stand, lean and keep one foot on the ground at all times, holding on to a 350-year-old tradition called Ubhyachi Navratra, or Standing Navratri, at the Kalbhairavnath temple.Devotees take the vow, called navas, either to fulfil a wish or to thank the village deity, Lord Kalbhairavnath. At least one member of each participating family usually takes part. “Devotees promise to repeat the standing ritual for 3, 5, 7, 10 or more years,” said Hemant Jadhav, chairman of the temple committee.The participants, known as Navratkaris, are aged from about 18 to 65, and villagers working away from Pande, including those in the armed forces, take leave to join.The rules are demanding. Devotees cannot sit or sleep on the ground. To rest, they lean their chests against specially hung hammocks, called chauphala, inside the temple, keeping one foot firmly on the ground while raising the other.“The idea is that the connection to the ground through the feet should not be broken,” Hemant said, which is why jumping, brisk walking and running are prohibited.Former sarpanch Madhukar Jadhav said, “Devotees dress in white during aarti, are barefoot, and carry a wooden stick for balance. They also keep a strict fast, giving up oil, salt and chilli, and live on milk, fruit and sago kheer. And participants cannot cross the village borders until Vijayadashami (Dussehra).”Anyone who breaks the rule, for instance by sitting down by mistake, must confess to the temple priest and begin the practice again. “In our experience, those who hide their mistake have faced trouble, like leg pain or illness,” said villager Rahul Jadhav. He added that the Navratri practices at Pande village is different from the usual Shardiya Navratri.Story continues below this ad In this tradition, hundreds of devotees remain standing continuously at the Lord Kalabhairava temple for nine days, from Ghatasthapana to Vijayadashami. Express Photo By Pavan KhengreThe days follow a routine. Devotees spend the night on the temple premises. The day begins around 4:30 am, when they go home to freshen up before the morning aarti and breakfast. They then return to the temple to read books, meditate and chat with fellow participants, while some of the younger ones also use their phones. After about 5 pm, they walk through the village, then return for the evening aarti. Apart from meals and freshening up at home, they stay at the temple.For many, the pull of the ritual is strong enough to cross distances. Kishor Jadhav, a BSF commando posted in Meghalaya’s Shillong, has come home for it for the last four years. “Even if I don’t get leave on Diwali, it’s okay, but Navratri is a much bigger festival for us,” he said. The residents of Pande village, near Wai in Maharashtra’s Satara district, observe a unique 350-year-old tradition called “Ubhya Navratri” (Standing Navratri). Express Photo By Pavan KhengreThe ritual is also known for communal harmony, with Hindus and Muslims taking part side by side. Harun Inamdar, a Muslim villager, has participated for 26 years. “There is no religious discrimination in the village,” he said. “I enjoy being with my fellow villagers and follow every rule for nine days without expecting anything.”The tradition, however, also carries a practice that many will find regressive. Hemant said, “If a woman in a Navratkari’s family begins menstruating during the nine days, she must, by long-followed custom, move to a separate room or stay temporarily with relatives outside the village.”Story continues below this adPande Sarpanch Chetna Jadhav said the arrangement is meant to ease the burden on women. “A lot of effort is needed to support a Navratkari, by making separate food and doing other work, and during menstruation women already suffer, so to not add further burden, they are shifted to other rooms, upper floors, or places outside the village,” she said.