Thackeray appeals to women voters through ‘Gondhal Geet’ for Durga on Navaratri

Mumbai: In a bid to counter the populist schemes of the Mahayuti government for women, such as Ladki Bahin, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray unveiled a ‘Gondhal Geet’ — a traditional song to pray to goddess Durga — on Thursday, with an eye on female voters.
The song, titled “Satvar Bhuvari Ye Mashal haati ghe”, was played at a press conference on the first day of Navaratri, known as “Ghatsthapana” in Maharashtra. Thackeray declared, “This Mashal will end the anarchy in the state.”
Written by Shrirang Godbole and sung by Nandesh Umap, the ‘Gondhal Geet’ was presented at Shiv Sena Bhavan in the presence of MPs Sanjay Raut, Anil Desai, and Arvind Sawant, as well as MLA Ajay Chaudhary.
This move comes against the backdrop of the Mahayuti government’s women-centric campaign, which includes populist schemes like Ladki Bahin. Under this programme, women from economically weaker sections receive ₹1,500 monthly. Thackeray is now appealing to women voters by likening them to Durga, the goddess who vanquished evil.
“There is a Mashal in the hand of goddess Durga in this song, and we will give this Mashal to the women of Maharashtra,” Thackeray said. “Women in the state will take this Mashal (flaming torch—symbol of the party) in hand to eliminate the monsters.”
Thackeray added that for the past two and a half years, his party has been fighting for justice in the court of law, but now they will seek justice in the people’s court. “Let people say whatever they want. I will speak at the Dussehra rally. ‘Sau Sonar Ki Ek Lohar ki’,” he stated, invoking a Hindi proverb meaning ‘the last blow of the blacksmith is equal to a hundred blows of the goldsmith’.