Dasro - the Goan way
Published on: October 16, 2010 - 23:23
By Rohit R Phalgaonkar
Today will be the culmination of the nine-night Hindu festival of
Navraatri. In other parts of India it is called as Dussehra, whereas in
Goa it is called as ‘Dasro’. The term ‘Dasro’ refers to the tenth day in
Konkani. Perhaps it has originated form the Konkani word ‘Dasar’ which
refers to the 10 day rituals in temples by the pujaaris who take turn in
serving the deity.
Dasro is an occasion where different divinities are seen in their best
attire. It is believed that all the deities and divine power step on the
Earth on this day. The celebration of Dasro in Goa varies from taluka to
taluka and temple to temple. The celebration also depends on the history
of the temple in the case of the deities which were shifted to the New
Conquests.
On this day the deity of the temple steps out of the temple precincts.
The deities go beyond their temple limits to meet the deities outside
the boundaries of the temple. This is called as ‘Simmolaghan’ which
means crossing the boundaries.
Normally a devotee goes to the temple to seek blessings from the deity.
But on the Dasra day the deities of the temple set out to meet the devotees.
The Shantadurga of Kavlem goes to each and every household seated in a
Paalkhi. Similar is the case with Shri Kamakshi, the goddess of Shiroda.
She crosses the boundaries of the temple and meets the deity Shri
Shivnaath; the local deity of the village.
Thus it is an occasion on which the divinities meet and embrace each other.
‘Simmolaghan’ is followed by exchanging the leaves of the Aapto tree,
which represents gold. In local terms it is called as ‘Sone Lootap’.
This leaf is taken home by the devotees and is preserved in the shrine
of the house for one year.
In some villages of Kankona, Sanguem and Kepem and Bicholim the deities
are represented by the ‘Tarangaas’. These icons are carried on the
shoulder and are taken outside.
In some villages of Sattari, Kankona Kepem Sanguem etc the procession of
Taranga or the Satri (icons representing the deities) is taken out. In
the village of Paingini of the Kankona taluka the Tarangaas and the
Satri representing the goddess Shri Navdurga are taken to the temple
courtyard and are twisted and turned on the heart throbbing beats of the
dhol and the taashaa. Then the procession moves to the temple of Shri
Betaall where the ritual of ‘Sone lootap’ is
carried out. In the temple of Shri Vimleshwar at Rivan in the Sangeum
taluka a Tarang of the deity stands on its own without any support after
the invocation of all the deities of the village. This happens on the
eve of the Dasro festival.
On the Dasro evening at Veling in the Ponda taluka the three Paalhkis of
deities viz. Shri Lakshmi Narsinh, Shri Vetaaleshwar and Shri
Shantadurga Shankvaaleshwari are taken out from their respective
temples. These richly decorated Paalkhis with images of the deities
inside are taken near a Aapto tree.
The three Paalhkis are swayed in the air and are touched to each other
on the beats of heart throbbing traditional drums. This is followed by
the exchange of the Apto leaf. The first leaf is offered to each deity.
After this event, the Makhar is celebrated in the temples of Shri
Lakshmi Narsinh and Shri Shantadurga Shankhvaaleshwari. These are
perhaps the only two temples in Goa which have the Makhars celebrated on
the night of the Dasro.
http://www.navhindtimes.in/iexplore/dasro-goan-way
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