-- Samir Umarye
BICHOLIM, APRIL 19 The famous Jatrotsav of Goddess Lairai at Shirgao-Bicholim was celebrated on Monday with various traditional religious rituals and cultural programmes. Thousands of devotees, including about 25,000 Dhonds (special devotees of Lairai on fast), have been attending the festival. The highlight of the festival was the burning of the Homkund (pyre) in the wee hours of Tuesday, with the dhonds walking on the embers barefoot. It is believed that Lairai of Shirgao is the sister of Mahamaya of Mayem, Kelbai of Mulgao, Morjai of Morjim, Mirabai or Our Lady of Milagres of Mapusa, Shitalai of Mayem and Ajadipa from Anjadiv Island. Her lone brother is Khetoba from Vaigainim. Every year on the fifth day of Vaishakha, Lairai's zatra is held. Devotees from Konkan region of Maharashtra and various parts of Goa come to Shirgao and take part in the festival. “About 25,000 dhonds come to this zatra and every year there is an increase of about 500 devotees who walk through the embers,” temple priest Kelkar told Herald. To prepare for the zatra, those who wish to be dhonds begin their five days of abstinence and follow a strict regimen, which requires that the dhond bathes before partaking of food, and eat only while the body is still wet. Those who observe the ritual for the first time have to prepare for a month. During this time, they cannot have flesh or any sort of alcoholic drink. They have to keep their feet clean and covered with sandals all the time, as it is believed that an accidental contact with impurity on the ground would blister and burn them during the fire ordeal. During the zatra, not only Hindus but people from all religions come to the village to pay tribute to Goddess Lairai. The zatra lasts for five days during which the Kalash of the goddess goes in every house at Shirgao. There are many legends about this zatra. One is that the demons wanted to seduce the virgin goddess of Shirgao, Lairai. As they could not succeed, they in vengeance set fire to the whole village. But the village was saved because the goddess was warned by the high powers and she gathered her staunch followers (dhonds) and extinguished the fire. This year, the devasthan committee has made all the preparations for the zatra. The temple is decorated with lights and they have also taken the help from other government departments, including health, electricity, water and police so that no inconvenience is caused to the devotees. This year, the police have also set up check posts in three different places to avoid any untoward incident during the festival.