SUNDAY, JULY 07, 2024
Just imagine that everything is all set for the festival and in a shocking incident Ganapati idol goes missing, then what? That’s actually what happened and the idea of paper Ganapati took birth. The village of Khandepar situated on the bank of River Khandepar is replete with history. There are about ten families in the village, who worship Ganapati made out of paper, a tradition that dates back to centuries. The family of Mhamai Kamat in Panjim is another family who worship Ganapati image drawn on a piece of paper. The practice is thought to have come as a result of persecution by the Portuguese when the practice of Hindu customs and festivals were severely restricted.
A prominent resident of the village of Khandepar, Akshay Khandeparkar, whose family, comprising some 125 members install a paper Ganapati in their ancestral house having courtyard (Choukhi), have an interesting story to recite. Residing a short distant away from the famous Kadamba period, Shree Saptakoteshwar temple, he shed some light about how the practice came into being. Akshay says, “Ganapati is Kuldevta (family deity) of Khandeparkar and Navelcar families. From ancient times both the families celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi together at a place called Ganesh Mhal, where stands a plinth of the temple at Khandepar.”
Akshay adds, “A night before Chaturthi, the Ganesh idol went missing, which people came to know only the next day. There was panic all around amongst Khandeparkar families after it came to know about what happened and there was no Murti to celebrate Chaturthi. As last moment, inventiveness on the part of some members, a make-shift arrangement, an art work of Ganapati was drawn on a piece of paper, and Chaturthi celebration was not missed that year.”
As the idol was taken in a boat by some people, they were intercepted near Khandola. Instead of having any ill feeling towards anyone, the deity was installed (Pratisthapana) and a new temple was built for Mahaganapati at Khandola sometime in the mid 18th century, Akshay mentions about the historical happenings.
Speaking about paper idols, Akshay informs, “However, the practice of worshipping paper Ganesh remained till date amongst Khandeparkars. In the past, we were getting Ganesh idols from an artisan from Usgaon, Ponda, but only in recent times, we get the idol made from Paper mache from one Aniruddha Bapu Ashram from Pune. They make idols made out from paper waste. The quality of work is so good that idols take just very few minutes to dissolve in water.
“Concept of eco-friendly Ganesh idols is a recent phenomenon, but our practice of using paper idols came as result of circumstances,” agrees Akshay. Such practice is now a legendary historical incidence, but today the use of environment friendly colours and materials has gained ground that makes importance in celebrating mega festivals like Chovath keeping in tune with nature. Khandeparkar family follow another tradition of not immersing the idols immediately after Utar Puja (taking of divinity from idol) but taking the idol outside their house as a ritual that night. The idol is taken back and kept for few years at home before immersion.
Akshay summed up the preparations by his family, “We are all tuned up for Chovath and ready for the delicious modak, nevryos, patoleoas, khatkhate and other mouth watering dishes prepared by family members. It is not just the cuisine that we enjoy but also the traditional devotional Artis, Fugdi, songs and dance that form the part of great festivity. What adds up to our festive mood is without doubt is the association of the lady Shevte from Canacona who brings the tribal musical folk tradition for the last 35 years, which every member of our family rejoices. Also, the Puja performed by the young members on the third day of the Chaturthi is something to experience,” expresses Akshay on their family’s revelry.
