The festival season of Shravan, the fifth month in the Hindu calendar is here to usher in the celebrations that people across the country waits bringing in celebratory atmosphere all around and all activities pick amidst blossoming biodiversity. Shravan month is dedicated to Lord Shiva and every Monday of the month is celebrated as Somar with people especially women thronging Shiva temples to offer prayers. Keeping the mythological tradition, women worship Mangala Gauri and undertake a fast on Tuesday to commemorate Devi Parvati’s dedication to Lord Shiva to foster strong marital bond with her husband.
This is the month of festivals as every day there is a celebration and on certain days women keep fast and many families follow complete abstinence from any non-vegetarian food till the end of Ganesh Chaturthi. The full month is lined up with festivities and some locations, the celebrations have their unique place.
At Rajbag Beach, Canacona, a colourful procession of women with a pitcher (Kalash) on their head adorned with flowers and mango twig comprising a sacred coconut is carried from the nearby Shree Vithal-Rakhumai temple is a picturesque sight to behold with the playing of traditional folk music on the occasion on the Narali Pournima or Sutachi Punav. Devotees from the village assemble in large numbers to worship Sea God, Varun in the evening before sunset. It is the time of the year that marks the beginning of fishing season for the community in Goa and coastal regions after a seasonal break for breeding period during monsoon.
On that day, men wear a sacred thread, Janve and also adorn the thread on their boats and offer Puja. The sea is worshipped to seek blessings from the god for happiness, protection and safety of everyone who goes to the sea that provide them their livelihood.
This is also the day of Raksha Bandan festival that will be observed on August 19. On this day, sisters tie a Rakhi on the hand of her brother to cement a bond of eternal protection from her sibling. Nowadays, Rakhis is couriered if the brother is away from home. The festival had a historical significance in the past as it is not only sister-brotherly relation, but also a tradition with neighbouring kingdoms when queens and princesses sent a Rakhi to seek peace and protection from kings and emperors in times of threat from enemies.
Nag Panchami is an important festival during Shravan that will be celebrated on August 9, when serpent god considered as a friend of the farmer is worshipped on the occasion and devotees seek protection from all harm. In Goa, families bring a colourful clay idol of a cobra and perform Puja. Mythologically, Sheshnag is considered as the vehicle of Lord Vishnu and Nagdevta is also protected by Lord Mahadeo.
“This festival shows how people are rooted to the nature from time immemorial and they knew the importance of flora and fauna in their lives. Women in the villages not only visit temples, but also perform Puja of an anthill (Rhoin) as Nag is considered as a brother who protects sister,” says Pournima Rajendra Kerkar, an academic and writer, who is well versed in ethnic customs.
There are some places in the neighbouring state where a live cobra is worshipped, although such practices are banned by the law.
The festivals are not just the rituals and prayers at home and temple but are also nature worship with offerings of seasonal dishes as Prasad or Nevedya to god. Monsoon season produce varieties of vegetables and fruits, people offer the first produce to the god as Nevedya. Many Hindu festivals and Christian festivals, it is a common practice of celebrating Konsache Fest by offering sheaves of first paddy to god and saints as gratitude to nature.
During Ganesh Chaturthi, the first grains from paddy rice as Nave is offered to god on the second day. Nagdevta is offered milk, Patoli, the sweet made with Haldi leaf (Turmeric) and spicy Allu (Colocasia) dish as Prasad. “Although Allu, a monsoon delicacy is prepared by most families in Goa, such practice is not followed by many people in Pernem as this festival is one day in a year when no one does any digging of earth nor they fry any dishes fearing they may harm the serpents,” Pournima states.
While most festivals see involvement of adults, one of the grandest festivals that evoke youngsters is without doubt is Lord Krishna’s birth celebration, Janmashtami that will be celebrated on August 26. The breaking of a pot filled with curd (Dahi Handi) which is a big draw now with many groups of young men competing and trying their luck, which is more of a recent phenomenon in the state.
In Goa, the celebration of Ashtam at Shree Kalbhairav shrine, Narve and Shree Saptakoteshwar at Khandepar, a day prior to Janmashtami, is centuries old religious traditions prevalent along the bank of rivers, Mandovi and Khandepar where devotees take ceremonial holy bath. Narve is the only place in Goa where Ashtam is celebrated at a crematorium, which is also known as Bhutachi Zatra.
Another festival that is revered by devotees is Masandevichi Zatra at Shree Masandevi temple, the goddess of the crematorium who is considered to protect the wandering spirits of women who die during child birth or other natural causes. There is a strong belief amongst the devotees that the Devi’s blesses childless couple. The temple is located a distant away from where Ashtam is celebrated. Ashtam is known for the furniture fair that is set up in Panjim where people buy a variety of items to gift to newly married daughters like wooden Matolli fruits and vegetables, the major attraction for Chaturthi.
The city of Vasco-da-Gama has developed into an important place of religious significance during Shravan with the celebration of seven day Saptah festival at Shree Damodar temple, who is known to have as protector the people during plague in the 19th century. Highlight of the week long festivity is the market fair that they organise in the city where people throng in large number.
Apart from the main festivals, married Hindu women (Savashin) perform Aiatar Puja or Aditya Puja, the worship of the Sun on every Sunday of Shravan month. Pournima says, “It involves collection of varieties of leaves and flowers called ‘Patri’ grown during the season.” Patri is placed on a Paat, a flat decorated wooden plank. In the centre are kept two cones made out of Khavchi Paana (Betel leaf), Haldi paan (Turmeric), Parjat (Jasmine) or Sherwad (Mussaenda) in that order as the month proceeds.
Children always wait for Shravan season, and especially the Sundays as the highlight of Aiatar celebration are always the varieties of sweets that are made, which are never repeated. Pournima mentions, “The first Sunday it is normally the delicious Patoli (rice flower paste with coconut and jaggery stuffing) made on a Turmeric leaf. This is followed by Muthle, then sweet poleh (dosa), Paias or payasam, and athwal or atol that form the traditional Goan dishes made during the season. Poleh that are made are special as they have 5 or seven layers made from white rice, coconut and jaggery.”
It is not only the youngsters who love festivities, but everyone is excited about Shravan season feels Ashwini Satish Nayak, a resident of Panjim. “The specialty of Shravan is that there is greenery everywhere. The market is flooded with fresh traditional vegetables and local fruits. It is also the time of festivities and beautiful customs and time for families to get-together for various festivals,” she opines.
For Dr Ranjita Veluzkar-Kudalkar from Velus, Shravan is a time for peace and spiritual awakening that prepares everyone for the grand festivity of Ganesh Chaturthi as we come closer to Mother Nature.
Today, there is need to celebrate festivals without commercialisation to bind communities and society across different faiths together in true spirit of the celebratory season. It is time not only to rejoice and enjoy delicacies but also develop new bonds with pals and families.