Chimbel Villagers Perform Garane Ritual to Protest Unity Mall, Prashasan Stambh Projects

In a powerful ex pression of cultural resist ance, villagers from Chim bel gathered at the revered site of Dev Baigainkaar on the historic Kadamba plateau to perform the traditional garane prayer – a ritual deeply rooted in local spiritual and ances tral customs. The prayer ceremony, held on the heels of Union Home Min ister Amit Shah’s virtual foundation-laying for the proposed Unity Mall and Prashasan Stambh (Ad ministrative Complex) in Panjim, served as a sym bolic act of opposition to what residents describe as the “destruction of ances tral and sacred land.” The garane, a tradi tional prayer ritual con ducted to seek divine in tervention and protection, was not just a religious act but a public plea for the preservation of a site villagers say has been cen tral to their cultural iden tity for generations. With chants echoing across the plateau, elders, youth, and children stood united in defence of what they view as their spiritual inher itance. “The Kadamba plateau is not just land. It is sacred ground where our ances tors worshipped and where our identity is rooted,” said Govind Shirodkar, Chimbel Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) Chair man. “The government can not erase centuries of tradi tion for development that disregards our heritage,” he said. The protest comes amid rising concerns over large-scale infrastructural projects being undertak en without sufficient con sultation with local com munities. The Unity Mall and Prashasan Stambh are part of a wider vision for administrative and commercial development in Goa. However, for the people of Chimbel, the planned projects threaten to displace ecological, cul tural, and spiritual land marks that have stood the test of time. Activists and heritage conservationists have also raised alarms over the potential environmental impact of the proposed constructions on the pla teau, a region known for its biodiversity and historical relevance. The Kadamba plateau itself is named af ter the ancient Kadamba dynasty, believed to be among the earliest rulers of Goa, adding a further layer of historical significance to the site. Villagers have demand ed that the state govern ment halt construction plans and initiate a trans parent dialogue with af fected communities. They argue that sustainable development must include respect for cultural and spiritual values, not just economic or administra tive priorities.