30 Nov 2023  |   05:06am IST

When Cacti pieces lit up Tulsi Vrindavan

After the glittering nights of Diwali with its colourful decorations of lights, one of the most auspicious festivals in the Hindu pantheon in this region was the Vhodli Diwali or Tulsi Vivah that was celebrated across the state with pomp and gaiety

Govind S Poteker

Devdiwali also known as Tulsi Vivah marks the beginning of marriage season which began on the 12th day of Shukla Paksha Ekadashi in the month of Kartik, the 8th month as per Hindu calendar. The villagers and city dwellers visited relatives and neighbours and participated with the usual enthusiasm with religious fervour.

Tulsi Vrindavans were beautifully painted in varied colours and hues on the day of wedding. Tulsi who is considered as reincarnation of Goddess Mahalaxmi was adorned with marigold flower garlands, Dino (Leea indica), which signifies the groom or Novro, representing Lord Vishnu, sugarcane stem and tamarind branches formed the best man and bridesmaid respectively along with Amla, gooseberry branch. In some regions of the state, Tulsis were decorated with banana stems on all sides before performing the grand wedding, and banana fronds were used to light cotton wicks, as Jodvin. All the elements of normal wedding ceremonies were there and devotees sang the Tulsi Aartis (devotional songs).

A ceremonial wedding of Tulsi (Basil plant) and Lord Vishnu were enacted mostly on Dwadashi day in every Hindu household. Few families performed the wedding on the night of Full Moon. Although the customs and traditions remained similar everywhere, the ritual performed by a small community of Pagi families from Tamnem, Loliem in Canacona stood out for its unique cultural practices that is rooted in history. The shrine of Shree Dev Kudtar Purush- Shree Shantadurga Chamundeshwari Mahamaya Devasthan (temple) situated about 10 kilometres from the town of Chaudi and roughly some 80 odd kilometres from Panjim was a happening place as the temple is dedicated to Kudtari Purush, Protector of the community in the village. By 11 pm, the women folks bedecked in colourful festival costumes, wearing nine yard Saris (Nav Vari) gathered in the precinct of the temple. It was the night of celebration as whole community came together to celebrate community Tulsi Vivah like one family although many of them are settled across the state and beyond.

The ritual of lighting earthen or brass lamp (Divaj) is done by a married woman (Savashin) in a temple during feast (Zatra) is quite a common spectacle. Here the villagers follow very unusual practice as they light a cotton wick on their fingers wearing Niveli Kondi or kanni, Cacti pieces inserted in their fingers, the practice they have inherited from their ancestors.

Not to miss the ritual performed by elder members of their family, even young girls perform the ritual before they reach puberty, Raveena Pagi from Agonda mentioned about the daring way of playing with fire by lighting Divaj on their fingers with passion and without any fear. On the day of Tulsi Vivah rituals, women undertake a fast for the happy marital life, where as the girls do it in the hope to get best of life partner, villagers say. Even young boys joined in the festivity along with men devotees from Karwar for the first time keeping their date with faith.

Septuagenarian Keshav Upi Pagi, a temple committee member briefed about the rituals and how it evolved. He said, “The temple traces its history to more than 400 years according to what we have learnt from our elders. Shree Shantadurga Chamundeshwari Kudtarkarin Mahamaya is our Kuldevta. It is believed that the original temple was located at Curtorim, before the Portuguese rule but due to religious persecution at that time the villagers took away the deity for safety and relocated at Ghudo, Avedem in Quepem, close to Gudi, Paroda.”

Speaking about this unique tradition that began with handful of families in the past, which has now grown to more than 60 odd families, Pagi enlightened, “Every year, devotees would visit the Devi to seek her blessings during annual feast, but it so happened one year that they reached late as travel in those heydays was only on foot. There was some altercation between villagers there and the visiting groups missing out the feast.” So, while returning home that night they carried back a Divaj and by the time they arrived in their village, it was already morning twilight. It is believed that the Divaj before it extinguished was kept on the succulent cacti when they reached this spot at Tamnem. The villagers decided to establish (Sthapana) a new temple in this place dedicated to Kudtari Purush, Pagi mentioned about the village folklore.

He further added that one custom they follow in this ethnic community is how they respect a new born girl child. Mother follows the ritual of lighting Cacti Divaj in honour of newly born member in their family for her good health and well being. As a common practice, Divaj is lit by new daughter-in-law in the families with elder women also joining the celebrations too.

The ritual began after temple priest Devdatt Pagi performed Pooja and Aarti of the Kudtar Purush, Antaral Purush, Khetri and other deities, was joined by another Poojari Keshav Pagi in lighting the wicks on the fingers of all the women devotees who participated to convert the place into a bright glowing ambience.

Priests lead the devotees as they circumambulated the temple and Tulsi three times in a colourful procession as the smiles on their faces glowed with burning lamp was a sight to behold. Later the temple priest (Poojari) removed the cacti from their fingers next to the front door of the temple to the relief of devotees from the rising heat. The colourful ritual ended with auction of offerings by devotees and invocation (Gharane) by the temple priest seeking the Deity’s blessings for the well being of whole community, health, prosperity and protection from all evils, but not before serving the devotees with hot Prasad (Uppid).

Pagi stated, “We have inherited this customs from our elders that are followed by us religiously even today, which will hopefully be carried forward by our next generation keeping the tradition alive.” Village cultural and traditions are something to experience, and without doubt this bizarre customs is one of the heritages of Goan ethnic community.