Team Herald
VASCO: The port town wore a festive look as 125th anniversary celebrations of Damodar Saptah, Vasco, commenced with the traditional ceremony of placing a shreefal (coconut) at the feet of Lord Damodar in the temple on Saturday afternoon.
The customary rituals were performed by the Joshi family signalling the beginning of the annual celebration even as devotees chanted ‘Bola Pundalika Varadhe Hari Vitthal’.
Thousands of devotees from the State and neighbouring States thronged to Vasco to pay their obeisance and respects to Lord Damodar.
Saptah means ‘seven days’ and festivities carry on for a week. Devotees travel from near and far to visit the temple and then visit the fair put up by vendors at the Swatantra Path.
Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho, Union Minister of State for Power Shripad Naik, Vasco MLA Krishna ‘Daji’ Salkar, Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar, former MLAs Chandrakant ‘Babu’ Kavalekar and Damu Naik, Mormugao Municipal Council chairperson Girish Borker, councillors and industrialist Narayan Bandekar took blessings of Lord Damodar.
This year being the 125 year of the famous Saptah, the temple has been decorated while, most of the areas in Vasco has been illuminated and the traditional rituals were streamed online by the temple committee for the convenience of devotees. The Saptah will be celebrated on a grand scale, informed committee members
Soon after offering ‘Shreefal, the 24-hour non-stop Bhajani programme started in the temple and will conclude on Sunday when then ‘Shreefal’ anointed last year at the Lord Damodar’s feet will be taken in a procession and immersed in the sea at Khareawado, Vasco by the members of Narvekar family.
The Goa Police have made elaborate security arrangements for the smooth conduct of Saptah festival. A huge police force was deployed in and around the temple premises to control the crowd. The Vasco traffic police have also issued advisory to avoid congestion in Vasco during the Saptah celebrations.