The legend of celebrating Narkasur in Goa has been continued from generation to generation and the main aim behind the story is the victory of good over evil. According to the Puranas, Naraka or Narkasur, son of Bhudevi, acquired immense power from a blessing given by Lord Brahma after a severe penance and ruled the kingdom of Pradyoshapuram. The demon tortured the villagers and imprisoned the women in his palace with his invincible might. The villagers pleaded with Lord Krishna to save them from his torture. But Naraka had a boon that he would face death only at the hands of his mother Bhudevi. So, Krishna asks his wife Sathyabhama, the reincarnation of Bhudevi, to be his charioteer in the battle with Naraka. When Krishna fell unconscious after being hit by an arrow of Naraka, Sathyabhama takes the bow and aims the arrow at Naraka, killing him instantly. Later Lord Krishna reminds her of the boon she had sought as Bhudevi. The Narkasur Vadh by Sathyabhama could also be taken to interpret that parents should not hesitate to punish their children when they step in to the wrong path. She declared that his death should not be a day of mourning but an occasion to celebrate and rejoice.
Narak Chaturdashi is observed throughout India, however, the
practice of burning Narkasur effigies at dawn to usher in Diwali is special to
Goa. With months of planning and the creativity of the youngsters to make these
effigies of Narkasur, it is saddening to see their talent reduce to ashes by
sunrise. However, this does not curb their enthusiasm to outdo themselves for
the next year’s celebrations. Every year, they are back with new ideas and
younger boys joining the group.
They first start with the mould of the face of the Narkasur and
then the wire frame of the body. The more senior members of the group, which
usually comprise of college students or working men, find time only from 6 pm
to 12 am to work on Narkasur, while the younger school going children take
advantage of their Diwali vacations to lend a helping hand. The excitement
builds up during the last two days of the festival. The ambience of making the
Narkasur is special for the youngsters as they have seen their elders make
Narkasur for years before they took up the reins. The age group of those who
are working on Narkasur is 10 to 40 years; but age is not a factor; it is the
enthusiasm that matters.
One lane away from the Deulwada Sanskrutik Yuvak Mandal
Narkasur, Goldstar Sports Club near Mahalaxmi Temple in Panjim is putting
together their Narkasur. Vallabh Chari will be working on the face of Narkasur.
The planning for the Narkasur begins one and half months before the day and the
actual work starts around 15 days before the day. “As I am a government
employee, I can dedicate time only after work and on the weekends. However, the
other younger boys are more enthusiastic and work throughout the day on some
feature of the giant effigy. Narkasur is a unique celebration and the main
reason it has existed all these years is because of the unity of the boys, who
either live in the same ward or are friends,” says Vallabh.
The tradition of making Narkasur will be nearly 45 years old for
this club and they showcase new ideas every year. “The planning starts early so
these boys who are still school or higher secondary students will search the
internet for the best looking yet scary monsters that we recreate as Narkasur.
It is not just one photo, different features are added to create this unique
effigy,” adds Vallabh.
In Mardi Vaddo, Morjim, around 12-15 boys of the ward are busy
working on the Narkasur created by AK 47 Boys. Inspired by the Narkasurs they
have seen over the years, they started creating Narkasur just 6-7 years back
under the group. Siddhant Shetgaonkar, a member of the group says, “We start
working on Narkasur nearly one month in advance and as most of the boys live
very close by, they are always there to help. The main part is the structure of
the effigy and the face,” explains Siddhant, who is usually found near the site
from 7 pm to 10 pm.
“First we place stones to add height to the mask. Then we add
red mud to form the foundation of the face. The next layer is of the clay mud,
the same that is used to create the idols of Lord Ganesh, followed by a layer
of paper maché. Next comes a layer of chikki or groot, a sticky substance made
from warm water and maida. Using chikki, we place 30 layers of paper so that
the mask is thick enough. After every layer of chikki, paper is placed till it
is dried and then again another layer is applied of chikki, followed by paper.
The younger boys of the group enjoy this exercise. It is a fun atmosphere as
everyone is fooling and joking around and this is the only opportunity
throughout the year for us to get together with this fun activity,” says
Siddhant.
Artist Rakesh Salgaonkar from Chawade Waddo, Parsem is working
with Shri Moreshwarasanka Devi group in Parsem to make a Narkasur. Throughout
the year, he works on making Ganesh idols and paintings and after Narkasur, he
will get back to making Tulsis. “This time of the year is dedicated to making
Narkasur. Earlier, I used to make one metre tall Narkasur which were kept on
display in Panjim. This year, I will only concentrate on this Narkasur. There
are nearly 12 boys who come together every evening. There is lot of fun to be
together with this young energy. There is a lot of laughter and the elders are
also around to guide us. Sometimes even the boys correct the elders but it’s
all in good spirit,” says Rakesh, who informs that some Sundays is a chicken
dinner party for all present.
In Bandora village in Ponda, there are nearly four huge effigies
of Narkasur on display on the eve of Diwali. One of these is the one created by
the Nageshi Youth Club, Bandora. Sudin Kurpaskar, a villager is one of the
artists who is guiding the boys for Narkasur. “From 20 boys who are working
everyday on the Narkasur to even a 100 boys are part of the celebrations on the
final day. The preparations begin nearly 20 days before Narkasur and the age
group is from nine years to 50 years. There is great enthusiasm and an
atmosphere of fun among all. It is a few days of spending time together while
making something with our creative talent. The elders encourage the younger
generation to join the group and help with making the Narkasur. There is great
knowledge sharing and no place for ego,” shares Sudin, who paints some of the
scariest looking Narkasur.
In Mala, Panjim, the Mala Millions Club starts planning the
design of their Narkasur soon after Dussera. “There are nearly 30-35 boys from
different communities who come together to make the Narkasur. We have been
making this Narkasur for over 25 years and every year we have a new concept to
show the audience. We don’t participate in the competition as we have people
visiting the Narkasur throughout the night,” says Mala resident Nilesh
Morajkar.
The
eve of Diwali is highly anticipated as these effigies of Narkasur spring up in
different parts of the cities and villages. The creativity, colours and sound
effects that add to the terrifying Narkasurs showcase the talent of young Goa.