MARGAO: In the picturesque village of Chandor, the Sheldekar family has upheld an extraordinary tradition for an impressive 250 years –their house. Their enduring practice of the annual celebration of Lord Ganesh’s arrival and the subsequent immersion ceremony revolves around their house.
Year after year, generation after generation, the Sheldekar clan has unwaveringly preserved these beloved rituals, passing them down as cherished legacies. Vishnu Sheldekar also revealed intriguing information behind their unique home. He stated that parts of the structures of the house are built entirely of jaggery and mud, without any cement.
For generations the Shenvi Sheldekar family has been celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi every year. The pillars of the 250 year old Sheldkar house are made of tree trunks. The tree is locally called vaghin. The house is fully made of mud, no cement or sand has been used. The house is solely constructed from jaggery and mud and is very strong though 250 years have passed.
Ours is a huge joint family. The entire family used to stay here when my grandfather was alive around 1964-65. However, after his death, each nuclear family left and settled in different places. Earlier we used to celebrate all the festival in this house. Every year we celebrate Chaturthi for one and a half day. About 150 people used to come to our house to celebrate the festivals.
Now all of us come together on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. A little before that we come and clean the house. The makar itself is very old and every year we do the matoli of season fruits, Vishnu Sheldekar stated.
