SANTOSH NAIK
PONDA: An 11-day Chaturthi celebration may seem rather extravagant for nomadic tribal people who live in primitive mud huts, but for the Vanarmare tribe, it is a mark of their gratitude to Lord Ganesha, for keeping them safe and healthy during the Covid-19 pandemic. In the belief that their prayers to the God of luck ensured that nobody from the tribe was infected with the Coronavirus, the Vanarmare tribe in Ponda has for the first time planned grand festivities that will span 11 days, also to fulfil a vow they had made to Ganesha back in 2020.
“During the Chaturthi celebrations in 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic was spreading and killing people across the world, we prayed to Lord Ganesha to protect our gharana, and promised that we would celebrate for 11 days if he kept us safe. Over the past two years, none of us were infected with Covid-19. He fulfilled his promise, and kept our children safe– now it is time for us to fulfill ours,” said Gopal Parwar, the head of the tribe.
Originally from Maharashtra, the nomadic tribe, consisting of around 100 members now, had settled at Nirankal, near Bethora in Ponda taluka several years ago.
Every year, the group celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi for one to five days, but for the past two years, the festivities have been low-key, and restricted to one-and-a-half-days due to the pandemic.
The mood this year is different, and the entire tribe has been collecting funds for the 11-day festivities, with renewed faith in Lord Ganesh, also considered the remover of obstacles.
A special Ganesh idol has been brought from Dodamarg, and the cluster of 25-30 basic huts that house the Vanarmare people are being decked up for the celebration.
“The government has provided us with water and electricity connections, and we are also receiving rations. We now appeal for help to build pucca houses, and access to better education for our children,” said Parwar.
The tribe was in the news in 2016, when 13 of their huts at Nirankal were destroyed by unknown people. The Human Rights Commission had intervened, and the government granted them access to electricity and running water.
