Team Herald
PONDA: Despite the opposition to the Narkarsur effigy contests by Sanatan Santha, the number of contests on the increase every year. This year, five contests will be organised in Ponda taluka alone. The major contest will be organised in Ponda city by the United Sports and Cultural Club of Tisk. The first three winners will get Rs 40,000, Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000, respectively. Besides, the all the participants will get consolation prizes.
Besides, competitions will also be organised at Usgao, Upper Bazaar, Priol, Marcaim and Shiroda constituencies. The Narkasur effigy is popular among youth which is burnt to mark the victory of good over evil.
The Sanatan Santha has been opposing, since many years, Narkarsur effigy contests on ground that it glorifies Narkasur and give less importance to Krishna.
“Without burning the effigy, most of the youth don’t feel that Diwali has been celebrated,” Umesh Naik, a youth, said.
Meanwhile, with the rising prices of commodities, making Narkasur effigies too has become costlier this year. However, the youth are rushing to buy effigies by paying high prices.
Sidhesh Ladu Naik from Ramnathi says that since he was ten, he has been making Narkasur effigies for sale. Naik is 42 now. He says that his effigies have huge demand in Panajim, Margao and Ponda.
He says that big effigies used in competitions are sold at Rs 4000, Rs 3500, Rs 2500, Rs 2000 and Rs 1000. While the smaller ones are sold at Rs 700, Rs 400, Rs 350, Rs 250, Rs 200 and Rs 100.
This year Naik made 500 effigies and most of them have been sold out.
