Team Herald
PONDA: At the end of nine days of Navaratri yesterday, on the 10th day today, almost all over Goa the festival of Dussehra or Vijayadashmi was celebrated with Palkhim Procession of god and goddesses in respective temples by crossing the Village boundaries which were decorated in Palkhim with flowers to mark the victory over demon or evil things.
In Ponda Taluka there are hundreds of temples where Navaratri and Dussehra are celebrated.
On the first day of Navratri, the tradition of ‘rujwan’ is followed in Goan temples. As per this tradition, food grains are germinated during the period of Navratri, starting on day one of Navratri. During nine days of celebration of Navaratri various ‘ghatasthapana’, ‘rujwan’ and ‘kumarika poojan’ together, symbolise the celebration of womanhood. The ‘kalash’ used in ‘ghatasthapana’ symbolises the womb, ‘rujwan’ symbolises the birth of a new life while ‘kumarika poojan’ symbolises the worship of ‘Adishakti’ (goddess) in the form of a young girl.
During nine days of Navaratri ‘makharotsav’ the idol of the God is placed in a specially decorated swing and is called makhar.
In some parts of Goa a ‘taranga’ tradition is also followed. Tarangas are sacred umbrellas that symbolise the village deities.
Dussehra celebrated on the 10th day after Navratri, marks Goddess Durga’s victory over the demon ‘Mahishasura’, which concludes the festivities.
On this day, a ritual called seemollanghan is held. For this, people follow a token ritual of crossing the border of their village. After seemollanghan, there is a tradition wherein people exchange ‘aaptyachi pane (leaves).’ These leaves symbolise gold and the ritual is a symbolic representation of exchange of gold.
