Team Herald
PANJIM: As clay idols of Lord Ganesh are welcomed in homes in Goa on Thursday, the mood across the State will change as the most widely celebrated festival of the Hindus begins.
Besides festivities in homes, there will be 50 major Sarvajanik Ganapatis and hundreds of small and big Ganapatis installed across Goa amidst high security. The Police Department has taken precautions to ensure there are no untoward incidents and residential areas are being guarded by policemen.
Wednesday turned out to be a day of frenzied shopping as people made a beeline to major markets and small junctions for vegetables for the matoli (canopy over the idol), and to chitrashalas in the evening to pick up Ganesh idols.
While the idols will be installed on Thursday, the Gauri and Mahadev Poojan will be performed on the second day, which is also the day when most homes will immerse their Ganesh idols. The festivities at Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav Mandals go on for up to 21 days.
Various fruits, vegetables, orchids and plants are tied to the matoli above the Ganapati idol. The tradition of matoli signifies the importance of consumption of seasonal fruits and vegetables for health. The matoli has bunches of betel nut, coconut, bananas and branches of mango trees and several other fruits and vegetables.
On the second day, after sundown, following the performance of the uttar puja of the Ganapati, it is taken in a procession and immersed into a water body be it the sea, creek, river, lake or well. Before the idol is removed from its stand for immersion, it is besought for the welfare of the household and its members.
The food consumed during the festival is essentially made of at least five vegetables and cooked on the same day. Aarti groups perform in all houses as a special performance of aarti’s with several percussion instruments.
Chaturthi has also increased business in Goa. On Tuesday prices shot up steeply but went well in the spirit of the Festival.
The police have also released a security advisory to citizens seeking their cooperation with the law enforcement agencies and asking them to take certain precautions to safeguard their properties during the festive season.
