Vasco Saptah begins with pomp, religious fervour

Vasco Saptah begins with pomp, religious fervour
HERALD REPORTER
VASCO, AUG 15
The annual festival of Shree Lord Damodar Bhajani Saptah commenced on Sunday with pomp and religious fervour, as thousands of devotees and followers of Lord Damodar thronged to the temple to seek blessings.
Vasant Joshi, patriarch of the Joshi family, did not participate in the commencement ritual of placing the Shreefal at the feet of Lord Damodar due to illness. However, the tradition was continued by Vasant’s elder son Paresh Joshi.
Invoking the name of Lord Damodar, priests blessed the people of Vasco and devotees from different walks of lives queued up to seek the blessing of Lord Damodar.
Long queue of devotees were seen to seek the blessings of Lord Damodar since early Sunday morning amid security force.
Revenue Minister Jose Philip D’Souza, Mormugao MLA Milind Naik, councilors, bureaucrats, police officials, industrialists and philanthropist Nana Bandekar made their presence felt in the temple hall, which was jam packed with devotees.
The entire stretch of Swatantrapath and other internal roads of the city are decorated with illuminating bulbs. Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) has taken care to see that even gardens are illuminated for the convenience of public.
In the evening, six different groups Failwale, Nabhik Samaj, Daivaidhnya Bhrahman Samaj, Bhajarkar Samiti, Vishwakarma Samaj and Gadekar Samaj participated in the Saptah festival floats parade, depicting Hindu mythology.
Enthusiastic Bhajan groups from Mormugao taluka performed bhajans at the temple, which will continue throughout the night till the religious function concludes on Monday afternoon with the immersion of last year’s Shreefal in Khariwado Sea.