RUPESH SAMANT/PTI
PANJIM: While youngsters across Goa are busy giving final touches to larger than life size effigies of demon Narkasur, a group of girls in Panjim are equally occupied breaking the tradition.
The group of girls at Altinho are a rare, all woman gang, following the tradition of preparing a mammoth effigy of the demon Narkasur, which was set on fire on Tuesday night, the eve of Diwali.
“Four years ago, we all girls thought why only boys should prepare the effigies and we should be just mere spectators. So we decided that we will have our own effigy. We wanted to enjoy the thrill of the festival,” said Sulaxita Rane, a young computer teacher, who was amongst the founder group of seven girls who kicked off the idea.
Since their humble beginning several other girls have joined the team now.
When we started we expected that boys would feel offended because we are entering their fiefdom but it was a pleasant surprise for us when we saw them supporting us, she said.
For the first year, the girls began with a small five feet effigy which earned lot of praise from the fellow narkasur revellers.
“That gave us support and next year we did a bigger effigy. We were confident,” said Shweta Khandekar, another group member.
This year the group is busy putting up a twelve feet effigy matching the fellow effigies prepared by men counterparts. But the girls have an edge over others.
“We designed an eco-friendly effigy. It comprises only of papers so that when it would be burnt there will no harm to environment,” said Navisha Naik, a college going girl, who joins the group after her college hours.
The work on putting up effigy begins 15 days prior to Diwali.
The mythology states that Lord Krishna had eliminated demon narkasur thereby indicating victory of good over evil.
“Every evening we gather here and complete the effigy. We work till midnight. None of us are trained to do it but we have learnt from our fellow revellers,” said Navisha.
While several effigies are lined up along the roadside on the eve of Diwali, the girls are working on creativity to make their hard work more appreciable.
“While rest of narkasur effigies are just standing lifeless. We have depicted a scene where the demon is rising from the hills, where he is eliminated by Lord Krishna,” she said.
But they have managed to eliminate something else, the myth that only boys can make ‘narkasurs’. And as the popular ad jingle for a scooter goes “Why should boys have all the fun?”
