The 101-year-old legacy and celebration pulls every Madgaonkaar and several Goans to Zambaulim, and the temple has geared up for an even bigger turnout this time.
Ramnath Damodar is the most revered deity of the Madgaonkaars. The devotees of Daambaab prepare all year round for the celebration, where dhols are played and devotees cover the deity and later themselves in the gulaal.
The Margao market will be closed from 12 pm, and not just Hindu devotees, but people of all religions head to Zambaulim for the celebration. The annual celebration attracts not just Madgaonkaars, but devotees from as far as Pernem in the north and Karwar in the south.
The centuries-old tradition of Shigmo, followed by gulaal, starts from Comba in Margao, from where the sacred coconut marking the beginning of Shigmo Utsav is taken to Zambaulim Temple from the house of Purushottam Keni.
On the day of gulaal, people start to gather at the temple after 11 am. After the palanquin of Lord Damodar is brought in front of the temple of Lord Ramnath, Gulaal is sprinkled by the devotees on the palanquin and the celebration begins.
