with the month of shraavan, bhaadrapad,-the fourth and fifth month in the hindu calender starts a whole lot of festivals which are celebrated in konkan.
Sukhkarta dukhaharta, vakratunda mahakaya…..These are the names and adjectives attributed to shree ganesh
Shree ganesh is the one of the gods of the Hindus.
Shree ganesh or the “elephant- god” is considered the beginner of all things auspicious. People before starting out on any venture pray to this deity.
In the month of “bhadrapad”, fourth day ie the chaturthi as per the Hindu calendar, all Hindus celebrate the ‘ganesh chaturthi festival’ the idol of ganesh is brought and decorated and this festival is called the ganpati festival. Lokmanya balgangadhar Tilak was the pioneer of starting this festival as a social event where a locality celebrated it jointly. This was started as a freedom movement.
However, here we will be observing the celebration of these festivals in private homes by the people of konkan.
This festival is celebrated for either one and a half day, five days seven days or eleven days. The idols are prepared of clay mud or plaster of Paris. While bringing this idol the man of the house will generally wear a white cap, at the entrance the idol is worshipped ie welcomed and then the “pratisthapana” ie placing the idol at its due position takes place. “Aarti” is a kind of verses sung in the praise of the god. This aarti is generally sung twice in the day. Once in the afternoon before lunch and in the night before dinner. It is sort of offerings to ganesha in the form of food, sweets and flowers. The household as a ‘prasad’ later savors the offering
To be contd ….
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
vengurla
Vengurla
This place is one of the best amongst the others. Here life is like the other towns very “sushegat” (relaxed in a way). The seashore has its own natural beauty .the additional attraction being the clean seashore and seawaters.
Here is a photo graph depicting a few of the beaches,
It is also well known Hindu temples the sagarika temple, shri mauli-devi temple, shri redi ganesh temple. Aajgaon, shiroda, redi,aachra etc all these are names of small towns and villages. It is often found that majority of the population around this area is of the saraswat Brahmin or bhandari community. The “sir-names” will be shirodkar from shiroda village, achrekar from achra village the redkar from village redi so the village and names are inter-woven or inter-connected. Vengurla being a beach and a beautiful place was looted and plundered in ancient times.
Here I would also like to explain the word “gramdaivat”.
What is a gram-daivat?
A gram daiwat is the god of the village.gram means village and daivat is god or some supernatural power. Even today, if you go to these villages one finds people desperately having beliefs and blind belief. Endless arguments are carried on as to what is a belief and what is a blind belief.
This can be explained with a small example. Suppose we take the example of “nag-panchami”. Nag means snake and panchami is the fifth day coming in order after a new moon day in the month of “shraavan” of the Hindu calendar. On these days until date, actual snakes brought in small cane baskets. Then people will come and perform puja. Puja means offering of ones obeisance and other offerings to a revered deity. Then the snake will be offered a small dot of vermicelli and red powdered “tikka”dropped (they will not touch it for fright of being bitten). Then this puja ends with the offering of milk to a snake on this day. Therefore, the firm belief was the snake drinks this milk, is happy and blesses.
Now the million-dollar question. How did all this start?
Probably in olden time’s snakes was a great help/nuisance to farmers so to keep them happy this festival has been initiated. There are a couple of other stories too.
So to cut the story short due to efforts of N.G.O. like friends of the animals etc have put an end to this practice of catching live snakes, now puja is done of the image of the snake. So also drinking of milk by the snakes has been stopped and people call it blind belief.
To me it is always a question that those things not proved are beliefs which are all blind and contradictary to the truth or Actual fact and there can never be a blind belief or otherwise.
Coming back to the earlier explanation each village has one god guarding the village. The temple of this god will be at the entrance of that village and every house initiating any new project will first pay obedience to this god. Do not worry the gods grants the blessings by entering a persons body and he or she will start whirling around making all sorts of noises and loud talks and ask for eatables like mutton and fruits or whatever. It is fun to watch all these happenings. Not only this, there are plenty of beliefs and disbeliefs. Each one having its own story, relic, whatever you call it.
Actually, it is very sad to watch all cause this is a part of India the other extreme: uneducated, full of blind-beliefs, poor, ignorant, and unaware of the happenings of the world, exploited by the politicians, urbans educated and the rich.
To be continued
This place is one of the best amongst the others. Here life is like the other towns very “sushegat” (relaxed in a way). The seashore has its own natural beauty .the additional attraction being the clean seashore and seawaters.
Here is a photo graph depicting a few of the beaches,
It is also well known Hindu temples the sagarika temple, shri mauli-devi temple, shri redi ganesh temple. Aajgaon, shiroda, redi,aachra etc all these are names of small towns and villages. It is often found that majority of the population around this area is of the saraswat Brahmin or bhandari community. The “sir-names” will be shirodkar from shiroda village, achrekar from achra village the redkar from village redi so the village and names are inter-woven or inter-connected. Vengurla being a beach and a beautiful place was looted and plundered in ancient times.
Here I would also like to explain the word “gramdaivat”.
What is a gram-daivat?
A gram daiwat is the god of the village.gram means village and daivat is god or some supernatural power. Even today, if you go to these villages one finds people desperately having beliefs and blind belief. Endless arguments are carried on as to what is a belief and what is a blind belief.
This can be explained with a small example. Suppose we take the example of “nag-panchami”. Nag means snake and panchami is the fifth day coming in order after a new moon day in the month of “shraavan” of the Hindu calendar. On these days until date, actual snakes brought in small cane baskets. Then people will come and perform puja. Puja means offering of ones obeisance and other offerings to a revered deity. Then the snake will be offered a small dot of vermicelli and red powdered “tikka”dropped (they will not touch it for fright of being bitten). Then this puja ends with the offering of milk to a snake on this day. Therefore, the firm belief was the snake drinks this milk, is happy and blesses.
Now the million-dollar question. How did all this start?
Probably in olden time’s snakes was a great help/nuisance to farmers so to keep them happy this festival has been initiated. There are a couple of other stories too.
So to cut the story short due to efforts of N.G.O. like friends of the animals etc have put an end to this practice of catching live snakes, now puja is done of the image of the snake. So also drinking of milk by the snakes has been stopped and people call it blind belief.
To me it is always a question that those things not proved are beliefs which are all blind and contradictary to the truth or Actual fact and there can never be a blind belief or otherwise.
Coming back to the earlier explanation each village has one god guarding the village. The temple of this god will be at the entrance of that village and every house initiating any new project will first pay obedience to this god. Do not worry the gods grants the blessings by entering a persons body and he or she will start whirling around making all sorts of noises and loud talks and ask for eatables like mutton and fruits or whatever. It is fun to watch all these happenings. Not only this, there are plenty of beliefs and disbeliefs. Each one having its own story, relic, whatever you call it.
Actually, it is very sad to watch all cause this is a part of India the other extreme: uneducated, full of blind-beliefs, poor, ignorant, and unaware of the happenings of the world, exploited by the politicians, urbans educated and the rich.
To be continued
Friday, September 7, 2007
As mentioned in my earlier post dated 6.09.2007.
“Cotojo” has passed on this award to the Author Of This Blog..
I have to pass on this award to five more bloggers.
These bloggers will further nominate five bloggers each,
with a link to this blog and mentioning from whom they have
received this award.
I am extremely happy and pleased to hand over this award to :
Awesome guy blogger award to
1)Idlemind: Where The Mind Is Idle
2)Greg Lunger: My World-As A Yogi.
3)Tim Anderson : The Medical Migrant.
4)Peter Haslam: Necessary Skils.
5)Ramjee:So-Did-I
Rocking Girl Blogger Award To
1)Elizabeth Potts Weinstan: Chronicles Of Momprenuer.
2)Catherine Morgan : Be The Change You Want To See In Your Self.
3)SINDU/sindu20 .
4)Peg Crossan -
5)Julie And Kevin
KINDLY ADD THESE TO YOUR TECHNORATI FAVOURITES.
DONT FORGET TO PLEASE PASS THESE ON TO DESERVING BLOGGERS....
CONGRATULATION AND ALL THE BEST
“Cotojo” has passed on this award to the Author Of This Blog..
I have to pass on this award to five more bloggers.
These bloggers will further nominate five bloggers each,
with a link to this blog and mentioning from whom they have
received this award.
I am extremely happy and pleased to hand over this award to :
Awesome guy blogger award to
1)Idlemind: Where The Mind Is Idle
2)Greg Lunger: My World-As A Yogi.
3)Tim Anderson : The Medical Migrant.
4)Peter Haslam: Necessary Skils.
5)Ramjee:So-Did-I
Rocking Girl Blogger Award To
1)Elizabeth Potts Weinstan: Chronicles Of Momprenuer.
2)Catherine Morgan : Be The Change You Want To See In Your Self.
3)SINDU/sindu20 .
4)Peg Crossan -
5)Julie And Kevin
KINDLY ADD THESE TO YOUR TECHNORATI FAVOURITES.
DONT FORGET TO PLEASE PASS THESE ON TO DESERVING BLOGGERS....
CONGRATULATION AND ALL THE BEST
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
On 3 Sep, while putting up a post on http://adavait.blogspot.com I happened to read a comment posted by cotojo and lo! Behold! What a pleasant surprise it was to inform me that I had been passed on ‘THE AWESOME GUY BLOGGER AWARD”. SO “HAPPY “to receive it and that too at the hands of “COTOJO” whom we all look up to as one of the most “Awesome Blogger” “I AM FLATTERED” hope this does not go to my head.
NO, IT WILL NOT; AND I AM SURE OF THAT, BECAUSE I AM SURE OF COTOJO’S JUDGEMENT.
I have to pass on this award to five more bloggers, which I am sure there are enough of them. While on the “blogging to fame” contest I have read a lot many blogs and thro the various links I know there are a lot many more out there.
Just give me two more days to finalize my list and I will let you know who they are.
UNTIL THEN I WILL SAY, I AM HUMBLED AND INSPIRED WITH A DASH OF MOTIVATION, which will keep me happily blogging for days to come.
Thank- you Colin once more (hey! that award ought to be the” rocking girl award”?
WHAT SAY? Ha! Ha! Ha!
Monday, September 3, 2007
The other places worth visiting are the beaches like the tarkarli which is about 15-20 minutes drive from Malwan,
Tarkarli is a very quiet and a peaceful beach. A person from the hustle and bustle of a city will find his peace here. If you are a little lucky then while on a boat ride off the creek you may notice a few dolphins.We were not so lucky. This photograph taken from maharashtra govt file will give us some clarity of how this beach looks.
The devbaug , here we were told that devbaug is a low lying area but never flooded once and people consider it as a boon of the gods hence its name “devbaug” dev means god and baug means garden.
Achra bunder or the achra harbour and the neighboring village is another place of interest. Now this visit was just recently conducted, but I remember a very dear memory of this achra bunder. It so happened then I was a young kid of say 12 -13 years. Accompanied with my cousins family and my sister who is two years younger to me, we were travelling by ship to konkan. We were supposed to get down at devgad harbour and then travel by a small boat to nearby coast. It was early morning around 3.00am ,we reached and then boarded the small boat and there I and my sister saw a lady on the boat, she was about say 25 years, wearing a nine yard sari with rich tresses of hair, it was a full moon night, the silver lighted moonlight falling on her long hair and her beautiful face. Coincidently my sister and my self were both struck by her heavenly beautiful personality. Now even after say 30 years we still discuss that beauty. Probably she was one of the fisherwoman. But as they say nature is bountifull and blesses without any bias.
Comming back to our journey,we reached this aachra bunder at around 3.00 pm and left within 3 hours after having a good round of this creek and the surroundings. Kunkeshwar temple is another temple to visit. It has become a tourist attraction in the recent times.
Here I would like to mention that malwan has a temparate climate.and has a heavy to moderate rains. Because of the sea there is humidity in the air.
Nearest railway station is kudal and kankavli, both places about 1 hour driving distance,nearest airport one can say is Dabolim in Goa. Rice and fish is the staple food. Houses have slopping roofs.
Other local places to be visited are
1) rock garden(artificially built but is becoming a tourist attraction.)
2) aarse mahal(just recently built by the local politician.)
3) tondavli beach.
4) Rameshwar temple near achra
To be continued…..
Tarkarli is a very quiet and a peaceful beach. A person from the hustle and bustle of a city will find his peace here. If you are a little lucky then while on a boat ride off the creek you may notice a few dolphins.We were not so lucky. This photograph taken from maharashtra govt file will give us some clarity of how this beach looks.
The devbaug , here we were told that devbaug is a low lying area but never flooded once and people consider it as a boon of the gods hence its name “devbaug” dev means god and baug means garden.
Achra bunder or the achra harbour and the neighboring village is another place of interest. Now this visit was just recently conducted, but I remember a very dear memory of this achra bunder. It so happened then I was a young kid of say 12 -13 years. Accompanied with my cousins family and my sister who is two years younger to me, we were travelling by ship to konkan. We were supposed to get down at devgad harbour and then travel by a small boat to nearby coast. It was early morning around 3.00am ,we reached and then boarded the small boat and there I and my sister saw a lady on the boat, she was about say 25 years, wearing a nine yard sari with rich tresses of hair, it was a full moon night, the silver lighted moonlight falling on her long hair and her beautiful face. Coincidently my sister and my self were both struck by her heavenly beautiful personality. Now even after say 30 years we still discuss that beauty. Probably she was one of the fisherwoman. But as they say nature is bountifull and blesses without any bias.
Comming back to our journey,we reached this aachra bunder at around 3.00 pm and left within 3 hours after having a good round of this creek and the surroundings. Kunkeshwar temple is another temple to visit. It has become a tourist attraction in the recent times.
Here I would like to mention that malwan has a temparate climate.and has a heavy to moderate rains. Because of the sea there is humidity in the air.
Nearest railway station is kudal and kankavli, both places about 1 hour driving distance,nearest airport one can say is Dabolim in Goa. Rice and fish is the staple food. Houses have slopping roofs.
Other local places to be visited are
1) rock garden(artificially built but is becoming a tourist attraction.)
2) aarse mahal(just recently built by the local politician.)
3) tondavli beach.
4) Rameshwar temple near achra
To be continued…..
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)