The religious rituals of the Akhand Damodar Bhajani Saptah concluded on Thursday afternoon with the traditional Samapti rituals and the immersion of the previous year’s anointed Shreefal (coconut) in the Arabian Sea at Kharewado.
A large number of devotees from across Goa gathered at the temple premises to witness the culmination of the spiritual observance, which is marked by 24 hours of non-stop bhajan performances by various groups.
The Samapti began with a grand procession carrying the Shreefal, led by Damodar Narvekar and his family, who have held the honour of conducting the immersion ritual for several years.
Speaking to the media, Narvekar said, “This year we carried out the Samapti on a grand scale. A huge number of devotees joined us. We will immerse the Shreefal in the Arabian Sea at Kharewado, after which the religious aspect of the Saptah concludes.”
As per tradition, the festival begins each year with the placement of a fresh Shreefal by the Joshi family, while the Samapti begins with the immersion of the previous year’s Kaul by the Narvekar family.
The Dindi procession moved rhythmically to the beats of devotional music, and paused at the Vasco railway station circle to perform a bhajan. The final bhajan was sung at the Kharewaddo jetty, after which the previous year’s Kaul was taken by boat and immersed in the sea.
Following the immersion, prasad consisting of fruits was distributed among devotees, who then returned to the temple singing traditional hymns.
Traffic police were deployed along the procession route to ensure smooth flow of traffic and prevent disruptions as the procession made its way back to the temple.
The concluding moments of the Samapti featured devotees dancing in circular formations while singing bhajans. A final pooja was performed at the temple, after which prasad was again distributed to all present, officially marking the end of the 24-hour Akhand Damodar Bhajani Saptah.
The temple will remain open for devotees in the coming days, and stalls selling clothes, sweets, and traditional items will continue to attract visitors for the next seven days.
