WHEN FAITH STOOD STILL: The street leading to the revered Lairai Devi temple stood eerily deserted on Saturday, a haunting contrast to the usual throngs of festival devotees.
MAPUSA
n the heart of what should have been a jubilant celebration echoing with chants and the clang of bells, an unsettling silence cloaked the sacred village of Shirgao on Saturday.
The aftermath of the tragic stampede near the Lairai Devi temple has transformed this once vibrant pilgrimage route into a scene of mourning, fear and disbelief.
The annual Lairai Zatra festival, known across Goa for the awe-inspiring ritual of dhonds walking over live embers, has for generations drawn tens of thousands of devotees.
But today, the street leading to the revered temple stood eerily deserted – a stark contrast to the usual flood of visitors.
“The festival feels broken this year”
“I’ve never seen Shirgao like this. This village is our pride, our faith. But after what happened... people are afraid. Shocked. There’s a kind of silence that speaks louder than anything,” says Dnyaneshwar Vaigankar, a resident of the village.
“Such a tragedy is unheard of in Goa. This isn’t Kumbh Mela. We are a small State. We aren’t equipped to handle mismanagement like this,” he added.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with overwhelmed crowd control, inadequate emergency exits and poor coordination between police and temple officials.
“Who do we hold responsible?”
While the ritual of fire-walking – the spiritual climax of the five-day festival – was completed by the dhonds, the following days are traditionally filled with thousands lining up for darshan. This time, however, the crowds vanished overnight.
“The administration failed us. We depend on these five days for our livelihood. But more than the loss in business, it’s the loss of trust,” said Pravin Naik, a food stall owner who has participated in the festival for over 20 years.
Naik, like many others, pointed fingers at the temple committee and district authorities.
A village grieving
Across the temple entrance, an elderly woman sat alone, stringing jasmine flowers.
Her name is Shanta Gaude and she has been offering garlands to devotees for over four decades. She didn’t sell a single one today.
“This is our Devi’s day. This is when the whole State comes here. And now, nobody dares,” she murmured.
A local panchayat member expressed dismay at the handling of the crisis. “Every year, we ask for better facilities, crowd management and emergency support. This time, it was clear the number of visitors had doubled. But the support from administration didn’t,” the member said, requesting anonymity.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has called for a magisterial inquiry into the incident.
Many families are now calling for a permanent cap on daily footfall and better infrastructure – from barriers to designated safety zones.
As Shirgao mourns, the heart of Goa’s spiritual culture lies bruised.
