Move comes after concerns over crowd control
Newly elected Damodar Bhajani Saptah Utsav Samiti office bearers—President Narendra Gurav, Vice President Mahesh Naik, Secretary Santosh Khorjuvekar, Treasurer Dilip Kajale—pose with Prashant Joshi at Damodar Temple.
VASCO
The new Damodar Bhajani Saptah Committee has decided to appoint a nodal officer to help avoid incidents like stampedes during the upcoming Vasco Saptah, which draws lakhs of people to the port town every year.
The committee has also requested political leaders not to bring large groups of supporters, as this creates unnecessary crowding at the Damodar temple during the main coconut anointment ceremony.
This decision was taken during the election of the new Damodar Bhajani Saptah Committee, which will now be headed by Narendra Gurav.
Speaking after the meeting, Prashant Joshi said that several key measures were discussed due to the expected large turnout for the annual religious event.
“We have elected a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary and other committee members,” said Joshi. “The meeting took some key decisions, and we may soon receive new guidelines for the Saptah Festival, especially considering the recent stampede incident that occurred during the Sirigao Jatra.”
He added, “We have decided to appoint a nodal officer, and the entire Damodar Saptah celebration will take place under his guidance. This is to ensure that incidents like stampedes are prevented and the lives of devotees are not put at risk.”
Pointing out the challenges during the main rituals, Joshi said, “We have seen a mad rush in the temple during the main function where a coconut is anointed at the feet of Lord Damodar. The Deputy Collector has directed us to reduce the crowd inside the temple premises during the inaugural function and the culminating Gopal Kala ritual.”
“We have now asked the committee to strictly follow all directives and ensure the festival is celebrated with discipline,” he added.
The committee has also appealed to political leaders and organisations to avoid bringing big crowds to the temple to prevent congestion.
Narendra Gurav has been elected as the new president. Mahesh Naik is the vice president, Santosh Khorjuvekar is the secretary, and Dilip Kajale is the treasurer of the new Damodar Bhajani Saptah Utsav Samiti.
