the goan I network
PANAJI
The capital city wore a deserted look on Friday, as Goans remained indoors celebrating Chaturthi, one of the most revered festivals for Hindus.
While most of the city streets were practically without traffic and movement for greater part of the day, the ongoing fair on the sidewalks of Dayanand Bandodkar Marg (the main avenue that runs through the capital city along the River Mandovi) was open, although visitors were considerably fewer.
On the second day of Chavath on Friday, “uttar pooja” was held in the households before immersion of the one-and-a-half days idol of Lord Ganesha in the night.
While Lord Ganesha’s presence is invoked into the idol with the “prana pratistha” pooja on Day 1 of Chavath, “uttar pooja” is the ceremony by which the Lord’s divine spirit is asked to leave the idol, before its immersion.
“Uttar pooja” is held a little before the idol is immersed, so each family holds it on different day, according to
how many days they keep the idol for.
Day 2 is also the day of “Rishi Panchami” - the
day ancient sages of India
are revered.
While Chavath is observed on the fourth day of the ‘Bhadrapad’ month of
the Hindu calendar, Rishipanchami is observed on the
fifth day.
On Rishipanchami, the ‘saptarishi’ or the seven great sages are specifically remembered - Agastya, Atri, Bhardwaja, Gautam, Jamadagni, Vasistha and Vishvamitra (list may vary according to different traditions). Legend has it that the day has special significance for a woman - considered impure because of menstruation, women are purified on this day with ritual bathing. However, this is more of a tradition than a thing of the present.
Hindus observing Rishi Panchami prepare 21 different ‘bhaji’ dishes in heir homes, some of which are ‘talkulo’, beans, ‘doodhi’, and drumsticks. Many Hindu families will continue worshipping Lord Ganesh in their homes for some days to come, while the community Ganeshas will be immersed after 21 days from now.
