MARGAO
The Margao railway station witnessed an unusual rush of passengers as they anxiously awaited the Kerala bound train to chug in at the station on Friday evening.
Inquiries have only revealed that the men and women, besides children all lined up at the railway station to catch the train to Kerala to head to the pilgrim centre of Vailankani in Tamil Nadu ahead of the Maddi and novenas of Our Lady of Vailankani.
Equipped with heavy luggage, the passengers, including Konkani tiatr artists were all heading to Vailankani so that they reach the pilgrim centre on time ahead of the traditional Maddi at Vailankani scheduled on August 29.
Some of the pilgrims were seen carrying heavy luggage with them, indicating their plans to take part at the Maddi, besides the 10-day novenas culminating in the feast of Our Lady on September 8.
Aquem-Baixo Panch member Inacio Dias pointed out that they are the first batch of pilgrims, who have set on a journey to Vailankani by train. “We have embarked on the train journey to Vailankani today so that we reach on time before we stage our Konkani tiatr Magnem at the pilgrim centre. This is the first time we will be staging a Konkani tiatr at Vailankani post-Covid-19 pandemic. Magnem tiatr has been written by Fr Soccoro Rebello and directed by me. All my artists, including Pascoal Rodrigues and Mario, besides the musicians are accompanying me to Vailankani today,” Inacio said.
Sources pointed out that the second batch of pilgrims is heading to Vailankani by the train to Bengalaru on Saturday evening.
Thousands of pilgrims from Goa, including businessmen and the political class, head to Vailankani on the annual pilgrimage. While many take the pilgrimage by train, thousands others head to the pilgrim centre by road for the Maddi, novenas and the feast of Our Lady of Vailankani on September 8.
