VALPOI
According to sources, one group of Mahajans of Pissurle Devasthan Shri Mahadev Ravalnath Navdurga cannot participate in Saturday's traditional Pissurle Dussehra, which is a popular festival in the area.
The Mahajan ‘Parabs' are the main component to celebrate this tradition.
This year, a member of one Mahajan group, Ramchandra Khemlo Parab, passed away on September 25 and the group is unable to participate in the traditional activity for the next 12 days.
Following reports that the Devasthan management committee was planning to go ahead with the traditional Dussehra rituals, Shrikant Parab and other members of one group submitted a memorandum to the
Sattari mamlatdar, fearing a law and order problem if Dussehra is celebrated on Saturday.
On Thursday, the mamlatdar convened a meeting of all groups along with the Devasthan managing committee to discuss the issue and a heated discussion took place on the celebration of the traditional Dussehra.
Adv Wagle, a representative of the managing committee, argued that this is a traditional activity which should be celebrated on the same day and cannot be postponed. His claims were opposed by the other group, which insisted that the traditional activity cannot take place without the involvement of all Mahajan groups.
After the discussions, the mamlatdar decided to postpone the rituals fearing law and order problem and also following a request from the Mahajan group.
"Dussehra can be celebrated with the involvement of all the Mahajans without any issue after 12 days," stated the mamlatdar in his order. He has also directed the police to maintain patrolling in Pissurle area.
Speaking to The Goan, Hanumant Parab said the traditional rituals cannot be performed without involvement of all the Mahajans.
