PONDA
A clan in Shiroda has faithfully maintained a tradition which is at least three centuries old, with extended family members celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi at their ancestral home for five days this year.
But what is also unusual is that while most Ganesh idols are traditionally made of clay, the Naik Vaidya family of Waze-Shiroda has been worshipping a wooden Ganesha idol.
About 50 Naik Vaidya families residing in different parts of Goa converge at their ancestral home in Waze-Shiroda during Ganesh Chaturthi, to follow and continue an age-old tradition in the clan.
According to locals, the Naik Vaidya family has been traditionally worshipping a Ganesha idol made of sandalwood. The family came to be known as ‘Naik Vaidya’ even since one lady from the Naik family used to prepare medicine and hand it over to patients.
As the decades passed, some of the Naik Vaidya family members started residing at Sanguem, Quepem, Bhandoll-Kirlpal, Karamane-Kirlpal and other places on account of work and business.
The Naik Vaidya brothers who were living elsewhere tried to worship clay Ganapati idols at their houses, but eventually they decided to jointly celebrate Chaturthi by worshipping a Ganesh idol made from wood, a practice which has continued till date.
Since the size of the wooden Ganesh idol was small, the Naik Vaidya family decided to worship a new and larger wooden Ganesh idol around 16-17 years ago. Accordingly, a larger sandalwood Ganesh idol was brought from Karwar to Waze-Shiroda.
Every year on the day of Narli Poornima, the sandalwood idol is given to the idol artist Lala Chari, residing at Shiroda, for a touchup.
On the day of Ganesh Chaturthi, the Naik Vaidya family offeres prayers and coconuts to Kamakshi Devi and bring the sandalwood Ganesh idol to their ancestral home.
This year, members of Naik Vaidya clan who are living at different places had come together to worship the Ganesh idol for 5 days.
