FESTIVALS (UTSAV)

• CHAITRA PRATIPADA, GUDI PADVA AND PANCHANG POOJA : According to the Hindu calendar, Gudi Padwa is celebrated in the month of Chaitra (April/May). On this occasion, the Panchang (new calendar) is read in the evening at 4.00 p.m, citing important incidents which are likely to occur during the year on the earth.

• CHAITRA SHUDHA NAVMI SHREE RAMJANMOSTAV : Ram Navmi is also celebrated where a small idol of baby Ram is put in a cradle and rocked at 4.00 p.m. 
   

• CHAITRA PORNIMA : Shree Hanuman Jayanti is celebrated early in the morning at 6.00 a.m. An idol of Shree Maruti is given a bath and puja is performed
   

• SHRAVAN-RANGPOOJA : The month of shravan normally falls during the month of August /September. As per the tradition, on First Sunday, the mahajans perform puja . On the second Sunday, the puja is performed by the Devasthan itself. On the Third Sunday, the Chittaris- Panchal bandhu (carpenter community from Cuncolim) perform the puja. On the fourth Sunday, the Sonar/Shets-Panchal bandhu (goldsmith community) and depending upon the occurrence of fifth Sunday, the Kassars-Panchal bandhu (Tinsmith) perform puja respectively.
   

• LAGHURUDHRA : is commemorated during all the months. The said ritual is attached to Lord Shree Mahadev.  
   

• SHRAVAN-VADHYA PANCHAMI- NAVYANCHI PANCHAMI : Navya Panchami is also celebrated in this month. A basket of ‘ navi kansa ' (new harvest) is brought in the morning from a field in Cuncolim and puja is performed. This is then distributed to the mahajans to put on the entrance of their houses.  
   

• ASHWIN SHUDHA PANCHAMI TO SHUDHA NAVMI MAKAROSTAV : is celebrated during Navratri where the idol of Goddess Shree Shantadurga kept in the beautifully decorated traditional wooden carved Makhara from Ashwin Shudha Panchami to Ashwin Shudha Navmi. After performing the Pooja the Goddess swings in the makhara during nighttime. 
   

• ASHWIN SHUDHA DASHMI DUSSERA SHIMOLLANGAN 
   

• KARTIK SHUDHA DUWADASHI- TULSI VIVAHA 
   

• KARTIK -POORNIMA TRIPURARI : In the Holy books, it is stated that in the olden times, there was the Devil called the Tripurasur who used to harass the people but at the same time he was a strong worshipper of the Gods. One day, he was killed. When he was killed, his soul asked for the vardhan that after his death the devotees had to remember him on the day of poornima that was later called Tripuraripoornima. On this day, the devotees light lamps in the Deepsthambha
   

• KHAMBEANCHI POOJA (Deepsthamba) 
   

• MARGSHIRSHA VADHYA DUWADASHI MAHADEVACHA KALA : On this day traditional KALA festival attached to Lord Shree Mahadeva is celebrated. The procession of deity is taken through Palki and worshipped followed by the performance of the traditional dance and drama on the theme of Ramayana and Mahabharata events in front of the Mahadeva temple. 
   

• JATROSTAV : Every year, on the tithi of Pausha Suddha Panchami to Paush shuddha Dashmi i.e. from the 5 th to 10 th of the Hindu month of Pausha (December-January) the famous annual Zatrautsov that is popularly known as Fatorpeachi Zatra is celebrated. The devotees from across and outside the State take part in this festival. They pay their homage to the temple and take prasad (offerings). People put the small flowers that are received from the Goddess in their wallets and carry them through life as blessings and a sign of being under the protection of Shree Shantadurga.

• The temple of Shree Shantadurga, there are four raths (chariots) namely Ambarirath, Fulamrath, Vijayarath and Maharath. These raths are used to carry the idol of the Goddess in a procession during the Zatra . Only the twelve vangdis have the right to carry the idol of the deity in the palanquin and place it in the raths . They then pull the rath with the help of the other people and take the raths to the temple of Akara Udengi . They pay their homage to her and come back to the main temple. The rath procession continues for four days. The Fulamrath is decked with garlands of flowers and is taken in a procession at dawn, the Maharath is taken out in the morning and the others are taken out in the night.

• The Zatra is celebrated for six days. During this time, the people visit the temple to pray, make or fulfill vows and take prasad from the Goddess Shree Shantadurga Kunkalikarin for fertility, healing, prosperity etc. The rituals take place during the day and night. During this time, the women used to sing and dance at the Maand (a small sacred precinct in the village that used for a religious purpose) for five, seven or nine successive nights. On the last night, many women in the height of fervor and excitement fell down in a trance.On the Tithi of Pausha Shuddha Pratipada, the twelve vangdis invite the gaonkar of Panzorkoni and the twelve vangdis gather in the temple at night time. On that day, the gaonkars pay their homage to the temple of Akarudengi, take mango branches and make a mandap that is decorated with mango leaves, paper decorations and different flowers indicating ‘Muhurtha Med' of commencement of Annual Zatra. Then, a puja is performed by the purohit in front of the temple of Akarudengi . The Udeykar (caretaker of the temple) makes an offering of ghee and sugar because Satpurush had pledged to her that he would look after everything on her behalf. On the Tithi of Pausha Shuddha Panchami , the twelve vangdis sit on a patt (wooden stool) and performed the pooja. The fifth vangdis Sumundro/Sombro wear a colorful turban and go joyfully to the temple of Bhoomi Purush Sateri Sapthakoteshwar. A veeda of areca nut, sandalwood and flowers is offered to Bhoomi Purush. Sombro then takes Prasad, comes back to the temple of Kunkalikarin through the main doorway and enters the temple of Shree Shantadurga . On behalf of Twelve Vangod, he then pays due respect to Dharvoto Dessai, ties a turban on his head, places a shawl on his shoulder and puts an appeal to the Goddess. The twelve vangdis viz. Mhal, Shetkar, Naik, Mangro Sombro, Tomrov, Porob, sidhakali, Lokakali, Bandekar and Rovno sit on a decorative ‘ patt ' along with the respectful presence of the Darvoto Dessai performs the Pooja.
  
• At the commencement of the zatra, pooja and other religious ceremonies are performed. In the night, both Shantadurga and Khanderai are taken and put in the palki by the poojari and the palaquin is carried by the twelve vangdis on their shoulders. On the second day, i.e. on Paushya Shudda Sasthi, the Goddess is put in a palki, brought near the rath and put on the Ambarirath or the Elephant chariot. The twelve vangdis accompanied by Mahajans and other Devotees then take this in a procession. On the third day i.e. Paushya Shuddha Saptami, prior to the Chariot procession the idol of the Goddess was kept specially in the Makar that placed on the upper floor at the front side of the temple and then the Goddess is taken in a procession on the Fulamrath, i.e. Flower Chariot. On the Fourth day, i.e. on the Paushya Shuddha Ashtami the procession of the Goddess is taken on the Vijayarath on the Victory chariot. On the fifth day, i.e. on the tithi of Pausha Shuddha Navmi the deity is again kept specially in the Makar on the front floor of the temple. This chariot (Maharatha) is pulled in the morning at 6.00 a.m. In front of the Maharath, a statue of Mahaganapati is placed. In the rath, the statue Shree Shantadurga is decorated with flowers and Fruits. The sweets that fall inside the rath are collected and distributed as prasad. Then the deity is put in the palki and taken inside the temple. On the Paushya Shuddha Dashami, the concluding day of Zatra festival, where the usual religious rituals are performed followed by ‘Zagor'.

  During the zatra, several entertainment programmes are performed like Zagor, arti, shibikutsav, prasad etc. After the concluding of Zatra festival, on the tithi of Pausha Shudha Ekadashi, the dancers go in a procession with a wooden horse round the small temple of Uddeamutt. A divli (lamp) is taken from the temple of Shree Shantadurga to Uddeamutt and then goes in a procession.

  An important celebration of this zatra is a ritual called Pancharatri means the staying of five days and nights. The Devotees who practice this ritual have to stay in the temple night and day. During this time, they had to be totally vegetarian and had to sleep in the temple in the night.

• After the Zatra Utsav, there is an auction of the offerings that were offered by the devotees to the Goddess. This included cloths, silver, Gold, etc. People bought these things as a prasad of the Goddess. This auction takes place for five days. Every year at the time of the Zatra Utsav, the children of the twelve vangdis who are between the age group of 7 to 9 years old pray for good health, long life and success. The parents offer flowers and bananas to the Goddess, as She is fond of these offerings. They get a prasad of one banana from the pujari . The Christians also offer ‘ Othi ' (offering) and donations to Her. Children are made to know their God and Goddess by this ritual.

  Today, we can also see the idol of Khanderai (Khandoba) on the right side of the Goddess Shree Shantadurga. It is installed in the worship room ( Garbhagraha ). Every Sunday, the palanquin of Khandarai is taken out in a procession. Every year, on Rangapanchami day, the palanquin of Goddess Shree Shantadurga is taken out for procession. On this day, Khandarai sits on the right side of the Goddess Shree Shantadurga in the palaquin. 
   

• FALGUN SHUDHA TRUTIYA- PINDIKOSTAV : Is celebrated to commemorate the Punar – Sthapana (re- instate) day of the deity at village Fatorpa. The day is celebrated specially by performing Ranga Pooja of the deity.  
   

• FALGUN SHUDHA PRATIPADA TO SHUDHA PANCHAMI - SHISHIROSTAV 
   

• FALGUN – CHATROSTAV / SOTRI UTSAV (UMBRELLA FESTIVAL)/GULAL: Once a year, on the tithi of Rangpanchami, on the 5 th of Phalgun (that is usually in March), the idol of Shree Shantadurga is brought back from Fatorpa to Cuncolim under a procession of twelve umbrellas ( Sotris ) that are carried by the descendents of Satpurush i.e. the sath vangdis (7 direct descendents) and the panch vangdis (5 associates) Catholic and Hindu. On this day, a puja is performed in the temple of Shree Shantadurga in Fatorpa by the twelve vangdis and the deity is put in a silver palanquin to bring her back to Cuncolim. As the deity leaves the temple at Fatorpa, Gulal (color) is put on the Goddess and on the image of the Gods that are installed near her temple and the palanquin is taken out in the shelter of the twelve umbrellas. The descendents of Mhal, Shetkar, Naik, Mongro, Sombro, Thombro and Porobo who are the sons of Satpurush stand on the right side of the palanquin and the descendents of the other five vangdis, i.e. Siddhakali, Lokakali, Bandekar, Rovno and Bheklo stand on the left side of the same palanquin. This is a privilege and status that is given to each of the vangdis .

  A large number of men and boys accompany the twelve symbolic umbrellas as they jump and dance during the procession. The procession winds back along the old route that was taken by the Chieftains who had escaped with the deity in 1583. The deity is brought from Fatorpa to Mallanguinim via Gotton, Bhiunsa, Sidhanager, Oddi, Mokhim and kept at Toliembhatt in Cuncolim in a Mulsthan or a special place that is erected for her when she comes back to the village once a year. She is then taken to Kulvaddo that was the site of her original temple at Cuncolim. A pandal ( Mattovali ) is erected at every holy site and decorated with mango leaves, banana trees, coconuts, fruits and flowers. Every vangdi puts a garland on the Sotri according to the number of their clan. The people honor the Goddess and offer flowers, coconuts and other offerings on steel or silver trays. The occupying priests ( Bhatji ) bless everyone. As She approaches the heart of the village of Cuncolim, a huge barrage of gunpowder, bombs and strings of firecrackers explode. Smoke rises up steeply into the air, the drummers beat out their rhymes, the whirling youth who carry the Umbrellas, dance their hardest and the waiting crowds of some thousands of people press forward. The Goddess is not kept overnight in Cuncolim, as it is believed that it is her native place. It is believed that as the image is taken back to Fatorpa in the evening, it becomes heavy. The route that is followed to take her back is the one that was taken by vangdis when they escaped from Cuncolim to Fatorpa. The Goddess is taken back via Toliembhat, Marad, Benkleamvaddo, Maddicotto, Demani, Pairaband, Ballicotto, Bomdamol to Fatorpa in a procession of thousands of devotees that walk behind the twelve decorative umbrellas that are mounted on twelve decorative poles. Each of the twelve umbrellas stands for one of the ‘original' twelve clans of the Kshatriya caste that inhabit her village and were once instrumental in raising her temple.

• Apart from the above Utsav, a regular Rangpooja is performed on every Sunday in which the procession of the deity is carried through palki .

• A special pooja is also performed regularly on the tithi of every Ekadashi, Poornima and Amauvashya by taking the procession of the deity through a palkhi.

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