Goa: As Vasco’s Saptah begins today, devotees urged not to visit temple but pay obeisance virtually

VASCO: The 122nd Saptah of Lord Damodar at Vasco will commence with the installation of the ‘shreefal’ (coconut) by a member of the Joshi family on Saturday afternoon. The Saptah begins on the sixth day of Shravan.
The Saptah, which this year will be observed by following all Covid safety guidelines, annually commences at 12.30pm with the installation of the shreefal near Lord Damodar’s idol and concludes 24 hours later.
To ensure safety measures are followed, a team of policemen including two PSIs, 10 constables and two lady constables, will be deployed around the temple. Traffic police will block the road outside the temple on Swatantra Path and divert the traffic from St Joseph Vaz Road and F L Gomes Road.
The temple committee has also asked the public not to visit the temple and pay their obeisance through their online platforms on YouTube and Facebook.
The 24-hour bhajan programme will be recorded and put up online for devotees.
During the saptah, groups of six communities participate in floats depicting scenes from the Hindu mythology and arrive at Damodar temple from different corners of the port town. However, this year, these six groups — Failwale, Nabhik Samaj, Daivaidhnya Bhrahmn Samaj, Bhajarkar Samiti, Vishwakrma Samaj and Gadekar Samaj— have been permitted to give their offerings as per schedule from 2.30pm to 5pm on Saturday with only three members of each group allowed inside the temple.
As per legend, in 1899, when a plague claimed several lives in the port town and the outbreak was uncontrollable, a few Hindu families proceeded to Zambaulim temple of Lord Damodar, and carried a shreefal as a symbolic prasad and installed it in Vasco. It is believed that since then, Vascoites regained their health and Lord Damodar became the protector of the town.