Margao to mark 100 yrs of Dindi with religious fervour

MARGAO: As Margao's famed Dindi festival of Shree Hari Mandir Devasthan crosses the threshold of 100 years of its celebrations this year, the commercial town has geared up to kick-start the week-long cultural cum religious extravaganza, starting October 25. Shatabdi Dindi-utsav, the organizing committee headed by chiefminister Digambar Kamat, informed TOI that it has left no stone unturned tocelebrate the biggest festival of the town for the 100th year, with religiousfervour and gaiety. Appealing to devotees to turn up in largenumbers to commemorate the event, the organizing committee members informed thatthe festival will be celebrated amidst elaborate security arrangements this yearin the wake of the recent bomb blast at Margao. This year anestimated 30,000 to 35,000 devotees are expected to throng the main Dindicelebration to be held on November 1. "Beginning October 25, various culturaland devotional programmes will be conducted wherein eminent artistes of nationaland international fame will perform. Competitions with special emphasis on womenand children will also be held during the week. This year's special attractionwill be the Nasik Dhol and varkaris from neighbouring states of Karnataka andMaharasthra," informed organizing committee member Manohar Borkar.Meanwhile, the construction of the prestigious temple projectdedicated to Shree Hari near Adarsh Vanita institute is set to begin soon. "Thefoundation stone has already been laid. Plans are approved and alladministrative procedures completed," said organizing secretary Suhas Kamat. Aspecial fund raising event entitled Swarpushpanjali will be held on November 6."Sagar Fadke, Neha Karmalkar (Goa) and Abhishek Saraf from the Sa Re Ga Ma PaLittle Champs along with eminent artistes Mangala Khadilkar and Ketki Matgaonkarhave been roped in to perform," informed Borkar. Dedicated to thedeity - Shree Vithal Rakhumayi �������� Dindi has been celebratedin Margao since 1909, starting from Kartikein Maha-ekadashi, coinciding with thefamous Pandharpur zatra held in Maharashtra �������� the hometownof the deity. The main celebration of Dindi to be held on November 1 willinclude the annual procession of the palanquin with the deity, commencing fromShree Hari Mandir Devasthan and slowly passing through the entire Margao town,to reach the Shree Vithal-Rakhumayi temple at Comba. The musical procession willreturn to Shree Hari Mandir in the wee hours of November 2, followed by rituals."The temple is run by a trust with a secularist flavour. People ofall faiths from the town pay their tributes to this century old temple with deepreligious sentiments," said freedom fighter and senior citizen, MadhukarbabMordekar. Going back in time, Madhukarbab fondly recalled the reasonDindi came to be celebrated in the commercial town. "A plague had started takingits toll in Margao a century ago. At this time late Shamba Shet Lotlikar, aprominent businessman of those times, had initiated a religious procession. Thephotograph of the deity was placed in a hand-made palanquin and taken throughthe town to culminate at the Shree Vithal-Rakumayi temple at Comba, with prayersto rid the people of Margao of the epidemic," he recollected. Evennow, as then, people of all faiths not only partake in the religious activitiesduring the festival but also generously contribute to the festival. Bhajanibaitaks (devotional recitals) at various places where the palanquin is scheduledto halt, are the highlights of the Dindi festival, wherein eminent artistesperform. This year too as the festivities reach its peak, lovers of devotionaland classical music will be in for a treat as Shatabdi Dindi Mahotsov 2009 hasroped in noted classical singers like Asha Khadikar, R P Phanshikar, RajivParanjapye, Raya Korgaonkar and Sudhir Gadgil to regale the audience.