Ram Navami celebrations in state to feature dances, rituals

Keri: Ram Navami will be celebrated in Goa with varied cultural performances. Each year, festivities begin on Gudhi Padwa, marking the first day of the Hindu month of Chaitra, with eight days of religious and cultural programmes, culminating in the celebration of Lord Ram’s birth on the ninth day.

The festival holds deep socio-cultural significance across, with traditions observed since ancient times. At Gokarna Jeevottam Math in Partgal, Poinguinim, devotees gather in numbers. In Piligao’s Gimone, a 400-year-old Ram temple draws plenty of devotees and pilgrims.

At Mayem, a devotee in trance performs a ritual dance holding a multi-wick earthen lamp (male), attracting large crowds. The Malyachi jatra includes a ceremonial return of sacred masks to Mulgao.

On the second night, Lalit is performed at the Dad Dev shrine in Velguem. Temples across Goa also stage Dashavatari dramas, while Ranmale performances in Western Ghats villages depict Lord Ram’s life with humour and insight.