Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA – Large number of devotees thronged to Canacona’s temples of Lord Mallikarjun to celebrate Shigmo-Zatrosthav.
Hundreds of devotees, including women and children, took part in the annual Shigmo -Zatrosthav procession and triennial Shishea-Ranni rituals held at Shri Mallikarjun Temple at Gaondongrim, all through martial music played on traditional instruments of Dhol and Tanse.
The chosen menfolk playing dhol-tanse with another four men under trance(possessed) carry ‘Tarangs’ (colourful umbrellas made by pleading multiple sarees) the Shigmo procession while womenfolk observed the Divjam(carrying it overhead in a procession).
The traditional and highly ritualistic Shishea-Ranni is observed every three years at each of the three temples in Canacona, with the first year being at Gaondongrim, Khotigao and Shrishthal temple alternatively one year at each temple and then rotating thereof. Next year Shishea-Ranni will be held at Khotigao and at Shrishthal Temple the year after next year.
Incidentally, the three temples have Mahajan and devotees coming from the neighbouring state of Karnataka and Maharashtra.
On Wednesday, the annual Shigmo-Zatrosthav is observed at Shrishthal Temple with great devotion.
Before taking procession, the Shish(disciples) first observes the relevance with the six Tarangs’. Thousands of Mahajans and devotees then line up to take ‘Kovul’.
While the rituals end the late afternoon, people line up to take kovul even into the late-night hours, informed sources.
While thousands of devotees attend the annual Shigmo-Zatrosthav at Shrishthal, BJP Goa president Sadanand D Tanawade, BJP General Secretary Satish Dhond, amongst others.
Interestingly, the annual Shigmo-Zatrosthav at Shrishthal has a Fair with shops/stalls of all kinds, including children playing tools, sweets, apparel, clothes, etc.