The recent tragedy at the Shri Lairai Zatra in Shirgao, wherein six innocent Goans lost their lives in a stampede and left dozens injured, has cast a dark shadow over what should have been a sacred and joyous annual tradition.
While the temple committee was quick to place the blame squarely on the “unruly behaviour” of the dhonds — the fire-walking devotees — this explanation only scratches the surface.
It is both simplistic and unfair to isolate blame without examining the broader, systemic failures that led to this heartbreaking incident.
For years, the Shirgao zatra has drawn tens of thousands of devotees from across Goa and beyond.
It is no secret that the village’s infrastructure is woefully inadequate to handle crowds of this magnitude. Narrow roads, a lack of designated pathways, and a haphazard sprawl of roadside stalls have long made walking through the area a tedious and at times dangerous task. The temple committee, panchayat, district administration, and state government have all been aware of this. Yet, year after year, the zatra has been allowed to proceed with minimal improvements in crowd management and infrastructure.
Even if one concedes — for argument’s sake — that the dhonds’ behaviour contributed to the chaos, their role cannot be viewed in isolation.
The presence of thousands of devotees, coupled with chokingly narrow access routes and commercial encroachments, made a stampede not just a possibility, but a near certainty. A tragedy waiting to happen. And now it has.
What adds salt to the wound is the glaring absence of meaningful administrative intervention. Over 1,000 security personnel were reportedly deployed for the event.
Yet, when the stampede occurred, there was little evidence of an effective, visible security apparatus on the ground.
Why were lady constables deployed to manage rope barricades for a largely male dhond crowd? Was that a strategic decision, or a thoughtless misallocation of personnel?
The North Goa Collector’s office, in conjunction with the local panchayat, must also answer why hundreds of stalls were allowed to mushroom on these already crammed roads. Would it not have made more sense to designate a clear area — perhaps behind the temple or in open fields — for such stalls? Such a move could have prevented the bottlenecks that contributed to the panic and eventual stampede.
The formation of a fact-finding committee led by Revenue Secretary Sandip Jacques is a welcome step, but public faith in such exercises is low unless findings are transparent and lead to concrete action. Accountability must go beyond reports and rhetoric. It must lead to reform. Those who failed in their duties — whether through negligence, indifference, or incompetence — must be held responsible.
This is not the first time concerns have been raised about crowd control and safety at the Shirgao zatra. It has long been a logistical nightmare disguised as tradition. Sacred events demand reverence, yes — but reverence must include responsibility.
Moving forward, a complete overhaul of how the zatra is planned and executed is imperative. Crowd control must be scientific, professional, and well-resourced. Infrastructure improvements — broader roads, clear signage, designated stall zones, proper barricading — must be implemented without delay.
Most importantly, stakeholders must listen to the local community, devotees, and experts to create a safe, spiritual, and respectful environment.
The lives lost in this tragedy cannot be brought back, but if their deaths are to have any meaning, it must lie in ensuring that such a disaster is never repeated. Shirgao deserves its devotion — but it also deserves safety, foresight, and dignity.
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