By Rohit R Phalgaonkar
During the Hindu month of Shraavan the calm and serene village of Narve suddenly springs into action. Two main festivities brighten the village and the area is filled with people and devotees, where caste, creed and religion form no bar.

The third Tuesday of the Shraavan month is marked for the jaatraa of Masandevi in Narve. Following this, Asthami celebrations fill the banks at the confluence of three rivers. Janmaasthami is the night on which Shrikrishna was born to Devki and Vasudev. All over India this day is considered very auspicious. Shrikrishna was born on Asthami night of the Shraavan month. Janm means birth and hence the day is called Janmaasthami.
In the village of Narve in the Bicholim taluka this day is the grandest day. The bank of the confluence of three or five rivers is considered to be very auspicious. The water at this confluence is called ‘Tirth’. Getting one’s final rites performed at such a Tirth is believed to take the soul to heaven. The confluence is also believed to wash away all sins. Such a confluence is also seen in Narve. The waters of three main rivers - Mandovi, Kumbharjua (canal), and Khorjuvem (which takes its water from Mhadayi) meet at Narve.
The main attraction of this festivity is the arrival of the deities from two talukas of Goa - Bicholim and Ponda. The deities are brought to the spot by a traditionally decorated paalkhi. The paalkhis are carried on the shoulders by the devotees from the temple to Narve and are taken back before dusk. This year the celebrations of Asthami at Narve were held on September 1.
The deities that are historically associated with Bicholim taluka also attend this festival. During the inquisitions many deities from the Old Conquests were shifted to the Bicholim taluka and were then later shifted to Ponda. As a mark of remembrance the deities are still brought back to the Bicholim taluka once a year, on this day.
The deities from the village of Mashel in the Ponda taluka were brought to this site by traditional canoes. The deities who do not require crossing of any river come to this place through traditional pathways. Temples of certain deities are quite far from Narve, but they are still carried to this place by a paalkhi covering the distance by foot. Some temple priests explained that the pathways are not cleared by any civic bodies in certain areas and there is thick vegetation growing as a result of which it becomes difficult to carry the heavy paalkhis along the traditional routes. Due to this the speed of walking reduces. Hence the deities do not reach the venue at the stipulated time. Keeping this in mind, it was decided that the consent of the deity would be taken, asking it whether it could be brought to the spot by a vehicle. But the divine power refused to give its consent says the priest of Shri Ravalnaath temple of Narve. It instructed us to carry its paalkhi by foot over traditional paths added the priest.
Deities from villages of Amona, Mashel, Bicholim, Pilgao, Mulgao, etc, were brought all the way to the venue on foot. All paalkhis are stationed at traditional spots on the slope of a small hillock facing the banks of the confluence. Devotees flock near the paalkhis to pay their respects to each deity. It appears as if all the Divine Powers dressed in their finery have assembled here said Mr S S Naik, a devotee from Panaji. At around 3 p.m. the Paalkhi of Shri Shantadurga, the graam Devi of Narve began to move down the slope to the banks of the confluence. She was followed by all the other deities. The feet of the deities were dipped in the confluence. It also part of the tradition for temples to carry this water back to the temple for performing puja.
By dusk all the deities returned to their respective temples and the area which was brimming with people a few hours earlier bore a deserted look.