by nandkumar kamat

THIS week with the rest of western India, Goa would be celebrating a major Hindu festival–Ganesh Chaturthi. Lord Ganesha has become a national icon.

His worship, deeply rooted in ecological principles is getting globally popular. In Goa it is a festival of family reunion. It breaks down the rural-urban barriers. It unites all castes, sections and factions of the Hindu society. It is a festival which reaches out to members of other communities–Christians and Muslims. It reminds them of their common cultural roots and the need to understand the complex dimensions of Hinduism as the world’s oldest religious ecosystem.

Mutual Tolerance

Goa was always a multicultural and cosmopolitan society before the Portuguese overwhelmed by medieval, violent, anti-pagan ideologies destroyed Goa’s peaceful cultural fabric. The Persian cross dated to sixth century found at Agacaim by Fr Cosme da Costa of Major Seminary of Pilar, appointment of Muslim Arab merchants as prime ministers by Kadambas of Goa, the grants of lands by the kings to build mosques, the coexistence of Buddhist caves, Hindu temples, Muslim mosques, Jain Basadis before the arrival of the Portuguese indicates the high level of social understanding and mutual tolerance. The worship of Lord Ganesha provides an opportunity this year to proactively promote the spirit of social harmony, peace and conservation of nature and biodiversity.

The oldest sculptures of Lord Ganesha in Goa are found from the period of imperial Gupta, dating from fourth century. That makes Lord Ganesha worship in Goa in iconic form at least 1600 years old. The saptamatrika panels also show small images of Lord Ganesha. Goa’s largest and most majestic temple of Mahaganapati existed at Malar, in the island of Divar. The idol was shifted during middle of 16th century to Khandola village where a new temple was built. But the people of Divar did not forget the glory of the temple. Very close to the ancient site of the original temple and the present church a piece of land was generously granted by a Christian land owner to build a new temple of Lord Ganesha. Such understanding can exist only in Goa.

Cultural Genocide

Before establishing diplomatic relations, oil rich Libya which had been occupied by Italy, asked the Italian government to pay for its’ colonial misadventure. The Italians paid two billion dollars and only then did Libyan supremo Colonel Gaddafi visit Italy recently. Portugal would be a bankrupt country if it were to be similarly asked by India to pay for its’ cultural genocide in Goa. The Portuguese took every possible step to stop Lord Ganesha worship in Goa. They had banned making of clay idols. The fear psychosis of the repressive religious authorities was such that people began worshipping Lord Ganesha paintings which they could hide immediately. If it were not for the liberal regime of the short-lived Portuguese republic (1910-26) and powerful resurgence of the Hindu spirit of unity and cultural organisation, then things would have turned much worse in the 20th century.

After Liberation, the Ganesh Chaturthi festival assumed a new dimension. Electricity reached every village. Educational facilities multiplied. Markets were opened in every taluka. Today the Banastarim village market has become world famous for sale of all types of goods required for the festival. A tremendous boost was given by the MGP rule to promote art and culture. The temple of Gopal Ganapati at Farmagudi is an example of the interest shown by Bhausaheb Bandodkar, Goa’s first and most popular CM. The suppressed and repressed Hindu bahujansamaj of Goa had a new spring in its’ steps. The Ganesha festival continued to gain popularity post-70s on account of imaginative displays and organisation of a large number of public cultural events by the ‘Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav mandals’.

The Goa Police may be the only public-funded entity in a secular state to have its’ public, contributory Ganesha festival in public premises. The government gave special permission to make it possible for the policemen who could not leave their duty and join their family members in villages.

Chaturthi in Era of Globalisation

Post-90s, with onset of new technologies, electrical and electronic displays, Ganesha chaturthi in Goa entered the age of globalisation. The government also sensed the tremendous potential of Lord Ganesha festival in encouraging creative and artistic spirit. The ‘Ghumot aaratis’ (devotional music with accompaniment of a traditional clay membranophone) have seen an unprecedented revival in rural Goa in the past decade. It has also spawned young and new talent of singers and musicians.

For the next two weeks Goa would witness several ‘Ghumot aarti’ competitions. ‘Matoli’ or the sacred ceremonial display of seasonal plant biodiversity has also entered a new phase with the directorate of art and culture promoting taluka and state level competitions for the best displays. Although plants are used in many Hindu and Christian festivals-it is only during the ‘chavath’ festival in Goa that one would find such ecologically important and culturally significant displays of plant diversity. Therefore, the festival also becomes a continuity of tradition of non-formal biodiversity education. In Canacona and Sattari more than 200 plant species were included last year in prize winning ‘matoli’ displays.

On the culinary front also the festival of Ganesha chaturthi has created tremendous commercial opportunities for women’s self-help groups. With the breakdown of the joint family system it has become impossible to prepare and stock the traditional Goan sweet-meats for the festival. For past few years traditional sweets like "nevryos’ have been available in markets. It has been estimated that the festival generates a direct and indirect business of about Rs 1000 crore in just three weeks. Mapusa, Margao, Panaji and Ponda markets are leading in the range of goods offered for the worshippers and their commercial turnover. For thousands of people whose only income depends on goods sold during festive season–Ganesh Chaturthi brings in better bonanza than any other festival.

Goa may be the only state in India which has generated awareness about the post immersion ecologically damaging effects of the idols of plaster of Paris. The government has imposed a ban on such idols. The scheme of supporting the local, traditional Ganesha idol makers has also received tremendous response. It has not only kept the various schools of sculptures alive but has helped the artisan communities in rural areas to cushion the high prices of the materials. Ganesha worshippers are becoming more sensitive to the polluting effects of fireworks, non-biodegradable items like thermocol and the impact of loud noise. Although the security agencies are worried about the threat perception from terrorists and other troublemakers, we can be sure that the goodwill which exists among all the communities in Goa would definitely ensure a peaceful and memorable Ganesh Chaturthi this year.