imported>Nolicmahr: /* Festival of the Lairai dhondachi zatra */

2021-06-28T00:05:50Z

Festival of the Lairai dhondachi zatra

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'''Shirgao''' is a village in the [[Bicholim]] sub-district (''taluka'') of [[Goa]], which is popular for its annual temple<ref name="MGG">{{Cite news|url=http://mygoldengoa.com/shree-lairai-devi-devasthan-shirgao|title=Shree Lairai Devi Devasthan, Shirgao - Golden Goa|date=2014-05-03|work=Golden Goa|access-date=2018-10-01|language=en-US}}</ref> festival that includes [[fire-walking]] traditions.

==Festival of the ''Lairai dhondachi zatra''==

The festival is known as the ''[[Lairai]] dhondachi zatra''<ref name="ToI">{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/A-walk-of-faith-at-the-Shirgao-zatra/articleshow/8191602.cms|title=A walk of faith at the Shirgao zatra - Times of India|work=The Times of India|access-date=2018-10-01}}</ref> and usually occurs around the months of April or May each year.

In keeping with the [[syncretic]] [[urban legend]] in this area of [[Velha Goa]], the goddess Lairai is considered as a "sister"<ref name="MGG" /> of the ''Milagris [[Saibinn]]'' ([[Virgin Mary]]) in the [[Milagres Church (Mapusa)|Milagres Church]] of [[Mapusa]], some {{cvt|20|km}} or so away from the area. The village is estimated to have 350 houses, 70 wells and 32 springs.<ref name="ToI" /> But the area faces a water shortage due to rampant mining nearby.<ref name="ToI" />

==Fire walking==

On the night of the ''[[zatra]]'', an estimated 20,000<ref name="ToI" /> ''dhonds''—men and women from diverse parts of [[Goa]] and the nearby Konkan region—walk through the ''homkhan'', over a burning charcoal bed.<ref>{{Citation|last=JoeGoaUk|title=FIRE WALKING at Shirgao Zatra, Goa|date=2009-04-29|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEOt6jY8QFE|access-date=2018-10-01}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Kinara|title=Shirgao Homkund - Lairai -20/04/ 2018|date=2018-04-20|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyn7chZlZDA|access-date=2018-10-01}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|last=Kavita Dessai|title=Shirgao Jatra 2015 III/III - Last Day of Jatra|date=2015-05-04|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThaA_E49Po4|access-date=2018-10-01}}</ref>

Shrigao has shrines dedicated to a number of deities (14, according to one<ref name="count">{{Cite web|url=http://goanfestivals.in/lairai-zatra-in-shirgao/|title=Lairai Zatra in Shirgao – Goan Festivals|website=goanfestivals.in|access-date=2018-10-01}}</ref> count) including Santer, Mahamaya, Ravalnath, Mahadev, Grampurush, Kshetrapal, Aapevans, Kulkar, Brahman, Homkhandi, Purush, Lakhamo, Aairo and Mharingan, of whom the goddess Lairai—considered to be an incarnation of goddess [[Parvati]]<ref name="ToI" />—is treated with particular reverence.

The official [[Goa Tourism]] site describes<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.goatourism.gov.in/festivals/hindu-festivals/188-lairai-jatra|title=Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, India - LAIRAI JATRA|last=Administrator|website=www.goatourism.gov.in|access-date=2018-10-01}}</ref> the festival thus:

<blockquote>In the early hours of the morning when the fire has died down, the raking of the coals begins. The devotees await their turn to walk on the holy path of hot coals. Around 4 a.m., the actual ritual starts, with the devotees running through the hot coals carrying their sticks and shouting the name of Devi Lairai. As the crowd watches in stunned silence, some devotees do the 'hot run' once, others do it several times. Those who have finished their run, then remove and throw their flower garlands onto a nearby banyan tree and return home. The ''jatra'' reaches its conclusion as the sun rises in the distant hills.</blockquote>

GoanFestivals.in says<ref name="count" /> that "One of the most looked forward event in the [[Hindu]] calendar of religious festivities is the [[fire walking]] held at Shirgao, near [[Assonora|Assanora]] in the [[Bicholim]] Taluka."

==Mining==
Shirgao is also part of the [[North Goa]] mining belt. The Vedanta-owned SRL, Goa and its subsidiary Sesa Mining Corporation Limited extract iron ore from 11 mining leases covering {{convert|980|ha}} in Goa in [[Bicholim]] and [[Surla]], both together account for approximately 90% of SRL's total estimated iron ore reserves as of 31 March 2016. The Pale-Velguem-Bicholim-Shirgao iron ore belt is part of the Surla mine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.vedantaresources.com/media/208529/valor_-_final_version.pdf|title=VEDANTA RESOURCES PLC: $1,000,000,000 6.375% Bonds due 2022|website=VedantaResources.com}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=32485 Rites and rituals hold centrestage at Shirgao]
*[https://www.facebook.com/events/497812406943094/ Facebook Shirgao ''jatra'' page]
*[https://blog.parrikar.com/2009/10/25/goddess-in-the-mine/ Goddess in the mine, Rajan Parrikar]

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[[Category:Villages in North Goa district]]

Shirgao, Goa - Revision history

imported>Nolicmahr: /* Festival of the Lairai dhondachi zatra */