[Spitfire]

Nice.. I have been a regular visitor to the Gulal Utsav @ Zambaulim. Right since i was 1 my dad has religiously taken me there every year. I have been missing out in the last couple of years and my darshan will probably be done through your blog here.

Dad till today hasnt missed a single year.

I too am a GSB and it is good to find more on this forum.

[BomBatt]

Day 3, March 23, Monday
Whole night, I could not sleep properly as I was very excited and restless. We have gone through such a difficult time in our life. Year 2008 was the year which tested each family member. At the beginning of the year, stock markets crashed. First, mother-in-law went through cataract operation. Then, my mother suffered extreme high BP such that she had severe nosebleed and had to be hospitalized. She also had cataract operation. Then, my dad suffered heart attack and was in hospital for almost a month. I too suffered from terrible bouts of migrains. There is a saying in Kannada - "Sankata bandaga Venkataramana !" (You remember god only when in trouble)...

We all get ready by 7:00 pm. Dad enquires with someone and finds that temple canteen at nearby Shri Nagesh temple opens early and we can have good breakfast there. So we drive directly to Shri Nagesh temple.

Shri Naguesh Maharudra, Bandora, Ponda



After having darshan at the temple, we finish our breakfast at the temple canteen itself and proceeded to Zambaulim. On the way, we encounter thousands of mining trucks .




The journey seemed endless as we go through Talaulim, NH-17B, NH-17, Madgaon, Quepem, Tilamol, and finally at around 11:30 am, we reach Jambavli/Zambaulim.

The first thing I do as soon as I park my Sparky, I rush towards the temple. Leave the footwear outside and get directly into the temple and had a "dhool bhaet" with dam bappa. There is a tradition among GSBs, which very few know/follow. As soon as we arrive at the temple, even before we wash our hands and feet, we rush inside with dusty feet and pay our repects. This first visit is thus called "dhool bhet" or a dusty meeting !. We consider our kuldeva to be our protector and a close confidant. It is as if he wants to see us ASAP without wasting any time !.








As I was in dhool bhaet with Damodar bappa, other members were busy unloading the luggage etc. My father had gone to temple committee office to arrange rooms to stay. Then we settle into our room, freshen up, and go to the temple canteen for lunch. Then we take rest for sometime and venture out into the temple surroundings.

This beautiful temple is deep inside Goa, situated on the banks of Kushawati river. Other side of Kushawati river is forest. Kushawati river supposed to have great healing power and devotees take a dip in the river.

The temple is visited by both Hindus and Christians alike. Even Catholics donate generously to Lord Damodar. In fact, during my "dhool bhet," I was surprised to see a Christian newly married couple paying homage to their dear "dam-bab." This visit of newly married couple is known as "var bhaet".

Pathway to Kushawati river


Relaxing under the tree at the banks of the river



Agrashalas/rooms



Continued...

[dockap]

nice writeup man.i am a gsb 2 and i knew the meaning of sb but never figured out the g in gsb.our family temple is the last one you visited in ponda but coudnt click pics cause it was dark
havent been there since my son was born. I thinks its time to plan a trip now. you know its times like this i miss my scorpio 8 people could go together in 1 vehicle
anyways waiting for the rest of your goa trip writeup

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Tbhp is the last place I expected to find a post on kuldevs. For those who do not know, the kuldev was very sacred and close to the GSBs. Apparently, the christians Goa, though converted, continued to worship the kuldevs. And I remember seeing people kneeling (as in churches) before the kuldevs. That was a few decades back.

Can you please post the location of each temple?

A pilgrimage is overdue!!!

BTW, most of those idols ended up in the south - Kochi and surroundings (from Kodungallor to Alleppey).

The GSBs of Kochi have build a Kuldev "complex" of 8 (probably more) Kuldev temples at Ambalamedu (near the Cochin Refinery).

Edit:- Kashmiri brahimins (like the Nehru family) are "saraswats", but they never migrated to "gowda desa", so they never became "Gowda" saraswats.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Reading with interest, and enjoying the pictures too

[vinayvtec]

Originally Posted by BomBatt

Attachment 119943

Interesting because Lord Dattatreya is always seen with Kamadhenu.
Attachment 119944

Than Kamadhenu, you will see him surrounded by dogs as he loves them very much and even Shirdi Sai Baba.

In fact when people buy new dog or when they loss a dog they will offer prayer for him.

[hrag]

Deepak maam, super!

My different (though similar) journey ended at Shirali in 2007 ;-)

[arindamray]

Nice to know this connection covering the whole india - North (Kashmir) to East (Bengal) to West (Maharashtra/Goa) and South (Karnataka).

Interesting read.

And a totally different side of Goa. I think I have visited the Mangeshi temple though.

[akroy]

Deepak Sir, excellent information maan. I never knew of this other side of Goa. Speechless. Looking at your thread, I am feeling like doing a pilgrimage trip starting from Kukke till up north to Goa (it is indeed due although I have driven past these places a few times)

Abhi

[BaCkSeAtDrIVeR]

Originally Posted by arindamray

and South (Karnataka).

Kerala actually. There are GSBs settled as far south as Kollam (Quilon); and later (post - Portuguese invasion) settlements in Trivandrum.

[shivshanker]

Nice thread, many GSB's are coming out of hiding I would say.

BomBatt, being "kulavi's" looks like we have a lot in common.

Praman

[BomBatt]

Originally Posted by Spitfire

I have been a regular visitor to the Gulal Utsav @ Zambaulim.

If I remember correctly, my grandfather used tell about this festival. This weeklong festival is also known as Shigmo. Some 200-300 years ago, there was a breakout of plague epidemic in the city of Vasco. The residents went to Jambavli and prayed to Lord Damodar. They offered a coconut as prasad. Subsequently, the epidemic vanished and locals celebrated this for a week. This festival is also known as saptah.

Originally Posted by dockap

I thinks its time to plan a trip now.

And make it a point to visit at least once every year.

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Can you please post the location of each temple? A pilgrimage is overdue!!!

BTW, most of those idols ended up in the south - Kochi and surroundings (from Kodungallor to Alleppey).

The GSBs of Kochi have build a Kuldev "complex" of 8 (probably more) Kuldev temples at Ambalamedu.

Edit:- Kashmiri brahimins (like the Nehru family) are "saraswats", but they never migrated to "gowda desa", so they never became "Gowda" saraswats.

Shri Mangesh Maharudra - Priol, Ponda
Shri Mahalasa Narayani - Mhardol, Ponda
Above temples are within 1 km from each other near NH 4A.

Shri Shantadurga, Kavlem - Ponda
Shri Nagesh Maharudra - Bandora, Ponda
Shri Mahalakshmi - Bandora, Ponda
Shri Ramnath - Ponda
Above 4 temples are within 2 kms from each other in the area of Talaulim.

Shri Damodar - Zambaulim
Shri Vimaleshwar - Rivona
Rivona is 2 kms after Zambaulim

Some temples I did not visit
Shri Devaki Krishna ravalnath - Marcela, Ponda
Shri Navadurga - Madkai, Ponda
Shri Kaveri Kamakshi - Shiroda

Yes BaCkSeAtDrIVeR, Kochi GSBs are very prominent among GSBs. I have many relatives here in Bangalore who are from Kochi.

And, thank you for the information about Kashmiri Brahmins. My knowledge is limited, gathered from internet and as far as what I remember from what my grandpa used tell me (some 10-15 years back) when he was alive.

Originally Posted by vinayvtec

Than Kamadhenu, you will see him surrounded by dogs as he loves them very much and even Shirdi Sai Baba.

In fact when people buy new dog or when they loss a dog they will offer prayer for him.

Thanks for this information Vinayvtec.

Originally Posted by akroy

I am feeling like doing a pilgrimage trip starting from Kukke till up north to Goa (it is indeed due although I have driven past these places a few times)
Abhi

Great ! Abhi, there are many temples on the coast of Karnataka all the way up to Goa.

Originally Posted by shivshanker

Nice thread, many GSB's are coming out of hiding I would say.
Praman

Nice to know that there are so many GSB Bhpians

[janitha]

Originally Posted by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR

Kerala actually. There are GSBs settled as far south as Kollam (Quilon); and later (post - Portuguese invasion) settlements in Trivandrum.

There are many at Kollam. I had a classmate years back. Now there is one of them in our office too.

[Spitfire]

Originally Posted by BomBatt

This festival is also known as saptah.

Yes, saptah == seven days. Ah... memories.

[filcord]

I love your writing style. Looks like a second career is an option for you!
Yes, talking about Christians coming to the temple for a blessing, there are many practices like this in Goa. In Mapusa, for the feast of Our Lady of Miracles, the second day of the feast is traditionally when the Hindus of the town come to pray to Mary.

In fact, syncretism of this type is very common in India. Apologies for going OT - it is only fundamentalists in each religion that keep trying to drive us apart. After all, it's the same blood that flows in all our veins!