[dadu]

Nice writeup, good pictures, carry-on.

I also noticed that your wife started learning to drive, which is good.

[Perez]

deepak!, lovely write up dude.

and needless to say, nice pics..come em comin

[mjothi]

Wow, Deepak. You have changed the perception of GOA

So many temples with such details. Wish I had a chance to visit some temples along with you there. I would save Guides charge. Hehehe

[BomBatt]

Day 3, March 23, Monday - (Continued)
This day being Monday, there was a festive environment around the temple. On every Monday, there is "palki utsav" in the night from 8 pm to 11 pm. Also, locals observe "upwas" on Monday and temple canteen and all other eateries around temple are closed. We will have to make do with Fruits and Sweets given as prasad.

I was standing outside the temple on the main road and saw this...
A mining truck and butter-smooth road to facilitate its movement!


We still had 2-3 hours to spend before the utsav begins. I think of driving on this road for some distance just to explore the surroundings and the family also joins.

Just as we pass a small village called Rivona, we encounter this small but very beutiful temple

Shri Vimaleshwar Saunsthan, Rivona




There is a water tank and there is this cow(?) inside the tank; if you observe closely there is calf too.


It is drinking water from front side


And leaving water from backside


We spend an hour here and return back to Zambaulim.

A bhajan mandali had arrived from Pune in the morning and they start singing bhajan in the praise of the Lord.


After sometime palki utsav begins with a procession to take deity Lord Damodar on a tour around the temple. Here, utsava murthi made of gold is used for the parade.

Some pics of palki utsav






After the procession ends, all the devotees assemble inside the temple hall and are distributed with generous amounts of fruits and sweets as prasad and that itself was our dinner.

Continued...

[brraj]

You look so funny with that hairstyle .

I love the fact that even in difficult times you are enjoying life the way it has to be enjoyed.

I cannot believe this thread is a travelogue of GOA!

[snaronikar]

Wooaah. Just saw this thread. Your first pic has come out well as well as other pics. BTW, did the priests allow to take the snap of the God in the "garbha gudi"? Usually, the temple people will not allow to take pics of God. How did you manage?

[BomBatt]

Originally Posted by brraj

I love the fact that even in difficult times you are enjoying life the way it has to be enjoyed.

I have said it. Let me say it again "Sankata bandaga Venkataramana !" (remember lord only when in trouble)

Originally Posted by snaronikar

BTW, did the priests allow to take the snap of the God in the "garbha gudi"? Usually, the temple people will not allow to take pics of God. How did you manage?

True Srini. It is not allowed. But I have not clicked anything inside the temple. The picturres of Lord Damodar copied from the temple website.

[snaronikar]

Originally Posted by BomBatt

I have said it. Let me say it again "Sankata bandaga Venkataramana !" (remember lord only when in trouble)

How true it is. It applies to all of us...well, most of us. Well said.

[Thad E Ginathom]

People have always tried to tell me that there is more to Goa than its international reputation suggests.

So now I know that, if I do go there, I don't have to spend all my time watching the hippie girls on the beaches <Blush>.

Seriously; you thread really does more to make Goa attractive than anything else I've ever seen.

[mayurpalav]

Some snaps from my pilgrimage trip to Goa.

[rjstyles69]

deepak bombatt Sir bombatt !! Nice to see and read an experience of Goa without spirit.

Hopefully your family deity blesses you with the best for the year ahead.Good luck !!

[romyeo4u]

Neat travelogue and great narration buddy,this travelogue portrays " The other side of Goa".

[hrag]

Hello? Where's the rest? Have you returned from Goa?

[GenuineOptimist]

Wow. Your thread amazes me.

You seem to have stayed at temple premises most of the time and had food at the temple canteen/prasad on multiple occasions. A true pilgrimage indeed. Unlike the ones where people just visit a temple and spend the rest of the time hitting hotels to sleep & restaurants to eat.

For the first time, someone has given Goa the cultural and spiritual importance that it deserves. The European tourists, with their exchange rate, have overshadowed the rest of aspects of Goa and the present day govt, eager to preserve revenues, have spoilt the place with cheap liqour, attracting cheaper tourists. For outsiders like me, this truly puts Goa on par with any other state in india, as far as hinduism's influence goes.

Having spent a lot of time in Tamil Nadu, I've never admired Hindu Temples (of the Gopuram or 'Steep tower that narrows on top' style) because of the crowd, lack of hygiene and superstitions associated with it. The temples shown here are clean, oil-less and are in lighter shades, a welcome change for me.

The cylindrical short-tower seems to be part of all your temples. Do you know the significance of it?

The present times are the times of OBC rejuvenation and oppressed classes trying to set-right the injustices committed over centuries. However the story of your migrations and the associated history implies how the brahmins have managed to retain knowledge of their ancestors - hallmark of a knowledge society. I'm not sure if the same can be said about other castes. Most of the history is lost over generations.

Kudos to you and thanks for an amazing thread.

[T_Girl]

Though difficult to imagine Goa and temples?? But then the temples are beautiful.