Saptah celebration begins in Vasco

Vasco: The annual 121th Shree Damodar Bhajani Saptah celebration  commenced at Shree Damodar temple,  Vasco, on Sunday.

For the first time in the history of the  saptah celebration, it is being held in the absence of devotees due to the COVID-19 scare.

The 24-hour long saptah celebration commenced at the temple premises at around 12.30 pm after a shrifal was placed at the lotus feet of Lord Damodar by industrialist Prashant Joshi.

Bhajan singer Ashok Manohar Mandrekar (Shivolkar) chanted a  ‘gajar’- ‘Jai Jai Ram Krishna Hari’. He was accompanied by Surya Shetye on pakhwaj and Anil Kondurkar on harmonium.

Thereafter, as decided by Shree Damodar Bhajani Saptah Utsav Samitti (SDBSUS), CDs of various bhajan troupes were being played in order to continue with the chain of bhajans for the next 24-hours.

The saptah celebration will conclude on July 27 after 12.30 pm with ‘Gopal kala’. People from Vasco preferred to seek blessings of Lord Damodar by staying indoors as per the appeal made by the saptah committee.

The roads leading to the temple were barricaded and the area cordoned off by the police in order to prevent the people from entering the temple.

The steps initiated by the district administration were welcomed by the  devotees at large.

Deputy Collector and Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Mormugao, Sachin Dessai; Mormugao mamlatdar Saiesh Naik; deputy superintendent of police, Vasco sub-division, Raju Raut Dessai; Vasco PI Paresh Naik, and Vasco traffic cell PI Sudesh Narvekar were keeping a watch in and around the temple premises.

SDBSUS secretary Santosh Khorjuvenkar informed that the temple purohit Bhushan offered prayers to Lord Damodar, and sought blessings and protection from COVID-19 for all.

Prayers were also offered to vanquish the dreaded COVID-19, which has affected a large number of people and even claimed lives.