As dindi celebration grips Margao in wave of devotion, Sawant says ‘will strive to accord it state festival status’

MARGAO: The state’s commercial capital reverberated with bhajans and abhangs as Madgaonkars celebrated the famed dindi festival of Shree Hari mandir dedicated to Shree Vithal Rakumayee, on Sunday. The wave of devotion that enveloped the city intensified as the day progressed into night. The streets reverberated with rhythmic chants of ‘Vithal Vithal Jai Hari Vithal’ and ‘Gyanba Tukaram-Dnyanoba Tukaram’ and devotees danced in frenzy to the melodious tunes of taal, mrudang and pakhvaz.
Chief minister Pramod Sawant who visited the Hari mandir for the dindi said that the government would strive to accord ‘state festival’ status for Margao’s Dindi. He said that this would facilitate the government to provide financial support for the organisation of the festival.
This is the 113th year of Margao’s dindi festival. Margao MLA Digambar Kamat who visited Hari mandir, told reporters that, considering the dindi festival’s rich religious tradition, he would pursue the demand for state festival status for it with the government.
Margao’s Dindi coincides with the Kartiki ekadashi mahotsav that is organised in the pilgrimage city of Pandharpur in Maharashtra.
The dindi with the palanquin of Shree Vithal Rakhumayee took off from the Shree Hari mandir, Pajifond, late Sunday evening, and as it wended its way, paid the customary visit to Shree Damodar Sal well past midnight. As is the tradition, the dindi culminates at Shree Vithal mandir at Comba in the pre-dawn hours and returns to Shree Hari mandir, Pajifond by noon the next day.
In the devotional recitals held at three different places along the route of procession, noted classical vocalists Prajakta Kakatkar (Mumbai) and Abhishek Kale (Sangli) enthralled the audience with their soulful rendering of devotional compositions.
The Shree Damodar Bogdeshwar dindi troupe from Vasco and the traditional Varkari bhajani mandal accompanied the palanquin.
On Monday, “deepotsav” will be celebrated at the Hari Mandir at 7pm. Dindi celebrations will conclude with a classical concert by vocalist Sujata Gurav from Dharwad at 8pm.