Dindi is the main cultural and religious celebration of the Hindus of Margao, which is held at night. It is one of the oldest festivals in Salcete taluka, celebrated every year on the second day after Vodli Diwali, with great pomp and religious fervour at Comba-Margao, at the Vithal Rakhumai temple and the Damodar temple.
The festival dates back to 1909 and is dedicated to the Hindu deity Vithoba. It now takes place in the newly built Hari Mandir temple near the Adarsh School, Pajifond. Thousands of devotees from all over Goa and Karnataka flock to Margao to witness the festival.
THE ORIGIN
There are various legends relating to the origin of Dindi festival in Margao. One legend says that sometime before 1909, Margao inhabitants were affected by a devastating plague, which claimed a heavy loss of lives.
To find a solution to this, some religious-minded people along with some prominent social workers started a religious function to placate the God. They also vowed to have a religious ceremony every year in his honour. The God heard their prayers and in keeping to their vow, held the Dindi festival every year.
Another story says that it rose here due to pilgrim’s devotional need to mark the auspicious Kartiki Ekadashi Mahotsav at Pandarpur, which is held annually.
At Pandarpur, devotees sing the glory of Shree Vithal and dance to the tune of taal (beat) and murdang (drum).
Devotees of Shree Vithal Rakhumai, hailing from neighbourhood Maharashtra, who had settled in Goa during the Portuguese era, began worshipping the deity in a chawl owned by late Shamba Shet Lotlikar in Margao, the place where the Shree Hari Mandir now stands.
Due to many travel restrictions then, pilgrims were unable to undertake their annual pilgrimage to Pandarpur, so they began to hold the Dindi of Shree Hari Mandir here to mark the auspicious Kartiki Ekadishi Mahotsva every year.
THE CELEBRATION
Dindi festival starts in the evening, once the puja is performed in Shree Hari Mandir, Pajifond. Then the palanquin of Shree Vithal Rakhumai is carried out through the busy streets of Margao, amid the constant chanting and singing of bhajans in honour of the God and the saints all along the route. This main palki is followed by some lesser ones, holding some pictures of holy men.
It culminates at Shree Vithoba temple in Comba in the pre-dawn hours and returns to Shree Hari Mandir, Pajifond by noon, the next day. It makes its traditional halts near UCO Bank and the Margao Municipal Council, where there is a display of fireworks. Worshippers follow the palki. They pray that the door of heaven may be opened to them on this day. Devotees take darshan on its way as well as near Shree Hari Mandir.
People wait in long queues to get a glimpse of the deity outside the Vitthal Rakhumai temples at Pajifond and Comba and to offer flowers, fruits and prayers on the holy occasion.
The festivities go on for seven days, during which several programmes are organised. The main attraction of the Dindi festival every year is the Sangeet Bhaitaks, as music lovers from all over Goa attend the event to listen to famous classical vocalists and instrument players and have darshan of Lord Vithal Rakumai. The fair is only for that one evening right through the night.
Being an important festival in Margao, married daughters, who are residing outside Margao, come to spend some days during the festival in their home towns. Different social institutions and clubs organise various programmes as part of entertainment to attract more devotees for the festival and thus make it livelier.
This year, however, on account of the pandemic, the temple committee has decided not to have the Dindi Festival procession, except for rituals at the temple.
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