Candle sellers face financial strain amid fire safety precaution at Exposition

Panaji: For over six decades, the Exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier at Old Goa has been a lucrative opportunity for vendors, especially those selling candles and flowers. Shankar Raut, a veteran seller who has been part of the celebration for the past 50 years, usually looks forward to the decennial event that attracts millions of pilgrims from India and overseas.

“In 2014, I sold 25kg of candles. This year, I haven’t even sold 2kg,” Raut told TOI. “A majority of the sales take place from the initial days of the Exposition to the feast day on Dec 3. However, this year, we were allowed to sell candles and flowers only from Dec 7 onwards, which has put a dent in our business prospects.”

The candles are purchased by vendors from a factory in South Goa for Rs 1,000 per kg. These are moulded into the shape of limbs, organs and even faces that pilgrims offer to pray for healing of a corresponding ailment. They are priced anywhere between Rs 50 and Rs 200 per piece.

The Church, in response to safety concerns, has discouraged lighting candles at the holy site due to potential fire hazards.

“We cannot allow the candles to be burnt since it is dangerous for so many people to light a fire at the same time. We have kept baskets for pilgrims to place their unlit candles into, as an offering,” said convener of the Exposition Committee, Fr Henry Falcao.

Many pilgrims, however, are skipping the purchase of candles, creating a ripple effect of financial difficulties for vendors who rely on footfall around the site to make their earnings.

Laxmi Pawar, who has travelled all the way from Bicholim, has been camping at the holy site over the past two weeks. Her fragile long candles have been untouched ever since she has been squatting there, as volunteers keep asking her to move. “Pilgrims who especially come looking for candles are currently my only clients since I cannot openly move around selling them,” she said.

“From making Rs 45,000 during the 2014 Exposition, we are now struggling to make even Rs 4,000,” said Surya Betkikar, another vendor.

Sundari Kerkar, however, maintains a positive outlook. “I have been selling candles for the past 70 years at Old Goa during the feast, and Goencho Sahib has always been generous. There may not have been much sales now, but the trend may change by the end of the Exposition,” she said.

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