Mulgao Kelbai Peth festival to be held today

Bicholim: The “Peth” festival of goddess Kelbai from the village Mulgao, Bicholim, will be held at midnight on March 23.

It is believed that the goddess Kelbai, seated in a peth (a wooden rectangular box made of cane), travels to Gaonkarwada Mayem to meet her sister from the Maya Kelbai Panchayatan Devasthan to see her jatra, celebrated at midnight on March 26.

Goddess Kelbai meets her sister once a year on the day of Chaitra Shuddha Panchami. On this occasion, she is accompanied by hundreds of Dhond devotees and the Chowgule community.

After a three-day stay in Mayem village, the goddess returns to her temple in Mulgao via the forest route. It is only after the return that the Malyachi jatra is celebrated.

The peth, decorated with aboli flowers, is carried on the head by a man called “Mode,” who remains in a trance until reaching Mayem. During the journey, devotees offer aboli flowers to the goddess on a coconut and seek her blessings in the form of kaul.

In a trance, a Peth holder runs toward Shri Shantadurga Temple at Gaonkarwada, Bicholim, but the Chowgule community and accompanying Dhonds prohibit him from doing so.

The traditional route for Peth runs from the forests of Mulgao to Mayem via Vhalshim, Bordem, Bhailipeth, Sonar Peth, and Pazwada.